K-State Wildcats vs. WVU Mountaineers: Five things to know about Big 12 football game
Kansas State’s pursuit of a Big 12 championship will continue at 1 p.m. on Saturday when the Wildcats hit the road for a conference game against West Virginia at Milan Puskar Stadium.
Here is everything you need to know to start preparing for the contest.
The details
Kickoff: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, W.V.
TV: ESPN+
Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City and KKGQ (92.3 FM) in Wichita
Betting line: K-State by 8 with an over/under points total of 54 1/2
Five things to know
1. K-State controls its own destiny in the Big 12 championship race. The Wildcats can earn a berth in the conference title game by winning their final two games against West Virginia and Kansas. There is also a scenario where they can make it to Arlington, Texas, with only one more victory. If K-State beats West Virginia on Saturday and Kansas upsets Texas, then the Wildcats will be locked in to the Big 12 title game against TCU on Dec. 3. A K-State loss combined with a Texas win would put the Longhorns back in the driver’s seat.
2. West Virginia is hard to beat in Morgantown. Just ask Chris Klieman. K-State has not won a game inside Milan Puskar Stadium since 2014, when Bill Snyder was the coach and Jake Waters was the quarterback. The Mountaineers have gone 3-2 at home this season with recent wins over Oklahoma and Baylor.
3. Who will start at quarterback for the Mountaineers? JT Daniels has spent most of the season as West Virginia’s starting quarterback, but it was Garrett Greene who led the Mountaineers to a victory over Oklahoma on Saturday. He came off the bench and sparked the offense with 119 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also threw for 138 yards and a score. There is a chance he will start against K-State instead of Daniels. West Virginia coach Neal Brown has said a QB decision will be made closer to kickoff.
4. Who will start at quarterback for the Wildcats? All signs are currently pointing to Will Howard. K-State has used Adrian Martinez as its starting quarterback when he has been healthy this season, but he suffered a lower-body injury against Baylor and Howard carved up the Bears’ defense when he entered the game. With Martinez ailing and Howard playing at a high level, the choice seems simple. Klieman didn’t commit to either quarterback immediately following the victory at Baylor.
5. West Virginia is fighting to gain bowl eligibility. It’s been a mostly disappointing season for the Mountaineers, as a pair of narrow losses against Pittsburgh and Kansas have driven their record (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) below .500. But they still have something to play for. West Virginia can make it to a bowl with wins in its final two games. Brown has guided his team to the postseason in each of the past two years. Keeping that bowl streak alive could be important for his job security.
