Five things to know about Kansas State’s upcoming Big 12 football game at Houston
The toughest part of Kansas State’s football schedule might be in the past.
The Wildcats navigated a difficult three-week stretch that featured road games against Colorado and West Virginia, plus an emotional rivalry game against Kansas at home.
K-State won all three of those games to remain in third place in the Big 12 standings and move up to No. 15 in the national rankings.
Next up is a road game that most expect K-State to win against the Houston Cougars.
Here is everything you need to know to start preparing for this week’s game:
Kansas State at Houston: Game details
Kickoff: 2:30 p.m. on Saturday
Where: TDECU Stadium
TV: FOX
Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City and KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita
Betting line: K-State by 13.5 with an O/U of 46.5
Five things to know
1. Kansas State is chasing BYU and Iowa State in the Big 12 championship race. The Wildcats are holding steady in third place of the conference standings, despite a four-game winning streak that began more than a month ago. Why? Because BYU and Iowa State keep on winning, too. K-State is one game behind both of those undefeated teams. That means it can’t take any games for granted as it pushes for a berth in the Big 12 championship game.
2. A familiar face is in charge at Houston. Willie Fritz grew up in the Kansas City area and has several connections to K-State. He coached Michael Bishop in junior college and admired Bill Snyder when he was leading the Wildcats to prominence. Fritz guided Tulane to a 17-10 victory over K-State in 2022 and now gets to face the Wildcats regularly as a conference opponent.
3. Houston has pulled off two Big 12 upsets this season. The Cougars are not one of the best teams in the Big 12, but they are more than capable of wining in this conference. Houston went on the road and beat TCU 30-19 as a big underdog earlier this month and also defeated Utah 17-14 over the weekend.
4. Avery Johnson is on pace to break a K-State quarterback record. It shouldn’t be hard for the sophomore from Wichita to set a new record for single-season touchdown passes with the Wildcats. Will Howard and Ell Roberson currently share the record with 24. Johnson has already thrown for 16 touchdowns in eight games. Johnson has thrown for multiple touchdowns in all but one game this season. If that trend continues, he should eclipse 24 in the coming weeks.
5. The Wildcats are flexing their muscles at tight end. It wasn’t that long ago that tight end was a forgotten position with the Wildcats. Times are changing, though. K-State is featuring its tight ends more than just about any team in the country right now. Brayden Loftin, Garrett Oakley, Will Anciaux and Will Swanson have combined to catch 30 passes for 288 yards and 10 touchdowns.