King of the Game: OSU vs. Kansas

Here we are. The end of the regular season and the penultimate game for Oklahoma State in 2017. Where did this season go and why does it have to be over already?

That also means only two King of the Games remain this year. If you’re just now reading one of these for the first time (where have you been?) here are the rules:

Each week five people will make predictions about the upcoming game. The predictions will vary each week. Plus, each contestant gets the opportunity to earn bonus points by making a wild prop bet. Our contestants will consist of myself, Kyle Cox, Nick Welch, someone from the enemy’s side, and an OSU fan contributor.

Joining us to make the picks for the enemy’s side is David (one name, like Kanye) from the Kansas SBNation blog Rock Chalk Talk.

Our fan picker this week is Adam Mikles, an old buddy of mine and die hard OSU fan.

Before everyone makes their picks, here are this week’s bets.

• Bet Against the Spread: OSU (- 40) — The Cowboys enter as big favorites for the second week in a row. Can they cover or will Kansas keep it closer than Vegas thinks?

• More Receiving Yards: Washington or Kansas — Who ends up with more receiving yards on Senior Day in Stillwater, James Washington in his final game in BPS (he’s averaging 119.72 yards a game), or the Kansas receiving corps, which is averaging 231 yards per game?

• Over/Under: 27 points — In three Big 12 road games this year, Kansas has scored 27 total points, and they all came at Texas. Can OSU hold the Jayhawks under 27 or will the Cowboy defense allow a fourth straight team to score virtually at will?

• King of the Game: Free For All — Feel free to pick any player, offense, defense, or special teams, from either team, that you think will have the biggest game. (Highlander Rules)

• Prop Bet: Something wild!

So, without further adieu…

Phillip Slavin

Bet Against the Spread: Kansas
It’s not the Cowboys can’t beat Kansas by 40, but despite how bad the Jawhakws have been this year, they’ve only been beaten by 40+ points twice this season. I don’t think it happens this weekend either.

More Receiving Yards: James Washington
This is probably a ridiculous pick, but I don’t care. OSU is going to give it’s two seniors, Rudolph and Washington, the chance to shine on senior day. Washington has over 200 yards before not playing in the fourth quarter.

Over/Under: Under
Kansas gets a touchdown late, but OSU holds them to under 27 points. I’ll go with 24. It’s under, not by a lot, but it’s under.

King of the Game: James Washington
Yes this is kind of cheating, but I think he absolutely puts away any doubt that he’s winning the Biletnikoff with a huge Senior Day performance.

Prop Bet: The stadium is half empty at the start of the second half. Partially because no one shows up in the first place, but also because OSU is up big at the half.

Kyle Cox

Bet Against the Spread: Kansas
KU covers with a late score (52-17 OSU).

More Receiving Yards: James Washington
The Prez was held to one catch for nine yards in Lawrence last season but this year he’s got a chance to make history. I think the coaching staff accommodates him in the pursuit a little bit. I think Washington is on the bench by the fourth quarter but still puts up 120ish, to set up a bowl for the all-time receiving record.

Over/Under: Under
I think this defense, laden with seniors celebrating with their families, takes last week and this past week’s sentiment personally and shuts down an inept KU offense.

King of the Game: J.D. King
For continuity’s sake, I’ll go with me pick from PFB Predictions. J.D. King takes advantage of his rare featured status and totes it over 20 times for 100-plus and two scores.

Prop Bet: OSU’s defense forces four turnovers.

Nick Welch

Bet Against the Spread: Kansas
How motivated will OSU be after what has happened the last 2 weeks? I have no clue. My guess is Kansas is able to move the ball against a mediocre OSU defense and take up some play clock in the processes.

More Receiving Yards: Kansas
I just don’t see Washington having over 175 yards in this game. I mentioned this last week, but Kansas threw for over 400 yards against KState. Maybe that’s an anomaly, maybe its not, but I have zero trust in OSU’s pass coverage anymore.

Over/Under: Under
If Kansas puts up 30 points in BPS, I just can’t see the justification in keeping Glenn Spencer. That just cannot happen

King of the Game: Marcell Ateman
Give me Marcell Ateman on senior day. This guy is an absolute star.

