K-State Wildcats vs. Cincinnati Bearcats: Football game time, TV, odds and prediction
The Kansas State football team has lost its mojo.
After starting the season 7-1 and climbing as high as No. 13 in the national rankings, the Wildcats have lost consecutive games and are tied for fifth place in the Big 12 standings.
EMAW nation could use a win this weekend against the Cincinnati Bearcats, not so much to stay alive in the conference championship mix but to bring smiles back to Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Can the Wildcats channel their inner Austin Powers and get their mojo back at 7 p.m. on Saturday?
We will soon find out.
Here’s everything you need to know about Saturday’s game ...
Cincinnati at Kansas State
Kickoff: 7 p.m. Saturday
Where: Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan
TV/stream: ESPN2
Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City, KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita
The line: Kansas State by 8.5 with an O/U of 53.5.
K-State game prediction
The Wildcats should be able to win this game on the ground.
Despite its recent struggles, K-State ranks second in the Big 12 with an average rush of 5.8 yards.
That seems like bad news for a Cincinnati defense that allows an average rush of 4.5 yards, a number that ranks 13th in the conference. The Wildcats have already beaten up on the worst run defense in the league (Oklahoma State) and the 14th worst run defense in the league (Arizona).
Granted, those games were played at the beginning of the season, before K-State’s offensive line began to look human.
But DJ Giddens is due for a big game. And Chris Klieman wants to get quarterback Avery Johnson more involved as a runner, which could make up for the possible absence of Dylan Edwards, who is currently dealing with an injury.
K-State has only averaged 121.5 rushing yards during its losing streak. Another performance like that will almost certainly lead to another loss. But this feels like an opportunity for K-State to get back to its running roots and top 200 yards. The Wildcats will likely win if that happens.
Now, Cincinnati will pose some threats against a porous K-State secondary. Bearcats quarterback Brendan Sorsby is averaging 245.3 passing yards per game. Much lesser quarterbacks have torched the Wildcats through the air.
I like the Wildcats here, though.
Cincinnati has lost three straight games, all by a touchdown or more. The Bearcats are also about to play their second straight Big 12 road game, which is never easy. They went to Iowa State last week and lost 34-17. The Cyclones were on a losing streak heading into that game and found a way to turn things around.
The same thing could happen here for K-State.
Kansas State 31, Cincinnati 24
Last week’s prediction: K-State 41, Arizona State 17
Actual score: Arizona State 24, K-State 14
Season record: 6-4
Season record ATS: 5-5
Season record O/U: 6-4.