Pick and Preview: Kansas State at Oklahoma

KSO will look at a handful of categories each week when previewing the Kansas State game on Saturday. We discuss factors to keep in mind for the Wildcats, what K-State needs to learn, the players to watch and a final prediction.

FOUR FACTORS FOR KANSAS STATE

1. RESILIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE: Kansas State won’t win if they are already defeated before they step into Gaylord Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. They have to enter the building believing that last week was an anomaly and that they are fully capable of defeating the Sooners. Last week has to be a blip on the radar, and if they don’t know that in their hearts, they’ve already lost. Have they gotten off the mat? We’ll know pretty quickly.

2. PASS RUSH: Oklahoma has been the most flawed this year at protecting quarterback Dillon Gabriel. That’s probably not all that reassuring to their staff since he is pretty injury-prone to begin with, as indicated by his past. They’ve surrendered just seven sacks on the season, but the sack rate is ranked 102nd in the country and they’ve dealt with some other pressures that they’ve avoided as well. It is where K-State is suited to be a pain in the butt for the Sooners, especially if Nate Matlack is available.

3. TAKE YOUR SHOTS: It has been beat to death. Kansas State can’t check it down as much as they have, thus far. They have to be willing to push it downfield. Taking their chances and being more explosive is the recipe on the offensive side of the ball.

4. PERFECT ON SPECIAL TEAMS: How can the Wildcats overcome a talent deficit? Turn to old faithful. They call K-State ‘Special Teams U.’ for a reason and that part has to show up on Saturday night if they want to upset Oklahoma. If they dominate that phase, and help out the other two, they may find themselves with a chance to win in the fourth quarter.

WHAT THE WILDCATS NEED TO LEARN

1. WHERE’S THE MATURITY AND MENTAL TOUGHNESS: The maturity and leadership of the locker room was supposed to show up last week for Chris Klieman and Kansas State and allow them to avoid looking past Tulane and staying on top of that week’s opponent. Well, it didn’t. They failed the first test. The next one is to be able to respond from that emotional letdown with a sterling performance. Can they do it?

2. PASSING GAME TAKES A STEP FORWARD: Bluntly, K-State has zero chance of winning Saturday night if they continue to be one-dimensional. And quite frankly, more problems loom ahead if they are not able to solve that part of the offense sooner rather than later.

3. STILL GOT IT: It seems like years ago at this point, but remember when there was hype about Kansas State and a genuine belief that they could do something special during the 2022 season? Just some flashes of that potential and proving that it still exists could go a long way for the Wildcats if they were to provide those glimpses and at least give Oklahoma all they can handle.

SATURDAY STARS

Adrian Martinez: Can K-State quarterback Adrian Martinez answer the bell and heed the advice and encouragement of his head coach and offensive coordinator? He will have to if they want to win in Norman. If they are to upset the Sooners, it will be because they have transformed the passing game at least a little bit.

Felix Anudike-Uzomah: As alluded to earlier, the pass protection for Oklahoma has been a little leaky to begin the season. That’s where they have been a work in progress, despite having an All-American candidate in tackle Anton Harrison. He will be playing on Sundays, but so too will Kansas State defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah.

Returners Phillip Brooks and Malik Knowles: It will take a big play on defense or special teams to even the score with Oklahoma. Whether that is forcing a turnover to shorten the field, flipping the field with Ty Zentner, Chris Tennant not having any misses or Phillip Brooks or Malik Knowles making a house call, the Wildcats need it.

PREDICTION

I have a lot of questions about K-State. Do I think they have the mental composition to respond and not allow last week to defeat them twice? Yes. Will they be focused, hungry and inspired when they hit the field versus the Sooners? Yes.

Will Adrian Martinez cut it loose? I don’t know. If he does, will it be effective and without a bunch of mistakes? I have my doubts. Letting it fly for the first time against a defense that has created a lot of havoc already seems troublesome.

If they can’t, that means that the running game is likely hindered. It also means tough spots for a defense who will be across the sideline from one of the quickest and most explosive offenses in America through three weeks.

I’m not down on the season, but I am down on this week. Oklahoma cruises, 35-13.