Farmageddon!

Kansas State plays Iowa State tonight at Bill Snyder Family Stadium for a chance to improve to 8-4 in Chris Klieman’s first season in purple. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 PM CST and the game will air on FS1. This and other important game-related details are in Jon Morse’s How to Watch post.

It is Senior Night in Manhattan, and several players will be appearing in their final home game as Wildcats, including Kyle Ball, Adam Holtorf, Blaise Gammon, Dalton Schoen, Denzel Goolsby, Trey Dishon, Luke Sowa, Scott Frantz, Reggie Walker, Nick Kaltmayer, Tyler Mitchell, Da’Quan Patton, Devin Anctil, Jordan Mittie, and transfers Jordon Brown and James Gilbert. These seniors had the unique opportunity to take the lead and set examples for their teammates during Kansas State’s transition to a new coach, and that’s how they want to be remembered.

Iowa State leads the all-time series 50-48-4, and won last year’s matchup in Ames, possibly ushering Bill Snyder into retirement in the process. That Cyclones win broke a long winning streak for the Wildcats. The series itself has produced some wild finishes, including the 2015 game when the Wildcats grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat in the final minutes of the game.

Both teams are 7-4 this year, though Iowa State has played better for much of the season and comes into this contest as a -4.5 point road favorite. Much of this is due to a productive offense anchored by Brock Purdy, but some of it is also because of the 3-3-5 defensive scheme the Cyclones use and which Drew Schneider really likes.

Some good news for Kansas State ahead of the game: Klieman thinks both Malik Knowles and Walter Neil, Jr., injured in the game against Texas Tech, will be available today against Iowa State.

Like the Cyclones, the Wildcats have a number of different bowl options still in play. A lot will depend on who wins tonight, of course, but also on the final bowl spots for other teams in the league and on the outcome of the Big 12 Championship game.

Finally, our brethren at Wide Right Natty Lite provides an unexpected prediction, i.e. they’re taking the Wildcats in a wild-close-Farmageddon-classic sort of game. Let’s hope they’re right.

Go Cats! Win the Dang Day!