Spread: Kansas State Wildcats -5 vs. Oklahoma State Cowboys +5
Over/Under: 58.5
This Big 12 showdown has both teams coming off tough losses, with Kansas State looking to rebound from a big defeat at the hands of BYU, and Oklahoma State aiming to shake off a close loss to Utah.
Both squads enter this matchup with 3-1 records, but one will leave with momentum heading deeper into the season. Who will win between OSU and KSU? We’ve got the pick!
Kansas State was stunned by BYU last week. They lost 38-9 in a game where nothing clicked.
Quarterback Avery Johnson has been solid this season, with 620 passing yards and 6 touchdowns, but his three interceptions have been costly for the Wildcats.
Johnson's ability to make plays with his legs (261 rushing yards) adds another dimension to this offense, but it wasn’t enough against BYU's impeccable defense. They'll lean heavily on their top rusher DJ Giddens, who has racked up 417 rushing yards this season, to regain their rhythm.
The Wildcat's defense will also need to step up if they stand a chance to win out against OSU.
Despite their 12 sacks on the year, they struggled last week and will be aiming to get back to form against Oklahoma State. Players like Austin Romaine (27 tackles, 2 sacks) and Brendan Mott (4 sacks) will be pivotal in disrupting Oklahoma State’s dominant offensive attack.
The Cowboys also suffered their first loss last week, narrowly losing to Utah 22-19.
Alan Bowman has been a key player for the Cowboys with 1,173 passing yards and 10 touchdowns, but his 4 interceptions have hurt them considerably.
Bowman will look to spread the ball around to his talented receiving corps, led by De’Zhaun Stribling (345 receiving yards) and Brennan Presley (27 receptions, 4 TDs). If he can dominate in the air again, they have a good chance of taking the W.
The Cowboys’ ground game, led by Ollie Gordon II (258 rushing yards, 4 TDs), hasn’t been dominant but has the potential to cause problems for a Kansas State defense that was exposed last week. We don’t see this being the deciding factor, but weirder things have happened.
On defense, Oklahoma State will lean on Trey Rucker, who leads the team with 53 total tackles. With 9 sacks as a unit, they’ve shown they can get after the QB, but they will need a better performance in coverage after allowing too many big plays in recent weeks.
Before making your bet on the Oklahoma State vs Kansas State game, these are a couple of areas to take a closer look at—
Oklahoma State has been reliable as an underdog. They covered the spread in six of their last seven road games in September. They’ve also won four of their last six as underdogs.
On the other hand, Kansas State has failed to cover in three of their last four, and they’ve struggled against ranked teams at home, losing 15 of their last 18 against AP-ranked opponents.
Kansas State is at home, and while they’ve had some issues, the Wildcats are in a great spot to bounce back.
Oklahoma State’s defense has been shaky, particularly against stronger offenses, and Kansas State has the tools to exploit that, especially if they can get Giddens going on the ground. Bowman has been productive for Oklahoma State, but his turnovers have kept opponents in games. Kansas State’s pass rush could be the deciding factor here.
Ultimately, Kansas State at home, looking to rebound, feels like the better pick.
We like Kansas State to cover the -5 spread, winning by at least a touchdown. Expect a strong defensive showing and a renewed focus on establishing their ground game.
BettorsInsider Final Score Prediction: Kansas State 34, Oklahoma State 24.