CFN picks Kansas by 10 :wow:
Kansas (4-0) at Kansas State (3-1) 12:00 PM
Why to Watch: Is this the biggest football game in the history of the two schools? If not, it could turn out to be, as Kansas State is flying high after beating Texas 41-21, while Kansas started off its season playing as well as anyone in America, coming into the game ranked first in the nation in scoring defense, fourth in scoring offense, third in total offense and third in total defense. We know about the Wildcats, with a tough defense and tremendous special teams, and we know they're good enough hang with the big boys. We still don't know anything about KU, with its biggest win coming over Central Michigan, but a win over the Wildcats might mean a monster jump in the rankings. Basically, everyone's waiting to see what the team can do against someone with a pulse. The Big 12 North is suddenly looking nasty, with five real contenders and Iowa State, so a loss will put a serious crimp in any title hopes, while a win will be bigger than it'll probably get credit for on a national scale.
Why Kansas Might Win: Lost in the win over Texas, and in the near-miss against Auburn, was how the Kansas State offense simply didn't work. Oh sure, it looked great against San Jose State, and put up huge numbers against Missouri State, but the offense went nowhere against Texas and there wasn't any running game to speak of against Auburn. It took a trick pass play to score on the Tigers, and it took a whopping 58 pass attempts to get to 289 yards. The KU secondary is still untested, but the run defense has been a rock. If the Jayhawks can avoid the big turnover, can limit the big special teams play, and can get up early, they should be able to pull off the road win.
Why Kansas State Might Win: The Wildcats are finding ways to get it done. Whether it's a punt return here, a key sack there, or a timely defensive stop, they're finding ways to make things happen. The offense might not be humming, but the line has been great in pass protection, while the new 3-4 defense has been generating consistent pressure. For the first time all year long, the timing of the KU offense will be disrupted, and for the first time all year long, KU will have to face a little bit of adversity. Kansas State knows what it can do in tough games with the pressure on. Kansas doesn't.
Who to Watch: In a game like this, things can change in an instant with a big kick return, and these two teams have the best return games in America. Kansas leads the nation in kickoff returns, averaging 32.78 yards per try, led by Marcus Herford, who averages 33 yards per try. Kansas State got a kickoff return for a touchdown against Texas from James Johnson, while Leon Patton is the main man, averaging 26 yards per return. The real stars of the KSU show are the punt returners, leading the nation with a gaudy 27.2-yard average thanks to touchdowns from Deon Murphy and Jordy Nelson. Nelson has been on fire the last two weeks, catching 27 passes for 326 yards and three touchdowns, while averaging 57 yards per punt return.
What Will Happen: Kansas won't give up the big turnovers needed for the KSU offense to feed off of. This will be a surprising defensive battle for about a half, and then KU's offensive balance will take over in the second half. The Wildcats will start to press, will turn it over a few times, and KU will pull away late.
CFN Prediction: Kansas 27 ... Kansas State 17 ... Line: Kansas State -3
Must See Rating: (5 Paris on Letterman - 1 Singing Bee) ... 4
http://cfn.scout.com/2/650900.html