Follow, Contact @PeteFiutak  

In 1922, Kansas State (3-1) managed to slip by Texas Christian (4-0) 45-0. The two teams only met seven times after, with the Wildcats winning the first two meetings as Big 12 brothers and the Horned Frogs coming up with a 41-20 win last season. This time around, it’s going to be one of the conference season’s most interesting contrasts in styles. Check out the TCU vs. Kansas State prediction and game preview.

TCU vs. Kansas State Game Preview

Broadcast

Date: Saturday, Oct. 10
Game Time: 7:30 pm
Venue: Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS
Network: FOX

Why You Need To Care

Kansas State almost pulled it off against Oklahoma State, but suffered quarterback injuries and a missed call in a tough loss. Now it has to own The Family, with three of the next four games in Manhattan and all against the big boys. Next week it’s Oklahoma, and then after going to Texas, Baylor comes to town. Can the team be in one piece to handle the firepower? The defense is okay, but now the offense needs to ramp it up a few notches.

TCU is back to 2014 form with 50 points or more in each of the last four games – and it could’ve dropped a lot more on Texas last week in a 50-7 win. The passing game is rolling, Trevone Boykin is on his game, and now it all has to work with three of the next four games on the road. There’s still a ton of work to do with road games at Oklahoma State and Oklahoma and the end-of-regular-season showdown against Baylor, but there’s no looking past this week in what should be the most dangerous game yet. The Minnesota secondary was strong, the Texas defense was athletic – if ineffective – and the Kansas State D should be ready for a battle.

Why TCU Will Win

The Kansas State run defense has been a rock, but the secondary has been way too porous getting destroyed by Oklahoma State’s Mason Rudolph last week for 441 yards and getting torched by Louisiana Tech’s Jeff Driskel the week before. The pass rush has been decent enough, but the defensive backs aren’t making plays with just one pick on the year. The TCU receiving corps is playing at a whole other level and Boykin absolutely flawless. The Heisman candidate has thrown nine touchdown passes and no picks in the last two games – it’s all working. Kansas State doesn’t have the pop to keep up if the secondary keeps on having issues.

Why Kansas State Will Win

The pass rush has to get to Boykin. TCU’s O line has allowed just four sacks on the year – getting into the backfield has been next to impossible – but the Wildcats have the playmakers on the defensive front to at least provide steady pressure. The line struggled to get to Rudolph last week, but it still came up with two sacks and now it has to keep on pushing and throw the timing off of the Horned Frog attack. Offensively, the Kansas State passing game has been effective and mistake-free, with just one interception thrown all year coming last week. While the big numbers aren’t there, it’s efficient. Now it needs to wonder if …

Player Who Matters

Does Kansas State have any quarterbacks left? Going under center for the Wildcats this season is like being a Spinal Tap drummer, but Joe Hubener passed the concussion protocol and is ready to roll. If he can’t stay in one piece, it’s going to be a big, big problem with the other four key quarterbacks in the fight already out and Kody Cook – part receiver, part quarterback – stepping in before getting hurt himself. Hubener has been good enough, but he struggled against Oklahoma State completing just 3-of-9 passes for 85 yards and an interception before taking a hit to the helmet. Can he throw to match Boykin play for play? As long as he’s hitting his third down throws, that’s all that matters.

What’s Going To Happen?

Kansas State’s secondary is finally going to come up with a nice day, and the team will keep it close at home, but Boykin and the TCU offense knows how to come through when things are tight. They did it against Minnesota, they did it against Texas Tech, and they’re going to do it to the Wildcats.

TCU vs. Kansas State Prediction

Final Score: TCU 45, Kansas State 38, Line: TCU -9.5, o/u: 63.5

Must See Rating: 5: The Walk – 1: Pan … 4

MORE: College Football Bowl Projections After Week 5