Kansas State at West Virginia: Open Game Thread

This has definitely been a surprising season. I mean, I don’t think anyone would have been too surprised to see K-State at 4-1 headed into today’s game, but I think we’ve all been at least a bit surprised at just how it’s happened.

A loss to Arkansas State, a win over Oklahoma, the loss of Skylar Thompson in the third game, the emergence of true freshmen and unheralded players across the roster. Definitely a wild ride so far in 2020. And there’s still plenty more to go.

At this point, Kansas State is in the driver’s seat of the Big 12 race. Sure, Oklahoma State is still likely the best team in the conference, but for now, the Wildcats hold the top spot. And so that means today’s game in Morgantown is critical for K-State, and one that they shouldn’t overlook (unlike last year). Should the Wildcats win today, then next week’s contest with Oklahoma State becomes incredibly meaningful to the Big 12 race. Even with a loss, it’s still going to be a big game next week, but it won’t have the same kind of overall season implications.

But while us fans can look ahead and think of the possibilities, the football team needs to be here today to keep those dreams alive. And it won’t be easy. First, they’ve got to deal with the Mountaineers, who have been up and down, and undefeated at home (though they’ve only played Baylor and KU, who are both not good this year). They’ve got Leddie Brown on offense, and the Stills brothers on defense, and could be very dangerous to a team looking ahead. But second, they’ve got a major internal distraction to deal with, with players still mourning the loss of one of their own just a few days ago (yes, he was transferring, but he was on the team just a few weeks ago and still in Manhattan).

If the Wildcats can fight through the distractions and stay focused, they can win today. But nothing is given, and it won’t take much of a slip for the Wildcats to return to Manhattan no loner undefeated in conference play.

We’re still in the morning time slot today, and the 11:00am CT kickoff will be shown on ESPN2, with (presumably in Morgantown) Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Kelly Stouffer (analyst), and Dr. Jerry Punch (sidelines) on the call. The game should also be available streaming via WatchESPN. Be sure and check out Jon’s complete How To Watch guide for more info.

If for some reason you don’t get FS1 or can’t access the stream, the game can be heard across the 39-station K-State Sports Network with Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play), former K-State quarterback Stan Weber (analyst), and Matt Walters (sidelines) calling the action. The game will also be on Sirius channel 83, XM Channel 83, and available on the TuneIn app. Live stats are available at k-statesports.com, and Twitter updates (@KStateFB) will also be a part of the coverage.

Go Cats!