The Kansas State Wildcats are coming off of a bye week last week and are preparing for a Thursday night match up with 5th ranked Auburn at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

Due to the short week it required Coach Bill Snyder to move up his practice schedule a couple of days.

“We started our week of practice on Saturday, which was Monday for us, and we worked on Sunday which was Tuesday for us and so on down the road. They’re in a normal game week mode starting on Saturday. Previous to that we had practice, we had taken a couple of days off but we had practice as well,” says Snyder.

Both Kansas State and Auburn had bye weeks last week which benefited both teams according to Snyder. He explained that a team can invest that extra time doing things that you haven’t put on the field before.

“So your opponent has no earthly idea that that’s what they’re going to see. I hope we see what we have seen in the past. Plus just seeing it is not the answer, we’ve got to be able to play well against it both offensively and defensively. Comes down to the same thing no matter who you are playing.”

Jake Waters explained that as a player you have to block everything out and it is game day even though it is a Thursday. With the pushed back practice week Tuesday is ran like a Thursday. Waters said that in the class room it may feel like a Tuesday but when he gets to practice it’s just like a Thursday.

“Out on the field with how long we’ve been preparing with the off week, you know it does. It does feel like a Thursday knowing this is our last day to get on the field and correct everything and get ready to play our best ball game,” said Waters.

Kansas State and Auburn kick off Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. from Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN. The radio broadcast on the K-State Sports Network will begin at 4:30 p.m. and can be heard on 1420 AM KJCK, The Talk of JC.

 

AUBURN, Ala. (AP) – Cameron Artis-Payne wanted to prove he has speed this season and Corey Grant aimed to show his power.

The two tailbacks for No. 5 Auburn so far have complemented each other nicely and helped the Tigers’ running game remain one of the nation’s best despite losing Heisman Trophy finalist Tre Mason.

Auburn (2-0) enters Thursday night’s visit to No. 20 Kansas State (2-0) ranked fifth nationally in rushing offense. Artis-Payne stands eighth in yards per game.

Coach Gus Malzahn still calls Artis-Payne and Grant Tailbacks 1 and 1A, though the former has gotten most of the carries.

Grant thinks both can rush for 1,000 yards. Quarterback Nick Marshall reached that milestone last season in directing the first SEC offense to lead the nation in rushing.

 

Fans Encouraged to Arrive Early for Auburn Game

 

MANHATTAN, Kan. – With a sellout crowd of more than 50,000 descending upon Manhattan for Thursday night’s nationally televised football showdown against No. 5 Auburn, fans are asked to arrive as early as possible for the 6:30 p.m., kickoff to ease traffic congestion in the Manhattan area and around Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

 

Stadium and nearby satellite parking lots will open as normal on gameday, five hours prior to kickoff at 1:30 p.m.

 

Fans who typically park at the Veterinary Medicine Complex on Denison should note that the lot will have limited availability for public parking until 5 p.m. as K-State classes will be in session on Thursday and the lot is restricted to permit parking for K-State faculty, staff and students. However, ample parking is available at the Equestrian Center north of the fire station on Denison.

 

“We want to encourage our fans to arrive early, remain patient and give themselves plenty of time to get to the stadium on Thursday,” said Athletics Director John Currie. “Our fan base is one of the most dedicated and well-respected contingents in all of college football and I know they are excited to showcase their passion and reputation. This game provides us a unique opportunity to showcase our program, university and community and we look forward to displaying our brand to a national audience.”

 

Parking in the east and west lots of Bill Snyder Family Stadium is reserved to members of the Ahearn Fund and requires a pass for entry. Paid parking for fans with disabilities is available on a first-come, first-served basis in the east and west stadium lots. To gain entry, guests must display a state-issued accessible license plate or hangtag and present a disability card along with a form of personal identification. All other general public parking is limited to grass parking in Lot 9 east of the stadium, in the paved lot of the Peters Recreation Center or in private satellite lots and parking areas near the stadium.  General public parking fees are $20 for cars.

 

Kansas State Police, the Riley County Police Department and the Kansas Highway Patrol will provide staff and monitor traffic flow throughout Manhattan prior to the game as fans travel to the stadium.  Fans are particularly encouraged to be cautious in and around school zones as students are released from school. In particular, Anthony Middle School and Marlatt Elementary School – schools nearest to Bill Snyder Family Stadium – will release students at 2:50 p.m. and 3:45 p.m., respectively.  School zone speed limits will be enforced.

 

Fans traveling to Manhattan from the south should note there is road construction closing US 77 between K-4 and US 56 just north of the intersection of US 77 and KS 56 in Herington. A detour is posted at the intersection directing traffic from the south to go east on US 56 to K-149, north to K-4, then back west to US 77. Fans may want to evaluate other routes to Manhattan the remainder of the football season as the construction is expected to last into December.

 

With all tickets sold for Thursday’s football game, athletics officials remind fans still seeking tickets to be certain of their authenticity before purchasing. Often in high-demand situations fans purchase unauthorized ticket, so it’s truly ‘buyer beware’ if someone purchases a ticket from a source other than the K-State Athletics ticket office or K-State Athletics’ official ticket reseller Vivid Seats.  University policy prohibits solicitations, including ticket scalping, on the grounds of the sports complex.

 

– k-statesports.com –

 

The athletic program at Manhattan Christian College has a new look and a new mascot.

Beginning this fall MCC athletes and teams will be known as the THUNDER.

“We are excited to announce this change because we believe THUNDER represents the region that our college is located in, the uniqueness of our educational programs, and the well-rounded alumni leaders we are striving to produce, “said Athletic Director Shawn Condra. “Students, alunni, and fans will continue to wear navy and white, but now a silver accent has been added.”

The change to THUNDER will allow the MCC teams to compete for the first time with a distinctive name in the Midwest Christian College Conference and the National Christian College Athletic Association,

MCC President Kevin Ingram explained, “The new THUNDER icon consists of a shield with a lightning bolt and a contemporary font.

Manhattan Christian College is located in the Flint Hills, an area known for its rain storms. Thunder is one of the identifiable attributes of those storms. It can be heard from a great distance and it warns everyone to get ready for what is coming their way.

The Saint Xavier Rams high school volleyball team finished 2-3 in the Manhattan Chief Tournament Saturday at the KSU Recreation Complex.

Saint X fell to Hastings 18-25, 25-20, 10-15. They defeated Cornerstone 28-26, 25-15, KC East 25-12, 25-17, lost to Abilene Baptist 25-17, 23-25, 13-15, and lost to Manhattan CHIEF 10-25, 25-23, 8-15.

Fresh off a bye week and a late fourth quarter rally at Iowa State – it’s largest comeback win in a conference road game since 2004 – 20th-ranked Kansas State readies for Thursday’s showdown with No. 5 Auburn in Manhattan. The game, which will kick at 6:30 p.m., will be televised nationally by ESPN.

A LOOK AT THE GAME

• Auburn leads the all-time series between the two schools, 3-0.

• The 2014 matchup is the second in a home-and-home series that began in 2007 (a 23-13 AU win).

• The No. 5 Tigers will be the highest ranked non-conference opponent to play in Manhattan since No. 2 Penn State visited in 1969 (17-14 PSU win).

• Under Bill Snyder, K-State has only faced one other ranked non-conference opponent at home, a 27-20 Wildcat win in 2002 over 11th-ranked USC.

• K-State is 4-0 under Snyder in non-conference home games against “high-visibility conference” programs.

• The four wins were: (2012 vs. Miami; 2010 vs. UCLA; 2002 vs. USC; 1994 vs. Minnesota).

• Also, K-State has played a total of seven games against “high visibility conference” programs since 2006 and is 3-4 in those games vs. Louisville [0-2], Auburn [0-1], UCLA [1-1] and Miami, Fla. [2-0].

• The game will be K-State’s fifth Thursday night appearance since 1992 as the Cats are 3-1 under Bill Snyder on Thursday night including a 1-1 mark at home.

• K-State has defeated Iowa State (1992) at home and Kansas (1994, 2010) on the road in Thursday night games with the lone loss coming at home against sixth-ranked Nebraska in 2010.

BYE WEEK NOTES

• Giving K-State an extra week to prepare has traditionally been good news for the Wildcats.

• The Cats have had 22 previous mid-season bye weeks under head coach Bill Snyder and have turned the extra week of preparation into a 16-6 record the following week.

• Since Snyder’s return in 2009, K-State is 5-2 when coming off a bye week during the season.

NON-CONFERENCE NOTABLES

• Since 1990, K-State has won 65 of its 69 (.943) regular-season non-conference games under Bill Snyder, including 59-of-62 (.952) at home.

• K-State has had perfect regular-season non-conference ledgers in 14 of the last 21 years.

