Kansas State-Auburn college football preview
When/where: 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan.
TV/radio: ESPN; WHB (810 AM)
The series: Auburn leads 3-0
The line: Auburn by 9 1/2
KANSAS STATE (2-0)
Date | Opponent | Result/time |
Aug. 30 | Stephen F. Austin | W, 55-16 |
Sept. 6 | at Iowa State | W, 32-28 |
Thursday | Auburn | 6:30 p.m. |
Sept. 27 | UTEP | 11 a.m. |
Oct. 4 | Texas Tech | TBA |
Oct. 18 | at Oklahoma | TBA |
Oct. 25 | Texas | TBA |
Nov. 1 | Oklahoma State | TBA |
Nov. 8 | at TCU | TBA |
Nov. 20 | at West Virginia | 6 p.m. |
Nov. 29 | Kansas | TBA |
Dec. 6 | at Baylor | TBA |
AUBURN (2-0)
Date | Opponent | Result/time |
Aug. 30 | Arkansas | W, 45-21 |
Sept. 6 | San Jose State | W, 59-13 |
Thursday | at Kansas State | 6:30 p.m. |
Sept. 27 | Louisiana Tech | TBA |
Oct. 4 | LSU | TBA |
Oct. 11 | at Mississippi State | TBA |
Oct. 25 | South Carolina | TBA |
Nov. 1 | at Mississippi | TBA |
Nov. 8 | Texas A&M | TBA |
Nov. 15 | at Georgia | TBA |
Nov. 22 | Samford | TBA |
Nov. 29 | at Alabama | TBA |
What’s at stake
Both teams are looking for a statement victory before conference play ramps up. A win Thursday could position either team for a potential run to the College Football Playoff.
Cheers if …
K-State scores a touchdown on special teams or defense. The Wildcats tend to win games like this when that happens.
Jeers if …
The Wildcats trail at the end of the first quarter. K-State hasn’t beaten a ranked nonconference team since 2002, and the biggest culprit in those losses was a slow start.
Three things about Auburn
1 The Tigers are one of the nation’s premier running teams. They have rushed for 200 yards in 13 consecutive games, and they have topped 300 rushing yards in eight of their past 11 games.
2 Auburn can throw the ball, too, behind Nick Marshall. The Tigers are one of five teams nationally to average more than 300 yards rushing and 200 yards passing.
3 This is Auburn’s first road game. Coach Gus Malzahn admits that it is a concern. “That’s one of the tougher places to play in college football,” he said. “It’s a measuring stick to go on the road against a top-20 team, at their place in a hostile environment. It will be a huge test. We’ll have to play well to win.”
Key matchup
K-State’s front seven vs. Nick Marshall and Cameron Artis-Payne. Things didn’t go well the last time K-State went up against a ranked team that emphasized its running game. Oklahoma defeated K-State 41-31 last year behind 301 rushing yards, with quarterback Trevor Knight and running back Brennan Clay leading the way. Knight confused K-State defenders with zone-read plays and Clay totaled 200 yards. The Wildcats will have to perform better against a stronger rushing attack Thursday. Auburn utilizes four rushers and averages 330 rushing yards.
KANSAS STATE OFFENSE
P | No. | Player | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. |
WR | 16 | Tyler Lockett | 5-11 | 175 | Sr. |
WR | 14 | Curry Sexton | 5-11 | 183 | Sr. |
LT | 55 | Cody Whitehair | 6-4 | 309 | Jr. |
LG | 77 | Boston Stiverson | 6-4 | 312 | Jr. |
C | 66 | B.J. Finney | 6-4 | 303 | Sr. |
RG | 61 | Drew Liddle | 6-3 | 288 | Sr. |
RT | 65 | Matt Kleinsorge | 6-5 | 306 | Jr. |
TE | 85 | Zach Trujillo | 6-5 | 256 | Sr. |
WR | 6 | Deante Burton | 6-2 | 205 | So. |
QB | 15 | Jake Waters | 6-1 | 210 | Sr. |
RB | 24 | Charles Jones | 5-10 | 197 | So. |
K | 3 | Jack Cantele | 6-0 | 193 | Jr. |
KANSAS STATE DEFENSE
P | No. | Player | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. |
DE | 44 | Ryan Mueller | 6-2 | 245 | Sr. |
DT | 99 | Valentino Coleman | 6-2 | 285 | Sr. |
DT | 95 | Travis Britz | 6-4 | 293 | Jr. |
DE | 75 | Jordan Willis | 6-5 | 250 | So. |
LB | 52 | Charmeachealle Moore | 6-0 | 217 | Jr. |
LB | 35 | Will Davis | 6-0 | 223 | So. |
LB | 21 | Jonathan Truman | 5-11 | 219 | Sr. |
CB | 33 | Morgan Burns | 5-11 | 195 | Jr. |
SS | 22 | Dante Barnett | 6-1 | 186 | Jr. |
FS | 20 | Dylan Schellenberg | 6-9 | 195 | Sr. |
CB | 7 | Danzel McDaniel | 6-1 | 205 | Jr. |
P | 9 | Mitch Lochbihler | 6-6 | 240 | Fr. |
AUBURN OFFENSE
P | No. | Player | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. |
WR | 1 | D’Haquille Williams | 6-2 | 216 | Jr. |
WR | 18 | Sammie Coates | 6-2 | 201 | Jr. |
LT | 72 | Shon Coleman | 6-6 | 310 | So. |
LG | 62 | Chad Slade | 6-5 | 315 | Sr. |
C | 50 | Reese Dismukes | 6-3 | 295 | Sr. |
RG | 56 | Avery Young | 6-6 | 315 | So. |
RT | 51 | Patrick Miller | 6-7 | 289 | Jr. |
TE | 81 | C.J. Uzomah | 6-5 | 264 | Sr. |
WR | 5 | Ricardo Louis | 6-2 | 212 | Jr. |
QB | 14 | Nick Marshall | 6-1 | 210 | Sr. |
RB | 44 | Cameron Artis-Payne | 5-11 | 210 | Sr. |
K | 38 | Daniel Carlson | 6-4 | 216 | Fr. |
AUBURN DEFENSE
P | No. | Player | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. |
LE | 97 | Elijah Daniel | 6-2 | 263 | So. |
DT | 98 | Angelo Blackson | 6-4 | 306 | Sr. |
DT | 54 | Jeffrey Whitake | 6-4 | 322 | Sr. |
RE | 90 | Gabe Wright | 6-3 | 284 | Sr. |
SLB | 26 | Justin Garrett | 6-1 | 224 | Jr. |
MLB | 8 | Cassanova McKinzy | 6-3 | 249 | Jr. |
WLB | 17 | Kris Frost | 6-2 | 234 | Jr. |
CB | 3 | Jonathan Jones | 5-10 | 182 | Jr. |
SS | 23 | Johnathan Ford | 6-0 | 199 | So. |
FS | 9 | Jermaine Whitehead | 5-11 | 193 | Sr. |
CB | 6 | Jonathon Mincy | 5-10 | 196 | Sr. |
P | 38 | Daniel Carlson | 6-4 | 216 | Fr. |
Kellis Robinett’s pick: Auburn 35-28
K-State has the offensive firepower to beat Auburn. If it can start fast and play from ahead, an enthused crowd could carry the Wildcats to victory. But their defense may not be able to handle Auburn. The Tigers, overall, are the stronger team.
Kellis Robinett, krobinett@kcstar.com
This story was originally published September 17, 2014 at 2:04 PM with the headline "Kansas State-Auburn college football preview."