Kansas State Plays the Underdog Card, and That Should Still Scare Oklahoma

MANHATTAN, KS — No college football program plays the underdog card quite like Kansas State. Limited financially, limited in recruiting resources, once a

MANHATTAN, KS — No college football program plays the underdog card quite like Kansas State.

Limited financially, limited in recruiting resources, once a serious contender for title of “Worst program in America,” the Wildcats have cultivated an “us against the world” mentality into success perhaps better than anyone.

“We know that about this program,” said OU coach Lincoln Riley. “That’s kind of been the same no matter who’s coaching them and who the players are. They’ve done a tremendous job of that for years and years and years.”

In fact, former coach Bill Snyder’s building job from the bottom of the college football world to the precipice of the top has been called — including by one Barry Switzer — the greatest coaching job in the history of the sport.

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And, of course, the Wildcats in two years under Chris Klieman have taken down Big 12 Conference bully Oklahoma two years in a row when the Sooners were a double-digit favorite, a top-five team and an eventual Big 12 champion.

“They’re just always a tough out,” Riley said.

Snyder and Klieman have nurtured that underdog mentality from recruiting to gameday.

“No other program wanted you.”

“We were lucky to find you in junior college.”

“They gave you a 2-star rating because they thought you couldn’t play.”

No matter their recruiting rankings, no matter their record, no matter their opponent, Kansas State players are renowned for rolling up their sleeves and clenching their teeth and doubling up their fists and just playing harder than the team across from them.

“Yeah,” said OU defensive coordinator Alex Grinch. “Maybe there is something to that on their side of things.”

Two years ago in Manhattan, K-State was a 23.5-point underdog and won 48-41. Last year in Norman, they were 28-point underdogs and won 38-35.

In Saturday’s 2:30 p.m. kickoff at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, KSU is an 11.5-point underdog.

Nobody’s buying that — on either roster.

“I really don't think of it like that,” OU quarterback Spencer Rattler said. “Every player is on the field because they're a good player, I mean it doesn't matter where you from.”

Rattler was a true freshman behind Jalen Hurts when the Sooners lost two years ago. He was the OU starter last year, and he said he learned a lot in how fast the 2020 game turned — from Oklahoma leading 35-14 to trailing 38-35 in the span of just a few possessions.

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“You’ve got to respect every team to the final whistle,” Rattler said. “Momentum is a real thing, and if you're not doing your job, if you aren't executing and trusting your system, offensively and defensively, any team can come back in the country.”

Said Grinch, “I think as much as anything, it’s having an appreciation for that opponent.”

To that end, K-State hopes quarterback Skylar Thompson can play. But if he can’t, they’ll stick to the plan: take care of the football, control the clock, use the quarterback run game, run to the football, hit hard and tackle well.

“They’re conspiring against you,” Grinch said. “They work very hard. They have made plays and expect to make plays, and just as we’re watching their film, they’re watching ours. In terms of the favorite versus not favorite, it’s just very difficult to make those determinations.”

Klieman, in his third year replacing Snyder, went 8-5 in his first season, then dropped to 4-6 last year. This year, the Wildcats are 3-1 coming off last week’s loss at Oklahoma State.

“I think you always know what you’re going to get from them competitively,” Riley said. “They’re a team that you feel like they do a good job of taking advantage of mistakes and taking advantage of when you’re not at your best. For us, it goes back to us hitting our standards for four quarters and we’re going to have to play that way to go win in Manhattan.”

“Still a lot of the same principles you always see. They have good tacklers. They’re physical up front. They do a really nice job in short yardage. They have some creativity defensively. But no matter what scheme they’re running, you kind of know what you’re going to get out of Kansas State.”

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