K-State Wildcats vs. Nevada Wolf Pack: Five things to know about Big 12/MWC game
The Kansas State Wildcats will try to complete a perfect run through the nonconference portion of its schedule against the Nevada Wolf Pack at 1:05 p.m. Saturday in Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
It won’t be easy.
K-State is off to a 2-0 start, but the Wildcats won’t have starting quarterback Skylar Thompson in this game, as he is out indefinitely with a knee injury. Will Howard will lead the offense. And he will likely need to play one of his better games to keep up with an explosive team that amassed 586 yards in its last game.
Here is everything you need to know to start preparing for the Big 12/Mountain West game.
The details
Kickoff: 1:05 p.m. Saturday
Where: Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan
TV: ESPN+ (Online streaming service, subscription required)
Radio: KCSP 610 AM in Kansas City; KKGQ 92.3 FM in Wichita
Line: Nevada by 2.
Five things to know
1. Nevada is led by a pair of NFL Draft prospects. Experts think Wolf Pack quarterback Carson Strong and receiver Romeo Doubs both have early round potential. They are leading one the best offenses in the country. Strong is averaging 376.5 passing yards per game. Doubs has already caught 10 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown. Nevada will test K-State’s defense on Saturday.
2. Jaren Lewis will serve as Will Howard’s backup in this game. Howard will take over as K-State’s starting quarterback until Thompson is healthy enough to return to action. That means a new backup will need to be ready in case of emergency. Lewis, a 6-foot-1 sophomore from Columbia, Missouri, is the next man up. Chris Klieman said Monday that either Max Marsh or Jake Rubley will handle third-string duties.
3. The Wildcats haven’t allowed a single point when Daniel Green has been on the field this season. It’s true. Go look it up. K-State held Stanford scoreless until the moments of a 24-7 victory two weeks ago, but the Cardinal only found the end zone after Green, K-State’s top linebacker, exited the game following a targeting penalty. Southern Illinois scored 23 points against K-State, but all those scores came in the first half while Green was suspended. K-State shut out the Salukis in the second half with Green back on the field. Green currently leads the team with 13 tackles.
4. Nevada coach Jay Norvell is familiar with the Big 12. Before the Wolf Pack hired him in 2017, Norvell worked as an assistant at several Big 12 schools including Iowa State, Oklahoma and Texas. Nevada seemed to pick wisely with Norvell. After a 3-9 debut season, he has gone 24-13 in Reno and guided the team to three consecutive bowls.
5. Felix Anudike named Big 12 Newcomer of the Week. The sophomore defensive tackle deserved the honor after recording three sacks and forcing a pair of fumbles against Southern Illinois. He has been an impressive player thus far. Many fans thought it would be difficult for K-State to replace the pass-rushing capabilities of Wyatt Hubert this season, but Anudike has been up for the challenge.
This story was originally published September 13, 2021 at 1:47 PM with the headline "K-State Wildcats vs. Nevada Wolf Pack: Five things to know about Big 12/MWC game."