Five things to know about Kansas State’s upcoming football game against Utah
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- K-State heads to Rice-Eccles Stadium Saturday 3 p.m. to face No.13 Utah
- Utah allows 15.6 points and 327.3 yards per game and has won three lopsided games
- K-State needs one win to reach bowl eligibility amid key offensive losses
A daunting challenge awaits the Kansas State football team in its next game.
The Wildcats will head to Rice-Eccles Stadium for a 3 p.m. kickoff Saturday against Utah in Salt Lake City.
The No. 13 Utes have won three straight games by obscene margins (53-7 over Colorado, 45-14 over Cincinnati, 55-28 over Baylor) and they enter this contest with legitimate hope of reaching the College Football Playoff.
K-State can play spoiler, and achieve bowl eligibility, by pulling off an upset.
Here’s everything you need to know to start getting ready for Saturday’s game:
K-State vs. Utah game details
Kickoff: 3 p.m. Saturday
Where: Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City
TV/Stream: ESPN2
Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City, KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita
Betting line: Utah by 16.5 with an O/U of 52.5
Five things to know before Saturday
1. Chris Klieman has found success as a big underdog before. K-State hasn’t been a double-digit underdog since 2022 when it was catching 13 points for a road game against Oklahoma. The Wildcats won that contest 41-34. Two years before that, K-State upset Oklahoma 38-35 as a 28-point underdog. And the year before that, K-State beat Oklahoma 48-41 as a 23.5-point underdog. Can Klieman work his magic again versus an opponent that doesn’t yell “Boomer Sooner”?
2. K-State will not be at full strength on offense. That is actually an understatement. Top running back Dylan Edwards has left the team and top wide receiver Jayce Brown is done for the season with an injury. Offensive coordinator Matt Wells will need to come up with a creative plan to move the ball without his best playmakers.
3. Utah is having a bounce-back season under coach Kyle Whittingham. The Utes struggled to adapt to the Big 12 last year and only went 2-7 in conference play. But Utah has been much improved this season. With quarterback Devon Dampier leading the offense, the Utes are ranked in the top 15 and in contention for the league championship.
4. The Utes are strong on defense. Texas Tech has the best defense in the Big 12. But Utah isn’t far behind. The Utes are only allowing 15.6 points and 327.3 yards per game. Utah defender John Henry Daley ranks second in the conference with 11 tackles for loss.
5. The Wildcats need one more win to reach bowl eligibility. K-State (5-5, 4-3 Big 12) can keep its bowl streak alive by winning either of its final two games against Utah and Colorado. Fans had higher hopes at the beginning of the year, but K-State linebacker Desmond Purnell said Saturday after a 14-6 win at Oklahoma State that he is motivated to keep winning. He said: “It gives us an opportunity at the end of the year, hopefully for a bowl game, so guys like Damian (Ilalio), Cody (Stufflebean) and everybody can have one last chance to play with each other.”