Baylor Gameday

Football

Normally, the dawning of an actual game day is a bit of a relief. We can finally ignore all the noise about the direction of the program, the future of the coaching staff, and our place in the football pecking order for something more immediate and concrete. We can focus on the one aspect of the game we actually the game we care about, the things that happen on the field and between the hash marks.

Unfortunately, we are not that program and this is not that day. Instead, as Kansas State takes on Baylor at 2:30 PM today (see the all-important HOW TO WATCH post, courtesy of Jon Morse), much of the talk around the Wildcats is still about the quarterback controversy, Bill Snyder’s testy press conference, and whether the team can actually makes its way out of the Big 12 cellar at this point.

But here at BotC, we plod on. First, TB kicked the tires on Baylor and you were expecting puppies and rainbows, this ain’t it. He picks the Wildcats to lose mainly because they’re on the road and the Bears have more talent at the skill positions. Then, Drew Schneider suggested that maybe we’re going about the quarterback situation all wrong, and in fact, Kansas State should just play Alex Delton and Skylar Thompson at the same time.

Much has been made of Thompson providing a much-needed spark in the second half against Texas. But it was the offensive line’s improved play that contributed to that spark, and it may have been Dalton Risner’s well-directed anger at halftime last week that made all the difference. Let’s hope that anger lasts through four quarters of today’s game too.

The Wildcats are sufficiently motivated by the 2-3 start and still think they could potentially finish 10-3 this season. It’s nice to know their optimism is undulled by the slow start, but realistically, that level of success is definitely not on the cards this season.

To win in Waco today, the Wildcats will have to find the running game they used to dominate Baylor the last two seasons. Unfortunately, Kansas State has struggled in the run game so far this season.

For Kansas State co-defensive coordinator Brian Norwood, today’s game is a homecoming of sorts. Norwood was on Art Briles’ staff at Baylor for several years, and in fact, it was former Kansas State and Baylor defensive coordinator Phil Bennett who recommended Norwood to Snyder.

Let’s go Cats! Win a Big 12 game already!

Soccer

The first-ever Sunflower Showdown matchup in soccer did not go according to plan for Kansas State. Playing the Jayhawks and possibly the officials as well, the Wildcats lost 2-0 to Kansas.

The Jayhawks’ Katie McClure scored in the 22nd minute on an eight-yard strike while teammate Taylor Christie added the insurance goal 12 minutes later. Kansas outshot Kansas State 8-4 in the first stanza, but the Wildcats came on strong in the second half, outshooting the Jayhawks and holding the edge in corner kicks.

Kansas State actually found the goal in the second half when Haley Sutter’s cross bounced off Kansas keeper Sarah Peters’ leg and into the net. But the goal was nullified when the ball was ruled out-of-bounds before Sutter’s kick.

This was the third straight shutout loss for Kansas State. The team has now been goalless for 273:28 of game action. The Wildcats will look to improve in a home match against Texas Tech on Friday at 6 PM.