TCU Gameday!

The 17th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats take on an undefeated 8th-ranked TCU team in Fort Worth tonight. Kickoff is set for 7 PM and the game can be seen on FS1. These details and more are, as always, in the How to Watch post.

This is an intriguing matchup of two ranked teams. At stake is the lead in the Big 12, a spot in the driver’s seat for the conference title game, and major bragging rights. From the Wildcats’ perspective, a win in this game not only puts them atop the league table, but also brings the program the sort of national attention it has craved for the last several years, as Drew Schneider notes.

The Wildcats might throw a few changeups in this game. For once, Chris Klieman said DJ Giddens is likely to get more touches. For another, Khalid Duke may be back in this game and could help generate the turnovers Kansas State has not been able to pick up on the road this year. Mostly though, Kansas State can’t afford to get behind by a lot in this game and win a track meet-style contest against the best offense in the Big 12.

Oddsmakers currently have TCU a slight favorite (-3.5), but who knows what happens when TCU’s vaunted offense, run by a much-improved Max Duggan and a talented wide receiver corps, comes up against Kansas State’s defense, a unit that gives a little but is pretty good at keeping the other team out of the end zone. Whatever else happens, this particular clash of Purple Powerfuls promises to entertain.

Let’s go, Cats! Pound the stone and win the dang day!

(As always, this is your early game open thread)