Kansas State Game Preview
Texas has beaten Kansas State 6 straight times. Can they make it 7 and clear a path for a Big 12 title berth? Photo: Mikala Compton, Austin American-Statesman
Outlook
Here we are. November football. This is where things start to get real for the Texas Longhorns. The path is clear - win the next 4 games and they’ll be in the Big 12 Championship. Right now, they need to focus on winning the next game. Kansas State travels to Austin on Saturday as the Horns take on the Wildcats at 11 a.m. CST in DKR. The game will be televised on FOX - it will be the site of this week’s Big Noon Kickoff with the game being called by Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt.
Texas QB Maalik Murphy will play a crucial role in the fate of the Longhorns’ season - will he be ready for the moment? Photo: Scott Wachter, USA Today
The Longhorns are a slight favorite on the books - around 3 points depending where you look. That’s about as much as a home field advantage is said to give - so these 2 teams are thought to be evenly matched on paper. The thing is, there are still unknowns on the burnt orange side, as we’ll be entering game 2 of Maalik Murphy’s quarterback career at UT, as far as starting goes. Game 1 was a somewhat rocky affair, as there were some flashes of brilliance and some “freshman” moments mixed in. Outside of that, there are injury rumors floating around as we approach game time. I’m not going to get into those as we haven’t had any word from head coach Steve Sarkisian or official media to give credence to those rumors. For now, I’m operating under the assumption that the players we know are hurt will be out, and the rest will be available.
After a bounce back performance from the Texas defense, at least one side of the ball is coming in with confidence - we feel like we know what we have with that group. That’s not to say that it’s not a difficult test facing the Kansas State offense. They have been employing a 2 QB system as of late, led by Will Howard but with freshman Austin Johnson getting more looks both as a runner and passer.
Kansas State QB Austin Johnson, seen as a runner, managed just -5 yards on 4 carries vs. Houston. Photo: Reed Hoffmann, Associated Press
The Wildcats are riding a 3-game win streak, having won their last two contests by a combined score of 82-3. That alone should put Texas fans on alert, especially when one of those was a 41-0 beatdown of the same Houston team that gave the Longhorn defense trouble and took Texas to the wire.
It’s going to take a complete game in all facets for the Longhorns to keep their hopes alive for a Big 12 title and more.
I would make the argument that this is the biggest, or most important, football game that the Longhorns have played in the last 14 years. It’s been since that 2009 season that a Texas team had 1 or fewer losses this late into the season. And anytime you have just 1 loss, you are still alive for that ultimate goal. And the later you go with that, the more the tension mounts in each game. It really is the hope that kills you. But it’s what makes college football so great.
The best, even.
Texas must ride its best asset this season - Jonathon Brooks - to find success on Saturday. Photo: Jay Janner, USA Today
Prediction
This Kansas State team is on a serious roll. With so many questions on the Longhorn side of things, it’s difficult to say Texas will come out and turn that around. The red zone struggles will be the difference as the Wildcats slug out a defensive battle and probably get a late turnover to seal the deal.
Btw - it really pains me to do this!! I love this team and I’d love nothing more than a win to keep the dream alive. It just feels like a lot of things are against us for this one.
Kansas State 24, Texas 20
Hook ‘em
