Two Teams ‘Hungry for a Win’ Meet Saturday
Oct 11, 2024 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
No. 18 Kansas State comes off a much-needed bye week. Now it reaches the midway point of the regular season facing an old rival.
The Wildcats, 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12 Conference, hope Colorado, 4-1 and 2-0, is an accommodating host as the teams meet for a 9:25 p.m. CT kickoff Saturday at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado.
K-State and Colorado will meet for the 67th time but for just the first time since 2010 now that the Buffaloes have rejoined the Big 12.
"I know it's two really good football teams who are both hungry for a win to continue on that upward scale of the league," K-State head coach Chris Klieman said.
K-State comes off a dominant 42-20 win over then-No. 20 Oklahoma State, while Colorado handed UCF a 48-21 loss in Orlando, Florida, prior to its bye week.
Saturday will mark Colorado's third home game of the season and its first since a wild 38-31 overtime victory against Baylor.
"It'll be a fun environment, pretty electric," said K-State senior right tackle Carver Willis, a native of Durango, Colorado. "It's a beautiful stadium, so that will be a lot of fun."
On the field, it could require some work to topple a Colorado squad that is seething with momentum as it searches for a fourth straight win.
There's star quarterback Shedeur Sanders. There's Heisman Trophy favorite Travis Hunter. There's healthy safety Shilo Sanders. And there's a belief that second-year head coach Deion Sanders has instilled into his team, which was picked 11th in the Big 12 Preseason Poll.
Colorado joins No. 11 Iowa State, No. 14 BYU, Texas Tech and West Virginia as the last remaining unbeatens in league play.
"How can you be surprised with the expectation you have for yourself?" Deion Sanders said. "The only way you can be surprised is if you didn't expect it. We expect results when we put in the work. I just don't want it going to their heads. But we shouldn't be surprised where we are. We should be appreciative in understanding what allowed us to be where we are, but it should be no surprise to you."
The Wildcats, picked second in the Big 12 Preseason Poll, are led by sensational sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson and are powered by junior running back DJ Giddens, who ranks seventh in the FBS in rushing (120.80 yards per game). Throw in sophomore running back Dylan Edwards, a Colorado transfer, and the Wildcats are churning out 252.2 rushing yards per game, which ranks seventh in the nation.
"The biggest thing DJ does is he doesn't let one person bring him down," said Johnson, who averages 7.3 yards per carry — just like Giddens. "It's going to take more than one guy to get him on the ground. His yards-after-contact has to be something probably insane because he's really effective after that first tackler. He makes that first tackler miss."
The Wildcats' lone blemish was an uncharacteristic 38-9 loss at BYU on September 21 — their last road trip, which was also a late-night game.
"For Friday and Saturday, we're adjusting a few things on what we're doing with the guys, whether we're on our feet or watching film or getting them away from it, too," Klieman said. "We have a couple adjustments we're making for Friday and Saturday. It still comes down to what happens between the white lines and are you prepared and making good decisions and playing really fast."
Saturday's game comes in the midst of a challenging stretch for K-State that features four road games in a six-game stretch.
Next Saturday, K-State visits West Virginia — its longest road trip of the 2024 season. After returning home to face Kansas, the Wildcats turn around and travel to Houston on November 2.
"The bye week was beneficial because we were still able to do some prep for Colorado but also take that time and let your body heal up and hit the reset button so we can get going back into the next stretch of games," K-State senior left guard Hadley Panzer said.
K-State ranks 52nd in scoring offense (31.4), 43rd in total offense (432.4), seventh in rushing offense (252.2) and 108th in passing offense (180.2).
Johnson has completed 61.1% of his passes for 879 yards with nine touchdowns and four interceptions, while he has rushed for 321 yards on 44 carries and two scores.
Johnson and the Wildcats will go against a Colorado team that ranks 62nd in scoring defense (23.0), 88th in total defense (379.6), 80th in rushing defense (156.0) and 82nd in passing defense (223.6).
"The athleticism of that defense is very, very good," K-State offensive coordinator Conor Riley said. "What they do they do extremely well, and they have the players that have the ability to do that. With some of their defensive backs they play quite a bit more man coverage than a majority of the teams that we do see, and their ability to get right up in your wide receivers' faces and do the things that they do is pretty impressive.
"Obviously, their head coach is one of the best to ever do it. You look at the technique and there are two or three guys in press coverage, and they all look the same as far as their technique. It's really impressive."
K-State ranks 37th in scoring defense (19.6), 47th in total defense (336.0), 16th in rushing defense (91.8) and 100th in passing defense (244.2).
It will face a Colorado team that ranks 56th in scoring offense (31.0), 62nd in total offense (406.6), 125th in rushing offense (80.6) and ninth in passing offense (326.0).
Sanders has completed 70.1% of his passes for 1,630 yards with 14 touchdowns and three interceptions.
