On paper, Saturday sees the two meanest defenses in the Big 12 square off but Al Dannity says there’s more to this game than meets the eye.
Sooners stumbling We had seen the warning signs already. Landry Jones was putting up good numbers in 2011 but still telegraphing some of his throws. The defense had one or two standout games but struggled in others. In short, we knew the Sooners had a lot of talent but questions remained. Nobody expected these flaws to be exposed by 4-2 (now 5-2) Texas Tech. The Red Raiders earned a shocking quality win by dominating Oklahoma in Norman. Now the Sooners must re-group and prove that they are capable of returning to the top of the pile in the Big 12. The path to the National Championship is out of their hands but the Sooners still control their destiny in terms of making the BCS.
Wildcats must stand tall It took most College Football betting fans a while to jump on Kansas State’s train. Then the Wildcats picked off Miami on the road. That earned Bill Snyder’s team a few pats on the back. Then, a week later, they knocked off Baylor. That wasn’t really expected. A week after that the Wildcats moved to 5-0 by beating Missouri. Now, at 7-0, Kansas State might just be giving Bill Snyder one last chance to make a run for the national championship.
The stingiest defense in the Big 12 is the main reason for the Wildcats rise to prominence. Opponents are averaging just 3.0 yards per rush and 337.1 total yards per game. The offense has been a bit slower off the mark but they will have seen the holes exploited by the Tigers and Red Raiders in the Oklahoma defense. Kansas State’s players know the importance of playing this game at home. With the crowd on their side, the Wildcats could spring a big surprise.
The verdict The consensus view going into Saturday is that the Wildcats are going to face an Oklahoma team that’s angry and looking to beat up Kansas State. That’s true so much as it’s what the Sooners want to do. Here’s the thing, I just don’t see it happening. The Wildcats have defied expectations and found new life under Bill Snyder. I’m not ready to anoint them as the best team in the Big 12 just yet. Winning on Saturday however would move them a step closer to Oklahoma State. It won’t be easy but I believe the Wildcats have the game to overcome the Sooners. I’m backing the upset, I like Kansas State to beat Oklahoma this Saturday!
