K-State Wildcats vs. Southern Illinois Salukis: Prediction, preview, time, TV, line
THE DETAILS
Kickoff: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan
TV: ESPN+ (online streaming service, subscription required)
Radio: KKGQ (92.3 FM) in Wichita, KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City
The line: K-State by 14 1/2
PREDICTION
It may seem strange to think Southern Illinois will give Kansas State a better test than Stanford did last week, but there’s a good chance that will happen on Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Forget for a moment that the Salukis are members of the FCS and will be receiving a guaranteed check of $450,000 in exchange for playing this game in Manhattan. They are ranked eighth in the latest FCS top 25 poll and put up big numbers in their opening game of the season.
This is no cupcake opponent.
Unlike Stanford, they have an experienced quarterback and a dynamic offense that will be able to move the ball at a much better rate than the Cardinal could a week ago on a neutral field. Nic Baker threw for 460 yards and four touchdowns against Southeast Missouri State last week on the way to a 47-21 victory.
The Salukis are also versatile on offense. They like to line up in all sorts of different formations and they aren’t afraid to run trick plays. K-State football coach Chris Klieman described them as “the best reverse team” he has ever encountered.
K-State held Stanford to just 233 yards last week, but keeping Southern Illinois in check might not be quite as easy, especially now that the Wildcats’ new 3-3-5 defense is visible for all to see on replays.
That being said, K-State is still a clear favorite in this game.
There are few things Klieman does better than beat FCS opponents. He owns a 67-6 record against them dating back to his time as a head coach at North Dakota State. His lone game against a FCS team at K-State was a 49-14 victory over Nicholls in 2019.
Expect another double-digit victory in this matchup. Southern Illinois allowed 203.9 rushing yards per game last season, which bodes well for K-State’s ground-oriented offense.
There might be some drama in this game, as K-State is unlikely to hold Southern Illinois scoreless. But Skylar Thompson should be able to lead the Wildcats to more points himself.
Kansas State 38, Southern Illinois 21
This story was originally published September 11, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "K-State Wildcats vs. Southern Illinois Salukis: Prediction, preview, time, TV, line."