"He's a heck of a football player," K-State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman said. "He's calm, in control, has a tremendous arm, very accurate and appears to be very smart with what he's doing. He's running the show, setting the protections. He understands matchups and knows what he's doing with it. He's a heck of a football player. There aren't too many better than him out there."
The 'X' factor will likely be wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder who has 46 catches for 561 yards and six touchdowns. On defense, Hunter has 13 tackles and two interceptions.
Klanderman said: "One thing that jumps out to me are his ball skills are elite. If there's a 50-50 ball, he has a better-than-50% chance of getting it. He plays really hard. A guy who plays as many snaps as he does, you wouldn't think he'd go as hard as he does all the time, but he does. He's a competitive guy and is really, really competitive when the ball is in his vicinity."
Riley said: "The more you study his film you can see how smart of a football player he is. You can see that he is a guy who really, really studies the game. Some of the techniques he uses, I don't think a lot of corners in this country can get away with, and because of the type of player that he is, because of what I'd anticipate the type of preparation he puts forth, he just makes some phenomenal plays."
K-State has some dynamic players of its own.
Johnson comes off his best performance yet with three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns against the Cowboys, and he is currently one of three Power 4 quarterbacks with 800 passing yards and 300 rushing yards this season.
While Giddens is the workhorse — "our identity is 31 right now and as he goes, it opens up everything else," Klieman said — Edwards remains a dynamic player as well.
Edwards, a 5-foot-9, 167-pound native of Derby, Kansas, ranks ninth in the FBS in punt-return average and became the first Wildcat with at least one rushing touchdown, one receiving touchdown and one special teams touchdown in the first three games of a season since Deon Murphy in 2007. He returned a punt 71 yards for a touchdown against Arizona en route to Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
Sanders indicated that he harbored no ill-will toward Edwards, who chose to transfer to K-State after last season.
"We had some great moments, he's going to have many more great moments, so I'm proud of him," Sanders said. "I just don't want him to perform well against us, but I want him to perform well against every other team, I really do."
Klieman said that Edwards is "excited about the opportunity" to face the Buffaloes.
"Same thing, once the game starts, it's between the white lines and you have to beat your opponent just like you do in practice," Klieman said. "I'm excited for him. He's playing really well. He's healthy and fresh and we have to find ways to utilize him."
For the most part, K-State is healthy and fresh — as is Colorado after a week of recovery.
"Sometimes you want to keep playing," Klieman said. "Now we're both sitting for a week. Who handles that the best? That's what none of us know."
The teams will find out late Saturday night.
No. 18 Kansas State comes off a much-needed bye week. Now it reaches the midway point of the regular season facing an old rival.
The Wildcats, 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12 Conference, hope Colorado, 4-1 and 2-0, is an accommodating host as the teams meet for a 9:25 p.m. CT kickoff Saturday at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado.
K-State and Colorado will meet for the 67th time but for just the first time since 2010 now that the Buffaloes have rejoined the Big 12.
"I know it's two really good football teams who are both hungry for a win to continue on that upward scale of the league," K-State head coach Chris Klieman said.
K-State comes off a dominant 42-20 win over then-No. 20 Oklahoma State, while Colorado handed UCF a 48-21 loss in Orlando, Florida, prior to its bye week.
Saturday will mark Colorado's third home game of the season and its first since a wild 38-31 overtime victory against Baylor.
"It'll be a fun environment, pretty electric," said K-State senior right tackle Carver Willis, a native of Durango, Colorado. "It's a beautiful stadium, so that will be a lot of fun."
On the field, it could require some work to topple a Colorado squad that is seething with momentum as it searches for a fourth straight win.
There's star quarterback Shedeur Sanders. There's Heisman Trophy favorite Travis Hunter. There's healthy safety Shilo Sanders. And there's a belief that second-year head coach Deion Sanders has instilled into his team, which was picked 11th in the Big 12 Preseason Poll.
Colorado joins No. 11 Iowa State, No. 14 BYU, Texas Tech and West Virginia as the last remaining unbeatens in league play.
"How can you be surprised with the expectation you have for yourself?" Deion Sanders said. "The only way you can be surprised is if you didn't expect it. We expect results when we put in the work. I just don't want it going to their heads. But we shouldn't be surprised where we are. We should be appreciative in understanding what allowed us to be where we are, but it should be no surprise to you."
The Wildcats, picked second in the Big 12 Preseason Poll, are led by sensational sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson and are powered by junior running back DJ Giddens, who ranks seventh in the FBS in rushing (120.80 yards per game). Throw in sophomore running back Dylan Edwards, a Colorado transfer, and the Wildcats are churning out 252.2 rushing yards per game, which ranks seventh in the nation.
"The biggest thing DJ does is he doesn't let one person bring him down," said Johnson, who averages 7.3 yards per carry — just like Giddens. "It's going to take more than one guy to get him on the ground. His yards-after-contact has to be something probably insane because he's really effective after that first tackler. He makes that first tackler miss."
