Kansas State vs LSU: Texas Bowl Open Game Thread

It’s finally here. After waiting for what seems like eternity for this game, it’s finally time for the Texas Bowl between Kansas State and LSU.

At times it has seemed like this game might not happen at all. LSU has experienced major roster issues since the end of the regular season, with opt-outs, transfers, and health taking all taking scholarship players off of the Tigers roster ahead of the bowl game. At last count, somewhere between 39 and 45 scholarship athletes are available tonight for LSU, and only one of those is a quarterback. Except that the QB is true freshman Garrett Nussmeier, who has already played four games this season and was denied a waiver for a fifth game and is very likely not to play tonight.

On the other side, the Wildcats may be healthier as a team than they’ve been since the early part of the season. Skylar Thompson appears to be healed from the ankle injury that took him out in the waning minutes of the loss to Baylor and kept him from playing against Texas. He’s ready to play tonight, which is a welcome sight to K-State fans and players alike. About the only truly missing players for the Wildcats (from those that weren’t already out by the end of the regular season) are backup running backs Joe Ervin and Jacardia Wright. That means that Jordan Schippers and a cluster of true freshman that haven’t seen any action this season are the only guys available to give Deuce Vaughn a breather.

This is a game that K-State should win, and likely could have even before LSU’s roster ran into extreme turbulence. But that doesn’t mean the Cats can take any plays off, or can take LSU lightly. The Tigers are still dangerous, and still talented.

K-State should win, but LSU won’t make it easy.

For the last game of the season, we’ve got a late 8:00pm CT kickoff from NRG Stadium in Houston, TX being aired on ESPN with Tom Hart (play-by-play), Tim Hasselbeck (analyst), and Kelsey Riggs (sidelines) on the call. The game should also be available streaming via WatchESPN if you already have the correct TV subscription.

If for some reason you don’t get ESPN, 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 (possibly) Matt Walters (sidelines) calling the action. The game will also be available on satellite radio, with the K-State broadcast on XM 380, and the national broadcast on Sirius and XM 84; it will also be available on the The Varsity Network app. Live stats are available at k-statesports.com, and Twitter updates (@KStateFB) will also be a part of the coverage.

Go Cats!