Prop Bet: With a comfortable lead in the 4th quarter, Mason Rudolph, James Washington, and Marcell Ateman leave the field to a standing ovation from the half-full crowd. The Oil Baron takes the field and shows off his “get away from the cop speed” for two 4th quarter cowboy scores.

Enemy: David

Bet Against the Spread: Oklahoma State
I’d imagine Oklahoma State would like to blow someone out to get rid of the taste of last week’s loss. Fortunately, KU is in town, so that should be pretty easy.

More Receiving Yards: James Washington
I’d be surprised if Carter Stanley throws for 200 yards. It would take a couple of deep balls to Steven Sims over the top to happen.

Over/Under: Under
Kansas can’t score at will even if OSU rolls out a red carpet and invites them to. Even if Oklahoma State sleepwalks through this, 27 points on the road is too steep a hill to climb for this group.

King of the Game: James Washington
The most consistent part of KU’s team has been their secondary. Unfortunately, it’s been consistently horrendous. They don’t have any corners capable of keeping a talent like Washington in check, and I expect Gundy to come out ready to score early and often.

Prop Bet: 6 – the number of references to Baker Mayfield’s shenanigans last week, and/or the pregame handshake controversy. It’s not directly related to this game, but the announcers will be desperate for something else to talk about by the end of the first half.

Fan: Adam Mikles

Bet Against the Spread: Kansas
Typically one of the perks of being able to pick in the proverbial 12th hour is you have a feast of data to help you out. Alas, the Big 12 mostly confuses someone more than reassure their initial thoughts. I look at Kansas’ score outcomes (I realize box scores aren’t everything, but I’m not being paid for this unfortunately so that’s the extent of my data dig) and I see a lot of outliers with a common theme; Kansas loses. The only team that covered the kind of spread OU’S has is ironically ISU (ponders how such an inept offense put up 42 on us, three points shy of what they did to Kansas). Kansas laid eggs in subsequent weeks with ISU and TCU. Then Texas allowed 27 somehow, when the Pokes couldn’t muster much more than a touchdown, and OU’s terrible defense held them to three last week, where crotch grabbing and profanities were primarily the limelight of the contest.

OSU is not your average directional Missouri State team. OSU also isn’t a savvy football team defensively like TCU or ISU. The truth lies somewhere in the middle and this spread is a monstrous one. Pokes don’t cover.

More Receiving Yards: Kansas
Kansas is a sad, sad on offense. Go to any PPD post on this site and you’ll find them at the bottom of the barrel. Yet they can do some damage under the right scenario. Zeros against two of the top 3 defenses, yet 27 points and 268 passing yards against the other top 3 defense in the Big 12 (Texas). If I’m Kansas’ OC I’m throwing the 2nd string WR in for QB every other drive just to roll the dice because it works against OSU somehow. The President has a mark of 175 yards to hit for his yardage record cap.

In the end, I think Kansas does enough to bracket him up while producing more in the passing game considering OK State’s defensive deficiencies in the secondary.

Over/Under: Over
You can’t easily agree with the spread and say OK State allows 27 points. OSU would have to score almost 70 to do so. Possible, but not probable. I’ve seen the way Gundy drives this proverbial Porsche 911 and it’s typically at quarter throttle. I’m going with consistency albeit a sad Pokes defense that’s lost it’s depth/way. I’ll say plus 27 for the Jayhawks, because in the last 180 minutes of play I’ve seen some three-year-old soccer game mayhem in the secondary that really can’t allow a sane person to choose less. 42 against ISU, 45 against KSU, need I say more?

King of the Game: Jalen McClesky
Kansas is not fantastic, and I’m not a terrible homer, but I have a hard time believing they go Pringles on us which counts them out offensively for the award. I so want this award to be on the defensive side for OK State, but that’s wishful thinking at it’s finest. OSU is too depleted and gassed in the secondary to expect any outrageous performances. In fact, I’m afraid they’ll be the crux of the entire game save for a miracle (see OU, or ISU, or KSU). The d-line has fallen back to average, where they seemed to pick up steam in the middle of the season.