Sooner Gameday

Football

Kansas State is in Norman today to take on the eighth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 PM CT, and the game will air on FOX. For all your game-related needs, you need go no further than the HOW TO WATCH post.

Although the Wildcats have won two of the last three away games against the Sooners, those are also the only two Kansas State wins against Oklahoma since 2003. Beating Oklahoma today is just as much of a tall order as it has ever been.

Will the Sooners win by 20? Is Alex Barnes the best running back at Kansas State since Daniel Thomas? This and other (mostly basketball) questions dominated Kellis Robinett’s K-State Q&A, confirming that the outcome of today’s football game might be a bit of a foregone conclusion.

The point spread too is huge. Oklahoma is favored by 24.5. The Sooners are the top scoring offense in the Big 12, and the Wildcats are dead last in the same category. Other teams might be fazed by all this, but not Kansas State. They’ve faced—and defied—long odds before, so this is just another game against a quality opponent (Greg Woods, Manhattan Mercury).

Still, Bill Snyder didn’t get to the Hall of Fame just living down to fan—and Vegas—predictions. Expect Kansas State to limit Oklahoma by keeping the ball out of the Sooners’ hands. As Dalton Risner put, “we need to own the clock, we need to run the football.” (Arne Green, Topeka Capital-Journal).

For his part, Lincoln Riley isn’t letting Oklahoma take 3-4 Kansas State lightly. He respects the program, and more than than, he respects the Wildcats holding the ball for 38 minutes against Oklahoma State. This is a bit concerning for the Sooners who had trouble getting off the field in a tough contest against Army.

No matter the outcome, this game is going to be awkward for at least one Kansas State assistant. Zach Hanson, a former offensive lineman for the Wildcats, is in his first year as Kansas State’s tights ends coach. His wife Annie, an Oklahoma alumna and former All Big 12 track star, is in her second year as the executive recruiting director for the Sooners (Ryan Black, Mercury).

For what it’s worth, we’re on Zach’s side here. Let’s go Cats! Beat the Sooners!!