K-State Wildcats vs. TCU Horned Frogs: Prediction, game preview, time, line, TV
THE DETAILS
Kickoff: 3 p.m. Saturday
Where: Amon G. Carter Stadium, Fort Worth, Texas
TV: FOX
Radio: KKGQ (92.3 FM) in Wichita, KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City
The line: TCU by 8
PREDICTION
This game would be a coin toss if both teams had healthy starting quarterbacks.
But that is not the case.
The TCU Horned Frogs are understandably favored by eight points because they know Max Duggan will play while the Kansas State Wildcats aren’t sure if Skylar Thompson will be able to suit up Saturday.
Thompson has played through mild injuries before, including during a thrilling upset over Oklahoma earlier this season. But his right arm wasn’t in a sling the week before that game. Even if he takes the field against TCU, there’s a good chance he won’t be anywhere close to 100% health.
For that reason, signs point toward freshman quarterback Will Howard starting this game for the Wildcats. It will be fascinating to see how he responds if that happens. He has played admirably in two games this year, and he threw for 171 yards and a touchdown last week against Texas Tech. But he has never started before in college. Doing so for the first time on the road against a Gary Patterson defense is a big challenge.
Duggan, by comparison, is coming off a game in which he led the Horned Frogs to a victory over Texas with more than 300 all-purpose yards and a pair of touchdowns.
That’s not to say the Wildcats can’t win this matchup. The Horned Frogs have played inconsistently this season and committed penalties (87.5 yards per game) at an alarming rate. If Joe Klanderman’s defense can slow TCU through the air (nine yards per attempt) and force it to run (3.4 yards per rush) that will take a lot of pressure off Courtney Messingham’s offense.
This is not the week to try and win a shootout. The slower this game goes for K-State the better. Unfortunately, it hasn’t sustained many long drives this season. Making matters worse, starting offensive lineman Cooper Beebe is questionable for this game with an injury.
The Wildcats may need to rely on more quick strikes to Briley Moore and Deuce Vaughn. That’s another difficult challenge when there is uncertainty at quarterback.
Health, momentum and home field all favor TCU in this one.
TCU 33, Kansas State 27.