[12:02 PM] Kansas State @ Baylor

Who will WIN this matchup?

Kansas State Wildcats (5-4)

@ Baylor Bears (6-3)

 

• The line for this game is Baylor by 1.5 points.

• Baylor, which began the season with a 6-0 start for the fourth straight year, will try to snap a three-game losing streak when it hosts Kansas State on Saturday. The two teams enter the contest in a three-way for fourth place in the Big 12 with TCU, which hosts second place Oklahoma State, and a win by the visiting Wildcats would make them bowl eligible for the seventh straight season.

• The Wildcats have recorded three straight conference games with 200 or more rushing yards — their longest streak since 2003 — and had 345 yards on the ground in a 43-37 loss at Oklahoma State two weeks ago. Junior quarterback Jesse Ertz averages 70 yards rushing per game, best among quarterbacks in the Big 12, and has had two straight 100-yard games. Senior defensive end Jordan Willis, who leads the Big 12 in sacks (9.0) and is second in tackles for loss (13.5), and junior linebacker Elijah Lee (77 tackles) lead a Wildcat defense that is pacing the Big 12 in total defense (392.8 yards per game) and rushing defense (110.9 yards).

• After Russell went down in the third quarter last Saturday, Smith stepped in and hit six of 15 passes for 144 yards, including a 62-yard touchdown pass to KD Cannon, and also ran for a 1-yard score. Senior running back Shock Linwood (school record 4,056 career rushing yards) will be back after serving a one-game suspension for an attitude issue. Running back Terence Williams (team best 708 yards, 8 TDs) is iffy with a tendon issue. Junior defensive end K.J. Smith had an excellent game against Oklahoma with 10 tackles with 1.5 sacks while senior middle linebacker Aiavion Edwards leads the team with 70 tackles.

• Kansas State leads the series, 7-6, but Baylor has won five of the last six meetings including a 31-24 victory last year in Manhattan, Kan.

• Baylor is 33-4 at home since 2011, best in the Big 12 and third-best nationally during that span.

• Kansas State is 19-9 under head coach Bill Snyder when coming off an in-season bye.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Baylor Bears

Confidence: 4/10

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