CATS TRAVEL TO LAWRENCE FOR SUNFLOWER SHOWDOWN
Following a dramatic 48-41 win over No. 5 Oklahoma, 22nd-ranked K-State heads east to Lawrence on Saturday for the 117th edition of the Dillons Sunflower Showdown against Kansas. The game, which will kick at 2:30 p.m., will air on FS1 with Cory Provus (play-by-play), Petros Papadakis (analyst) and Shane Vereen (analyst) on the call. The contest can be heard across the 39-station K-State Sports Network with Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play), former K-State quarterback Stan Weber (analyst) and Matt Walters (sidelines) calling the action. The game can also be heard on SiriusXM (S: 83, X: 381, Internet: 970) in addition to the TuneIn app.
A LOOK AT K-STATE
- K-State has won two games in a row following its 48-41 triumph over No. 5 Oklahoma last week, and the Wildcats have opened the Chris Klieman era with five impressive victories – highlighted by last week’s win and a 31-24 triumph at No. 23 Mississippi State in September.
- K-State has rushed for 1,396 yards this year on 301 carries as it ranks fifth in the Big 12 in rushing and ranks 10th in school history in yards per carry (4.62).
- The Wildcats also have 20 rushing touchdowns – including six last week against OU – after tallying only 20 rushing scores a year ago. Of the 20 scores, 12 have come from running backs after the group accounted for only 13 last season.
- Quarterback Skylar Thompson – who has four game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or later in his career – has thrown for 1,207 yards and seven touchdowns with one interception, while three receivers – Dalton Schoen, Phillip Brooks and Malik Knowles – each have at least 15 catches and 100 yards on the year.
- The K-State defense enters the week ranked highly in many statistical categories, including third down defense (2nd; 25.3%), first downs allowed (10th; 116), passing yards allowed (27th; 187.1), scoring defense (35th; 21.9) and pass efficiency defense (36th; 120.02).
- K-State has given up just four passing touchdowns through seven games this season, which is the best start since the 2002 team also gave up four through seven games. It also is tied for the fewest nationally this season with Ohio State, Kentucky and Penn State.
- The Cats have surrendered only 19 total third down conversions this season, which are the fewest in the FBS.
- Senior safety Denzel Goolsby (34 tackles) is one of seven Wildcats with at least 20 stops on the season.
- Eighteen different Wildcats have at least a half tackle for loss for a team total of 35, led by Wyatt Hubert’s 6.5. The sophomore also leads the team with 4.0 sacks.
- Cornerback AJ Parker has a team-high three interceptions to tie for second in the Big 12.
- The Wildcats possess a great kicker/punter duo as Blake Lynch ranks 12th nationally in field goal percentage (90.0%), while Devin Anctil ranks ninth in the nation with a 46.3-yard punting average.
A LOOK AT KANSAS
- Kansas enters the Dillons Sunflower Showdown fresh off a 37-34 home win over Texas Tech last week to improve to 3-5 on the season and 1-4 in Big 12 play.
- Carter Stanley leads the Jayhawk offense with 1,900 yards passing and 19 touchdowns through the air.
- Pooka Williams is averaging 100.6 yards per game on the ground and has three rushing scores.
- Five different receivers have 20 or more catches, led by Andrew Parchment’s 42.
- Defensively, Bryce Torneden leads the squad with 53 tackles.
A LOOK AT THE SERIES
- Kansas leads the all-time series, 64-47-5, but Kansas State has won each of the last 10 meetings and 23 of the last 28 dating back to 1991.
- The Wildcats’ average margin of victory over the last 10 years is 25.6, while they have hit the 45-point mark in five of those contests.
- However, the series has been closer as of late with the last three games being decided by a margin of 9.7, including last year’s 21-17 K-State victory in Manhattan.
- Kansas State has won each of the last five meetings in Lawrence by an average score of 35-14, the last being a 30-20 victory in 2017.
RYAN LACKEY
Director of Football Communications