Three Things to Know ahead of OSU’s Road Trip to Kansas State

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The recently unranked Cowboys are headed to the Little Apple for a noon kickoff on Saturday in desperate need of a win.

Hosting will be a Kansas State team that has lost two straight and then lost its starting QB. The Cats have now lost four of five and are 1-4 in Big 12 play.

Let’s take a look at three things you should know before Oklahoma State and Kansas State kick things off on Saturday.

1. It’s Not the Same K-State Offense

The Wildcats’ run game was up to its normal self for the first half of the season, even if the Cats were struggling.

Senior starter Avery Johnson went down in K-State’s 35-24 win over Kansas three weeks ago and since then the Cats have struggled to move the ball on the ground.

With Johnson running things, K-State was averaging 240 rushing yards per game at 6.2 per attempt. The Wildcats were scoring 2.5 rushing touchdowns per game in those first six.

In their last two outings, as the QB carousel has gone round, K-State is averaging just 102.5 rushing yards per game, 2.9 yards per attempt and has scored just one TD on the ground.

The caveat here is that this week’s starter Blake Barnett only appeared entered late in the first quarter last week and was a boon for the rushing game. He had 40 of those rushing yards (minus 22 sack yards).

You can bet Collin Klein and his staff will do as much as they can to get him as close as they can to that K-State brand of football with a whole week to prepare for him as starter.

2. The Cats Don’t Take It Back

If there’s one good sign for the Cowboys, it’s that the Wildcats aren’t great at getting their paws on loose footballs.

K-State ranks dead last in the league having only forced five turnovers all season — four fumbles and only one interception. That could be helpful for an OSU team that gave up a couple turnovers last week.

That one K-State pick was against KU passer Isaiah Marshall, who shared a lead in the Big 12 having thrown seven picks. Unfortunately for OSU, he shares that lead with Drew Mestemaker.

3. Third-Down/Red-Zone Notes (Rinse, Repeat)

I know, I know. But here we are again.

Despite the running game woes of late, Kansas State still ranks third in the league converting 52.9% of third-down tries.

But somehow, they are last place on fourth down. The Wildcats’ 1-of-8 on fourth down (12.5%) is better than only Sam Houston State and Louisville in the FBS. And those teams are a combined 0-for-15.

On the opposite side of the ball, Kansas State ranks sixth in the league, holding offenses to 36.1% on third down. OSU sits at 10th in the Big 12, converting 39.8% of third downs on offense and ranks eighth in third-down defense at 37.8%

When it comes to the Cowboys’ season-long struggles in the red zone, there may be a soft spot here. Kansas State’s allowed TD percentage on opponents’ red zone trips ranks 14th in the league at 69.2%. That’s tied for 114th best in the FBS. OSU’s offense averages goal-line crossings on just 56.5% of its tries when they get inside the 20.

The Cowboys and Wildcats get after it at 12 p.m. Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium on TNT/HBO Max.