Kansas State-Oklahoma college football preview
When/where: 11 a.m. Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla.
TV/radio: ESPN; WHB (810 AM)
The series: Oklahoma leads 72-18-4
The line: Oklahoma by 8
KANSAS STATE (4-1, 2-0 Big 12)
Date | Opponent | Result/time |
Aug. 30 | Stephen F. Austin | W, 55-16 |
Sept. 6 | at Iowa State | W, 32-28 |
Sept. 18 | Auburn | L, 20-14 |
Sept. 27 | UTEP | W, 58-28 |
Oct. 4 | Texas Tech | W, 45-13 |
Saturday | at Oklahoma | 11 a.m. |
Oct. 25 | Texas | 11 a.m. |
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 |
OKLAHOMA (5-1, 2-1 Big 12)
Date | Opponent | Result/time |
Aug. 30 | Louisiana Tech | W, 48-16 |
Sept. 6 | at Tulsa | W, 52-7 |
Sept. 13 | Tennessee | W, 34-10 |
Sept. 20 | at West Virginia | W, 45-33 |
Oct. 4 | at TCU | L, 37-33 |
Oct. 11 | vs. Texas* | W, 31-26 |
Saturday | Kansas State | 11 a.m. |
Nov. 1 | at Iowa State | TBA |
Nov. 8 | Baylor | TBA |
Nov. 15 | at Texas Tech | TBA |
Nov. 22 | Kansas | TBA |
Dec. 6 | Oklahoma State | TBA |
*at Dallas
What’s at stake
K-State is hoping for a win that will validate it as a Big 12 championship contender. Oklahoma is trying to stay in the playoff hunt by beating a ranked opponent.
Cheers if …
K-State runs the ball effectively. Oklahoma has won 46 consecutive games when leading at halftime. If the Wildcats can take an early lead and control the game with their rushing attack, they will take their chances.
Jeers if …
Oklahoma connects on some long passes. The Sooners are at their best when Trevor Knight and Sterling Shepard connect on the deep ball.
Three things about Oklahoma
1 The Sooners have been nearly unbeatable at home under Bob Stoops since he took control of the program in 1999, going 89-5. That is a winning percentage of .947. Of course, they aren’t unbeatable at home. K-State is one of the five teams to beat Stoops in Norman, winning there two years ago.
2 Trevor Knight has not lived up to expectations. A year after leading Oklahoma to a win over Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, the quarterback has amassed 1,635 yards in six games. He has thrown six touchdowns and five interceptions.
3 Freshman running back Samaje Perine has been a big surprise for the Sooners, rushing for 568 yards and nine touchdowns. Few expected him to play at the beginning of the season.
Key matchup
Trevor Knight vs. Ryan Mueller. Knight’s breakout game came against K-State a year ago, leading Oklahoma to a 41-31 victory in Manhattan. Knight rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown on top of throwing for 171 yards and a score. Much of his success came on zone-read plays in which he continually fooled Mueller, K-State’s best pass rusher. Whenever Mueller went after Knight, the ball went to running back Brennan Clay, who rushed for 200 yards. Mueller needs to win the battle this time to give the Wildcats a chance.
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 | 68 | Luke Hayes | 6-6 | 295 | Jr. |
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 | 20 | DeMarcus Robinson | 5-7 | 209 | Sr. |
K | 16 | Matthew McCrane | 5-10 | 165 | Fr. |
KANSAS STATE DEFENSE
P | No. | Player | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. |
DE | 44 | Ryan Mueller | 6-2 | 245 | Sr. |
DT | 60 | Will Geary | 6-9 | 290 | Fr. |
or | 99 | Valentino Coleman | 6-2 | 285 | Sr. |
DT | 95 | Travis Britz | 6-4 | 293 | Jr. |
DE | 75 | Jordan Willis | 6-5 | 250 | So. |
LB | 9 | Elijah Lee | 6-3 | 214 | Fr. |
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. |
OKLAHOMA OFFENSE
P | No. | Player | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. |
WR | 5 | Darron Neal | 5-11 | 201 | Jr. |
WR | 3 | Sterling Shepard | 5-10 | 195 | Jr. |
LT | 71 | Tyrus Thompson | 6-5 | 336 | Sr. |
LG | 74 | Adam Sheed | 6-4 | 339 | Sr. |
C | 56 | Ty Darlington | 6-2 | 286 | Jr. |
RG | 75 | Tyler Evans | 6-5 | 339 | Sr. |
RT | 79 | Daryl Williams | 6-6 | 329 | Sr. |
TE | 10 | Blake Bell | 6-6 | 259 | Sr. |
WR | 1 | K.J. Young | 6-0 | 177 | Fr. |
QB | 9 | Trevor Knight | 6-1 | 201 | So. |
RB | 28 | Alex Ross | 6-1 | 221 | So. |
K | 18 | Michael Hunnicutt | 6-1 | 180 | Sr. |
OKLAHOMA DEFENSE
P | No. | Player | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. |
DE | 91 | Charles Tapper | 6-4 | 281 | Jr. |
DT | 80 | Jordan Phillips | 6-6 | 334 | So. |
DE | 98 | Chuka Ndulue | 6-3 | 289 | Sr. |
LB | 19 | Eric Striker | 6-0 | 221 | Jr. |
LB | 26 | Jordan Evans | 6-3 | 223 | So. |
LB | 1 | Dominque Alexander | 6-0 | 227 | So. |
LB | 85 | Geneo Grissom | 6-4 | 252 | Sr. |
CB | 2 | Julian Wilson | 6-2 | 201 | Sr. |
FS | 13 | Ahmad Thomas | 6-0 | 209 | So. |
SS | 10 | Quentin Hayes | 6-0 | 190 | Sr. |
CB | 15 | Zack Sanchez | 5-11 | 179 | So. |
P | 44 | Jed Barnett | 6-2 | 215 | Sr. |
Kellis Robinett’s pick: Oklahoma, 20-17
This game is closer to a coin-flip than the spread indicates. Oklahoma has not played well, particularly on offense, in its last two games, and Tyler Lockett shredded the Sooners’ secondary for 278 yards a year ago. Things won’t be decided until the fourth quarter, but home field gives Oklahoma a slight edge.
To reach Kellis Robinett, send email to krobinett@kcstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @KellisRobinett.
This story was originally published October 16, 2014 at 6:38 PM with the headline "Kansas State-Oklahoma college football preview."