K-State Wildcats vs. KU Jayhawks: Sunflower Showdown score prediction, time, line, TV
THE DETAILS
Kickoff: 11 a.m. Saturday
Where: Memorial Stadium, Lawrence
TV: FS1
Radio: KCSP 610 AM in Kansas City and KKGQ 92.3 FM in Wichita for K-State broadcast; WHB (810 AM) in Kansas City and KFH (1240 AM) in Wichita for KU
The line: K-State by 24
Kellis Robinett’s prediction
If the Wildcats are going to eclipse 40 points in a football game this season, now is the time to do it.
Kansas has allowed teams to score an average of 48 points during their current seven-game losing streak. On the season, the Jayhawks are surrendering a Big 12 worst 5.99 yards per rush and 9.1 yards per pass.
Skylar Thompson and Deuce Vaughn should have no issues moving the ball against KU, even if backup running back Joe Ervin and starting receivers Phillip Brooks and Malik Knowles are at less than 100% for this game.
K-State hasn’t scored more than 38 points this year, but that could easily change against the worst defense on its schedule.
Jason Bean and Devin Neal could pose some problems for K-State on defense, as the Jayhawks like to run the ball and are unlikely to give Big 12 sack leader Felix Anudike-Uzomah numerous big-play opportunities while they drop back to pass all day long the way TCU did a week ago.
But the Wildcats seemed to turn a corner on defense two weeks ago against Texas Tech and have only allowed a total of 12 points in the past six quarters. They shouldn’t need a huge game from any one player to beat the Jayhawks.
Lance Leipold may improve KU to the point where it can compete with K-State in the next few years, but this rivarly will remain a mismatch this season. This game should be every bit as lopsided as lopsided as the last two Sunflower Showdown victories (55-14 and 38-10) under Chris Klieman.
It’s never easy for a team to cover a 24-point spread on the road. Just ask Oklahoma. But it probably happens on Saturday. This rivalry means a great deal to K-State players and the Wildcats are the better team.
K-State 40, Kansas 10.
Jesse Newell’s prediction
How will the first two drives go?
At this stage of Kansas football, that question seems to go a long way toward determining how the final outcome will end up this week.
Have some success early — like KU did in the Oklahoma game two weeks ago — and the Jayhawks sustained their fight for an entire game while nearly pulling off the upset.
Have things go poorly, though — like KU did last week against Oklahoma State — and the whole thing seems to veer off course quickly, with huge blowouts looming as a likely possibility.
The good news for KU is this game is at “home.” There will be a good number of KU fans there (along with lots of K-State ones as well), but as fragile as KU’s collective psyche has been, that can only help in case a few things break the Jayhawks’ way.
That doesn’t change some facts, though. The Jayhawks are 2-14-1 against the spread in their last two seasons, and they’re facing a K-State team that could potentially have more invested in the rivalry game with 51 in-state players compared to KU’s 19.
I wish I knew how the first two drives would go before picking. Without that, though, I certainly could envision this one getting out of hand like so many others have in this matchup recently.
Give me the Wildcats for both the win and 24-point cover.
K-State 45, Kansas 14.