K-State Wildcats vs Houston Cougars: Score prediction, game preview, odds and TV info

The Kansas State football team will try to remain near the top of the Big 12 standings when it hosts Houston on Saturday inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

Here’s everything you need to know before kickoff ...

Houston at Kansas State game details

Kickoff: 11 a.m. Saturday

Where: Bill Snyder Family Stadium (Manhattan)

TV: ESPN2

Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City, KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita

The line: Kansas State by 17.5 with an O/U of 60.5

Game prediction

Don’t be surprised if this game turns out to be closer than the experts project.

On paper, it makes complete sense that Kansas State is favored by 17.5 points against Houston at home. The Wildcats have won back-to-back conference games by wide margins, and they are starting to look like legit contenders in the Big 12 behind Oklahoma and Texas. Meanwhile, the Cougars are below .500 and struggling to adjust to life in their new league.

K-State is a better team than Houston. There is no doubt about that.

But that doesn’t mean the Wildcats can simply show up on Saturday and beat the Cougars by three touchdowns.

Houston has played well of late. Dana Holgorsen’s team beat West Virginia and then nearly upset Texas in its past two conference games. It also flexed its muscles on defense in those contests, holding the Mountaineers to 155 rushing yards and the Longhorns to 141 rushing yards.

If you haven’t noticed, the Wildcats would much rather run the ball than throw it. They bludgeoned TCU for 343 yards on the ground last week. Before that, Avery Johnson had 90 yards and five touchdowns rushing against Texas Tech.

Maybe that trend will continue against the Cougars. If it does, the Wildcats will have no problem winning. But if Houston can force Will Howard and Johnson to win with their arms, it might be hard for K-State to find separation.

Houston also boasts a much stronger offense than K-State has seen of late. The Wildcats have been fortunate to face backup quarterbacks in all three of their Big 12 victories. That won’t be the case here, as Donovan Smith is healthy. He has thrown for nearly 2,000 yards this season and he is also capable of moving the chains with his legs.

The Wildcats have given up more explosive passes than they would prefer this season. Preventing them will be important against Houston and its high-powered passing attack, which averages 290 yards per game.

Cool temperatures and the possibility of rain could help K-State on defense, in that regard. But those conditions could conversely make it hard for the Wildcats to throw down field. Major winds aren’t in the forecast. Weather may not be much of a factor.

Add in the fact that a monster game against Texas is up next on the schedule for K-State and you have to wonder if the Wildcats get caught looking ahead or simply decide to ease up if they get a healthy lead.

I’m not trying to make an argument for Houston to pull off an upset here. I think K-State wins this game, just maybe not by enough points to cover a large spread.

K-State 35, Houston 24

Last week’s prediction: K-State 37, TCU 27 (Actual: K-State 41, TCU 3)

Season record: 4-3.

Season record against the spread: 3-4.

Season record O/U: 5-2.