Thursday night’s football game against 5th-ranked Auburn provides us a unique opportunity to showcase our program and university on ESPN’s Thursday Night College Football platform. As we approach the game, which I believe to be one of the hottest tickets in K-State history, I want to provide some thoughts and details that will allow you a smoother trip to and from the stadium.

Plan Ahead
Coach Snyder and our football team have shown tremendous determination so far this season as evidenced by our comeback win at Iowa State, and we are excited to be 2-0 heading into Thursday’s matchup with Auburn – which, by the way, will be the highest-ranked non-conference opponent to visit Manhattan since No. 2 Penn State in 1969. Below are a few reminders to all of our fans heading to the game:

Arrive early. Be patient. The kickoff time of 6:30 p.m., will create unique traffic issues in the Manhattan community as schools dismiss and normal rush-hour traffic competes with gameday traffic. Remember, September 18 will be a “business as usual” day at K-State with classes in session and campus open.

Stadium and nearby satellite parking lots will open at 1:30 p.m., five hours prior to kickoff as normal on a gameday.

The Veterinary Medicine Complex lot on Denison will have only limited parking available until classes dismiss around 5 p.m. Ample parking will be available at the Equestrian Center north of the fire station on Denison.

Another Capacity Crowd
Bill Snyder Family Stadium will be at full capacity for the 15th consecutive game on Thursday night and the atmosphere will certainly be electric for the ESPN-televised matchup. While national trends point toward a decline in overall and student attendance at college football games, we know that is not the case at K-State, and our capacity crowd and purple-packed student section of 9,400 strong will be on display to the entire nation on Thursday night. We encourage you to be in your seats early, be loud and showcase our true K-State spirit and loyalty that make our “family” so special.

Fan Excitement
There is definitely tremendous excitement building in the community for Thursday’s game. As Coach Snyder has said before on many occasions, we pride ourselves at K-State on the people and how well-respected our fans are across the nation. Coach Snyder instills the “act like you’ve been there before” mentality into our players and program, and I think that is very appropriate in this case. We expect nothing less than Bill Snyder Family Stadium to be rocking Thursday night, but it is also a part of our mission as an athletics program to provide the best fan experience possible to both our fans and those visiting Manhattan.

Counterfeit Ticket Reminder
With all tickets sold for Thursday’s game, we would like to remind fans still seeking tickets to be certain of their authenticity before purchasing. Often in these high-demand situations fans purchase unauthorized tickets, and it’s truly “buyer beware” if someone purchases a ticket from a source other than our ticket office or through our partnership with Vivid Seats. University policy prohibits solicitations, including ticket scalping, on the grounds of the sports complex.

See you on Thursday night!

MANHATTAN, Kan. – For the second consecutive week, K-State freshman Kylee Zumach was named the Big 12 Rookie of the Week for the period ending September 14, the conference office announced.

A native of Buffalo, Minnesota, Zumach averaged 3.88 kills and 4.41 points per set in four matches last week, marks that not only led Big 12 freshmen but were second-best among all conference players. The outside hitter started K-State’s 4-0 week by tallying a then career-high 16 kills in a 3-2 win over Missouri State, a figure she later supplanted when she had 23 kills in the next match on September 12 vs. Marshall. The 23 kills are the most by any Big 12 player so far this season and the most by a Wildcat in nearly a year (October 5, 2013, Kaitlynn Pelger, 23). In 16 sets last week, Zumach led K-State with 62 kills while hitting .298 and tallying 13 digs and 12 blocks.

With the help of her eight kills on Septe

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles has a high ankle sprain and safety Eric Berry also has an ankle sprain, throwing their status into question for Sunday’s game in Miami.

Charles was hurt on his second carry of the Chiefs’ 24-17 loss to Denver over the weekend, and Berry left the game later in the first half. X-rays came back negative but Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday that he could not provide a timetable for their return.

The loss of Charles and Berry means the Chiefs (0-2) are down seven starters to injuries and suspensions. Those seven players have combined to start 355 games, play in 492 games and appear in nine Pro Bowls over 43-plus seasons in the NFL.

The Big 12 Conference and FOX Sports have announced that Kansas State’s September 27 contest against UTEP will kick off at 11 a.m., and will be televised nationally by FSN.

The game will be the first of the season for the Wildcats on FSN.

No. 20 K-State hosts fifth-ranked Auburn on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. in a nationally-televised contest on ESPN.