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First, on this observance of Veteran’s Day we’d like to take a moment to thank all veteran’s for their service to this country. We wouldn’t be here yelling about 18-to-23-year-olds if it weren’t for you. Thank you.
There was definitely some concern. In fact some were downright morose during the Wildcats 3-game skid in the first half of conference play, coupled with the loss to Vandy and a lackluster performance against an over-matched KU squad.
But most have walked back from the out-right depression line after a thrilling come-from-ahead-to-come-from-behind overtime win in Lubbock that has the Kansas State Wildcats sitting just one game from bowl eligibility.
So bring on the West Virginia Mountaineers, who looked like an amp’d-up version of the Red Raiders team the Cats just beat, and most recently took down the hottest team in the Big 12, Iowa freakin State, in a low-scoring slugfest in Morgantown.
We still have a quarterback conundrum in the Vanier Football Complex. Jesse Ertz is still listed at the top of the depth chart, Alex Delton started the last four games but couldn’t finish the last two after sustaining concussions just before halftime, and Skylar Thompson looked pretty good in his second-half effort last week against Tech, including leading the game-tying drive that ended with a game-tying 2-PT conversion throw. At this point it’s safe to assume that Ertz is likely done for the season, or at least until December, but it’s anyone’s guess as to whether we’ll see Delton or Thompson line up behind Adam Holtorf for the first play from scrimmage.
It also appeared as though Tom Hayes finally decided that he needed to adapt the defense, meaning that while we’ll see a billion passing yards from Will Grier, we may actually see fewer big plays and get to the bend-but-DON’T-break defense that we’ve come to expect.
It’s going to be cool and cloudy in Manhattan today, and, of course, there’s a chance for rain all afternoon. However, this should be the straight-rain type, and there is no prediction of potential game-delaying thunderstorms.
Be sure and check out our pregame content: TB’s Kicking the Tires preview of the Mountaineers, a little fun Trash Talk from AMS, and all-important How to Watch information from Jon.
Beat the Mountaineers!