Kansas State will look to build on its good season as it prepares for an exciting 2023 season. We’re here to share our college football odds series by making an overall winning prediction and pick for the Kansas State “Over-Under”.
Kansas State went 10-4 (7-2 in the Pac-12) and was the Big-12 conference champion. Significantly, it was a slight improvement after a season in which they were 8-5. The Wildcats started the season 2-0, defeating South Dakota and Missouri. Then they lost 17-10 to Tulane at the Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Kansas State won 41-34 away against Oklahoma. Next, they defeated Texas Tech 37-28.
The Wildcats then prevailed 10-9 away against Iowa State. However, they lost 38:28 against TCU. But they bounced back significantly when they beat Oklahoma State 48-0 at home. In return, they lost 34:27 at home to Texas. They followed with a 31-3 win at Baylor. Next, they won 48-31 in West Virginia. The Wildcats defeated Kansas at home 47-27. Eventually, they won the Big 12 Championship 31-28, avenging their loss to TCU. Kansas State lost 45-20 to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl.
Kansas State has lost four significant players this offseason. Ultimately, the Kansas City Chiefs chose star defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah as the last pick of the first round. Anudike-Uzomah was the 2022 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year. Significantly, he had 8.5 sacks, finishing second in the Big 12. Anudike-Uzomah also forced two fumbles.
The Indianapolis Colts drafted star cornerback Julius Brents with the 44th pick. Amazingly, he had 45 total tackles, including 3.5 for a loss, four interceptions, eight pass deflections and a forced fumble. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers drafted cornerback Josh Hayes with the 181st pick. Likewise, the Dallas Cowboys chose Deuce Vaughn with the 212th pick. The wild card must replace these four players.
Here are the college football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Over/Under Win Total Odds
Over 7.5 wins: -188
Under 7.5 wins: +152
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Why Kansas State Can Win 7.5 Games
The Wildcats will bring back quarterback Will Howard for the 2023 season. Significantly, he threw for 1,633 yards, 15 touchdowns and four interceptions in seven games with a 60 percent completion rate. Howard will be looking to replicate those stats and raise the bar for the Wildcats this season. Additionally, Treshaun Ward has made a transfer from Florida State and will be looking to make an impact with the Wildcats. Ward totaled 1,143 yards and 11 touchdowns over two seasons. Now he gets the chance to be the starting running back.
Defense will be reinforced with Daniel Green, a midfielder who will try to cause chaos in the middle. Meanwhile, the pass rush could have a big hit if Khalid Duke gets through the line. Duke totaled 44 tackles and three sacks in 2022. Significantly, he will get his chance to wreak havoc on opposing offensive lines. There’s also Austin Moore causing a stir around the field. Amazingly, Moore had 87 total tackles, including ten for a loss, an interception and two forced fumbles. Expect Moore to be a menace across the football field.
Kansas State will win eight games because Howard will improve his game and Ward will become the ultimate backfield weapon. Then the defense will continue to excel and terrorize enemy attacks.
Why Kansas State can’t win 7.5 games
Kansas State had a fantastic 2022 season. However, they lost four incredibly talented players who were instrumental in their success. Replacing her will be difficult for her.
The Wildcats lost Malik Knowles, who moved to the NFL when the Minnesota Vikings signed him as an undrafted free agent. Who catches passes from Howard? Consequently, the lack of a threat can cause the defense to focus on Ward, which can create awkward situations for the Wildcats.
But the offensive isn’t the only unit that has questions. Significantly, the defense lost three key players. The Wildcats lost one of the best cornerbacks in college football. Now they will field a cornerback by committee. Can this unit level up? It will be a difficult task for the secondary school. So when the pass rush can’t reach the quarterback, it can be easy to dissect the secondary.
Kansas State will not win eight games because they will have a hard time finding a replacement for Knowles. In addition, they allow too many meters through the air.
Final Kansas State Over/Under Win Overall Prediction and Picks
This team is talented enough. Therefore, expect them to clog the holes. The Wildcats could take a step back. Regardless, they still win eight games.
Final Kansas State Over/Under Outright Prediction and Pick:
