Kansas State Schedule Preview, Oct. 19: Another Stern Road Test Against West Virginia
Coming off the game at Colorado, the Wildcats head back on the road at West Virginia during what quite possibly is the toughest three-game stretch for Kansas State in the regular season.
It is vital that K-State takes a one-game at-a-time approach and stay even keel in games that will be emotionally charged because after West Virginia, the Wildcats return home against arch-rival Kansas.
The focus in game seven by the Wildcats must be squarely on the Mountaineers. Through the years, this has been an even matchup.
K-State has won the last two to take a narrow 7-6 lead in the all-time series. The Wildcats didn’t play West Virginia last season. Their last meeting was November 19, 2022, a game in which the Wildcats won 48-31 in a shootout in Morgantown, W. Va.
“We said in the locker room that we're the best road team in the Big 12,” said defensive end Brendon Mott after the 2022 game. “We love coming out here and playing in opposing stadiums.”
Mott and the rest of the Wildcats will need that mentality on Oct. 19 in Morgantown. West Virginia was picked to finish seventh in the Big 12 preseason media poll. However, any of the top seven teams in the 16-team conference is capable of finishing in the top two in the Big 12.
Winning conference games on the road is tough, but if the Wildcats finds a way to win road games at Colorado and West Virginia, they will put themselves in position to play for a conference title.
The picture on what type of season K-State will have will become much clearer after the seventh game.
If the Wildcats are undefeated or have only one loss, lookout because it becomes easier to dream about playing in the conference championship game and a spot in the 12-team playoff.
David Boyce is a contributing writer to K-State On SI. He can be reached at davidboyce95@gmail.com.
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DAVID BOYCE