The Wildcats' lone blemish was an uncharacteristic 38-9 loss at BYU on September 21 — their last road trip, which was also a late-night game.
"For Friday and Saturday, we're adjusting a few things on what we're doing with the guys, whether we're on our feet or watching film or getting them away from it, too," Klieman said. "We have a couple adjustments we're making for Friday and Saturday. It still comes down to what happens between the white lines and are you prepared and making good decisions and playing really fast."
Saturday's game comes in the midst of a challenging stretch for K-State that features four road games in a six-game stretch.
Next Saturday, K-State visits West Virginia — its longest road trip of the 2024 season. After returning home to face Kansas, the Wildcats turn around and travel to Houston on November 2.
"The bye week was beneficial because we were still able to do some prep for Colorado but also take that time and let your body heal up and hit the reset button so we can get going back into the next stretch of games," K-State senior left guard Hadley Panzer said.
K-State ranks 52nd in scoring offense (31.4), 43rd in total offense (432.4), seventh in rushing offense (252.2) and 108th in passing offense (180.2).
Johnson has completed 61.1% of his passes for 879 yards with nine touchdowns and four interceptions, while he has rushed for 321 yards on 44 carries and two scores.
Johnson and the Wildcats will go against a Colorado team that ranks 62nd in scoring defense (23.0), 88th in total defense (379.6), 80th in rushing defense (156.0) and 82nd in passing defense (223.6).
"The athleticism of that defense is very, very good," K-State offensive coordinator Conor Riley said. "What they do they do extremely well, and they have the players that have the ability to do that. With some of their defensive backs they play quite a bit more man coverage than a majority of the teams that we do see, and their ability to get right up in your wide receivers' faces and do the things that they do is pretty impressive.
"Obviously, their head coach is one of the best to ever do it. You look at the technique and there are two or three guys in press coverage, and they all look the same as far as their technique. It's really impressive."
K-State ranks 37th in scoring defense (19.6), 47th in total defense (336.0), 16th in rushing defense (91.8) and 100th in passing defense (244.2).
It will face a Colorado team that ranks 56th in scoring offense (31.0), 62nd in total offense (406.6), 125th in rushing offense (80.6) and ninth in passing offense (326.0).
Sanders has completed 70.1% of his passes for 1,630 yards with 14 touchdowns and three interceptions.
"He's a heck of a football player," K-State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman said. "He's calm, in control, has a tremendous arm, very accurate and appears to be very smart with what he's doing. He's running the show, setting the protections. He understands matchups and knows what he's doing with it. He's a heck of a football player. There aren't too many better than him out there."
The 'X' factor will likely be wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter, the 6-foot-1, 185-pounder who has 46 catches for 561 yards and six touchdowns. On defense, Hunter has 13 tackles and two interceptions.
Klanderman said: "One thing that jumps out to me are his ball skills are elite. If there's a 50-50 ball, he has a better-than-50% chance of getting it. He plays really hard. A guy who plays as many snaps as he does, you wouldn't think he'd go as hard as he does all the time, but he does. He's a competitive guy and is really, really competitive when the ball is in his vicinity."
Riley said: "The more you study his film you can see how smart of a football player he is. You can see that he is a guy who really, really studies the game. Some of the techniques he uses, I don't think a lot of corners in this country can get away with, and because of the type of player that he is, because of what I'd anticipate the type of preparation he puts forth, he just makes some phenomenal plays."
K-State has some dynamic players of its own.
Johnson comes off his best performance yet with three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns against the Cowboys, and he is currently one of three Power 4 quarterbacks with 800 passing yards and 300 rushing yards this season.
While Giddens is the workhorse — "our identity is 31 right now and as he goes, it opens up everything else," Klieman said — Edwards remains a dynamic player as well.
Edwards, a 5-foot-9, 167-pound native of Derby, Kansas, ranks ninth in the FBS in punt-return average and became the first Wildcat with at least one rushing touchdown, one receiving touchdown and one special teams touchdown in the first three games of a season since Deon Murphy in 2007. He returned a punt 71 yards for a touchdown against Arizona en route to Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors.
Sanders indicated that he harbored no ill-will toward Edwards, who chose to transfer to K-State after last season.
"We had some great moments, he's going to have many more great moments, so I'm proud of him," Sanders said. "I just don't want him to perform well against us, but I want him to perform well against every other team, I really do."
Klieman said that Edwards is "excited about the opportunity" to face the Buffaloes.
"Same thing, once the game starts, it's between the white lines and you have to beat your opponent just like you do in practice," Klieman said. "I'm excited for him. He's playing really well. He's healthy and fresh and we have to find ways to utilize him."
For the most part, K-State is healthy and fresh — as is Colorado after a week of recovery.
"Sometimes you want to keep playing," Klieman said. "Now we're both sitting for a week. Who handles that the best? That's what none of us know."
The teams will find out late Saturday night.
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