Oklahoma State at Kansas State: Big 12 Showdown – Expert Picks & Insights

Oklahoma State Cowboys (3-1 SU, ATS 1-1) vs Kansas State Wildcats (3-1 SU, ATS 1-2)
Date: 12:00 EST Saturday, September 28th
Location: Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS
TV: ESPN
Point Spread: OSU +5.5/KSU -5.5
Money Line: OSU +168/KSU -202
Over/Under: 54.5

ESPN will be covering the Oklahoma State Cowboys vs. Kansas State Wildcats matchup, which is set to kick off at 12:00 ET on Saturday, September 28th. The game will be played at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan. Both teams enter the game with 3-1 records. The Wildcats are the -5.5-point favorites at home, with the over/under line currently sitting at 54.5 points.

Head-to-Head Matchup:

The Oklahoma State Cowboys and Kansas State Wildcats did not have any head-to-head matchups last season. But over the last three times playing each other, the Oklahoma State Cowboys have a record of 2-1. Against the spread, each team went 1-2 and finished with an over/under mark of 1-2. These games averaged a combined 58 points per contest.

Oklahoma State Cowboys Recent Form:

Oklahoma State is looking to bounce back after their 22-19 loss to Utah. The Cowboys, who were +1 point underdogs at home, not only fell short of the win but also failed to cover the spread. The game’s over/under was set at 53.5 points, but the teams combined for just 41, resulting in an under. Oklahoma State is now 3-1 for the season.

Oklahoma State fell behind early, with Utah taking a 3-0 lead in the first quarter. The Cowboys then trailed 10-0 at halftime but managed to score in the third quarter. After Utah extended their lead to 13-3, Oklahoma State put up 16 points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn’t enough to come out on top.

Oklahoma State’s offense struggled in their 22-19 loss to Utah, finishing with just 285 total yards. The Cowboys managed only 48 rushing yards on 15 attempts, forcing them to rely heavily on the passing game. Quarterback Alan Bowman completed 16 of 33 passes for 206 yards, while also throwing two touchdowns and interceptions. Bowman’s passer rating for the game was 63.45.

The Cowboys’ passing game was led by De’Zhaun Stribling, who caught three passes for 50 yards. Oklahoma State’s offense totaled 237 passing yards, with 11 first downs and a 48.5% completion rate from Bowman.

Oklahoma State’s defense will need to improve after giving up 457 total yards in their last game. The Cowboys were particularly vulnerable against the run, allowing 250 rushing yards and a touchdown. Despite this, they managed to pick off two passes, and their secondary held the Utes to 207 passing yards on 17 completions.

Away Injury Report

Kansas State Wildcats Recent Form:

Kansas State is looking to bounce back after a 38-9 road loss to BYU in which they were -7.5 point favorites. The Wildcats’ record now stands at 3-1, and this was their first defeat of the season. The game’s total score of 47 points was just under the 49.5-point over/under line.

The Wildcats started the game with a 3-0 lead, but BYU took control in the second quarter, outscoring Kansas State 17-3. Heading into halftime, the Wildcats trailed 17-6 and were unable to mount a comeback, with BYU extending their lead to 31-9 by the end of the third quarter, and Kansas State was outscored 7-0 in the final quarter.

In their 38-9 loss to BYU, Kansas State’s offense put up 367 yards, with 228 coming on the ground. The Wildcats totaled 17 first downs but struggled in the passing game, with just 139 yards through the air. Avery Johnson completed 15 of 28 passes for 130 yards, while also throwing two interceptions and finishing with a passer rating of 36.31.

DJ Giddens led the ground game with 93 yards on 19 carries, averaging 4.9 yards per attempt. Jayce Brown was the top receiver, with four catches for 51 yards.

After giving up 319 total yards to BYU, Kansas State’s defense will be looking to bounce back. The Wildcats allowed 170 rushing yards, with BYU averaging 4.3 yards per carry and scoring two touchdowns on the ground. Through the air, Kansas State was more effective, holding BYU to 149 passing yards on 15 completions. However, the Wildcats’ defense still allowed 38 points in the game.

Home Injury Report

Betting Trends

• Through their last ten road contests, the Oklahoma State Cowboys offense has averaged 24 points per game while allowing an average of 33. Oklahoma State posted an overall record of 4-6 while going 4-6 ATS.
• In their last three home games, the Kansas State Wildcats have a straight up record of 2-1 while going 0-3 vs the spread. The team’s offense averaged 24 points per game in these contests.
• Looking back on the team’s last three games as the underdog, the Oklahoma State Cowboys have a straight up record of 1-2. Their record vs the spread in these games was 1-2.
• Across their last three matchups as the betting favorite, the Kansas State Wildcats have an overall record of 2-1 while going 1-2 against the spread.

Free Pick

On Saturday afternoon, we have a good one in a matchup between two 3-1 teams. Kansas State is favored by -5.5 at home. I think the oddsmakers are putting too much on the home-field advantage in this one, and I see Oklahoma State as a more well-rounded team. I could easily see the Cowboys pulling off the upset, but the way I’m playing it is to take Oklahoma State to cover at +5.5.