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On the one hand, last night we saw that even the mighty may fall; Oregon just couldn't get the job done against a different flavor of Wildcats from the desert, and suddenly the playoff picture is murkier than ever. On the other hand, last night we saw that a team that just refuses to lose will persevere and win, which probably made the corners of Bill Snyder's mouth rise imperceptibly.
What we're getting at here is this: K-State should have no trouble Saturday, and they won't as long as they stay focused. But no Big 12 team, not even those blue chickens, is an automatic out. Thankfully, with next week being an off week, the Wildcats shouldn't be looking past this one.
The Opposition
The Opposition
The game: Kansas State (3-1, 1-0, 23/22) hosts the Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-2, 0-1). This is the fifteenth meeting between the two schools. Texas Tech leads the all-time series eight wins to six, but the Wildcats hold a 6-5 advantage in the Big 12 era. All five of Tech's wins were in succession between 2001-2009, and all with Mike Leach in charge; K-State won the first three Big 12 meetings, and has won the last three. Bill Snyder is 6-4 against the Red Raiders. Last year, in Lubbock, K-State won 49-26; the last meeting in Manhattan, in 2012, was a 55-24 Wildcat victory.
Odds: K-State is a 12 point favorite.
Kickoff: Saturday, October 4 at 6:00pm CT, Bill Snyder Family Stadium (52,830) in Manhattan, Kansas. It is the annual Fort Riley Day at the Bill Saturday, as K-State honors the local troops.
Tickets: Sold out. There are some random tickets on the market for under $70, but the bulk of the ducats are in the $80-100 range. Oddly, the vast majority of available tickets are on the lower level and on the K-State side.
Television: ESPNU, with Clay Matvick on play-by-play alongside Anthony Becht. Cara Capuano joins from the sidelines.
Radio: K-State Sports Network, with Wyatt Thompson, Stan Weber, and Matt Walters; also available on Sirius 117 and XM 202. If you happen to be in Texas, the Texas Tech Sports Network carries the game; Brian Jensen, John Harris, and Chris Level have the call.
Online: WatchESPN; free audio streaming via KStateHD.tv with the radio team. K-State Gameday begins at 10:10am with Bruce Haertl. Live stats via Gametracker.
Other options: Bring on the Cats hosts Kansas City-area watch parties in partnership with The Granfalloon, located at 608 Ward Parkway in the Country Club Plaza. If you can attend the game, attend the game, but if not, come join us and enjoy the game, good eats, drinks, and the company of your fellow Wildcat faithful. TB will be in attendance, and you don't want him to be lonely. Special note: The Granfalloon also hosts Nebraska and Michigan State groups, and they play each other on Saturday night as well. So you definitely want to arrive early to secure a decent seat.
