NFL Tickets
A bye week came just in time for the Kansas State Wildcats, coming off a tough loss to TCU. Preparing two weeks for a rowdy West Virginia Mountaineers crowd might just be enough to help them get a ‘W’ in this one. West Virginia, on the other hand, has fallen out of the rankings dramatically, losing its last two games. However, the Mountaineers will be hungry as ever this week.
Kansas State’s offense has been a bit more pass-oriented this season as quarterback Jake Waters nearly leads the team in rushing with 406 yards and seven touchdowns — never a good sign 12 weeks into the year. Charles Jones is the team leader in rushing with 430 yards and 11 rushing scores, however. Waters has been solid through the air as well, passing for 2,169 yards, 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions while completing 64 percent of his passes. Tyler Lockett, to no one’s surprise, is the team’s top wide out, catching 60 passes for 878 yards and six touchdowns. Curry Sexton is right behind the dynamic senior with 53 receptions for 723 yards and four scores — those two combine for about 75 percent of the team’s receiving yards.
West Virginia, like the Wildcats, has been much more reliant on the pass this season than the run — ranking 12th in pass yards and 51st in rush yards per game. Clint Trickett has been the reason for all of the aerial success this season, passing for 3,173 yards and 18 touchdowns while completing a solid 68 percent of his passes. Kevin White has been another main component to the success through the air, leading the team with 91 catches for 1,207 yards and eight touchdowns — also proving to be one of the best wide outs in the country. Mario Alford is the next man up, catching 53 passes for 710 yards and seven scores of his own. Wendell Smallwood leads the rushing attack with 585 yards and two scores while Rushel Shell is right behind him with 560 yards and a team-high six scores.
Defensively, the Mountaineers have been nothing more than average this season, ranking 57th in total yards allowed and 62nd in points allowed per game. Kansas State has been much better on this side of the ball, ranking 21st in scoring defense as well as 30th in total defense.
Kansas State will travel to West Virginia to take on the Mountaineers at 7 p.m. EST on Thursday, Nov. 20. The game will be broadcasted on FOX Sports 1.
PREDICTION: Kansas State 23, West Virginia 28
Want to see the Mountaineers take on the Wildcats in week 13? Check out ScoreBig for tickets.
Connor Muldowney is a columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Connormuldowney, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google. You can also reach him at [email protected].
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