GAME SNAPSHOT
KICKOFF: Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET
SITE: Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, W.Va.
TV: ESPN
SERIES: Kansas State leads 5-3. West Virginia won 28-23 in 2017.
RANKINGS: West Virginia No. 12
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Wildcats
–WR/PR Isaiah Zuber established himself during nonconference play as Kansas State’s most dangerous threat to bust a big play. He added seven receptions for 144 yards in the Sept. 15 romp over UTSA and also had a 39-yard punt return. Zuber has quickly become the return man opponents will look to kick away from, though he could influence field position by causing a shanked punt.
–WR Dalton Schoen scored on a 42-yard reception against UTSA. His five career touchdowns have averaged 45.8 yards in length and four of the five exceeded 20 yards. Although he does not possess great speed, Schoen possesses deceptive moves that make him escape defenders for big gains with a tendency to lull those defenders into biting on the run. His career average per reception is 20.7 yards.
–PK Blake Lynch connected from 33 and 42 yards and continues to impress as a 5-foot-4 walk-on who won the kicking job during fall camp. Lynch’s seven field goals are the most during a three-game stretch to begin a Kansas State season since 2015. Lynch is 7-of-8 on field goals. His longest was from 44 yards and he missed his only attempt from 50-plus yards.
Mountaineers
–QB Will Grier completed 21 of 26 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns in the Mountaineers’ 52-17 win over Youngstown State on Sept. 9. He found seven different receivers in notching the 10th 300-yard passing game in 13 starts. Grier threw touchdown passes of 11, 24, 33 and 40 yards, finished with five plays of 20 yards or more, three of 30 yards or more and a long of 40 yards in the win. He has thrown five touchdown passes a school-record four times.
–RB Kennedy McKoy saw his role increase in the win over Youngstown State, carrying the ball 11 times for 76 yards and a TD and catching a pass for 11 yards. McCoy has had his share of carries over his first two years, and now has 15 totes for 94 yards and a touchdown, and two catches for 25 more and a TD over West Virginia’s first two games. McKoy has enough speed to break off long runs, and his physicality on contact is unmatched. He’s not afraid to pass protect either, an absolute necessity for a running back who plays for coach Dana Holgorsen.
–WR Marcus Simms led the team with nine catches for 119 yards against Youngstown State and now has 11 snags for 159 yards in the first two games. With a greater volume this year, expect Simms’ numbers to spike.
KEYS
TO THE GAME
A perceived difference of styles will be on display on Saturday when No. 12 West Virginia travels to always-tough Kansas State for the two teams’ Big 12 Conference-opening clash at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, W.Va.
West Virginia is thought to be a team that thrives in its high-powered passing attack as directed by Heisman Trophy hopeful quarterback Will Grier. And Kansas State is viewed as a squad that will shorten a game with ball-control offense handled by dual-threat quarterbacks and control an opponent with its stifling defense.
The fact is the two teams are a lot more alike than people think.
“I don’t think there’s a whole lot of difference, honestly,” Mountaineers coach Dana Holgorsen said Tuesday. “Everybody wants to compare the new-school, old-school way of this game with Kansas State and West Virginia.
“There’s a lot of similarities that I see. They’ve been on the forefront of a lot of scheme things offensively, defensively, and especially special teams-wise. I’ve copied a lot of their stuff.”
The off-week created by the cancellation of West Virginia’s game against North Carolina State last week in advance of safety concerns from Hurricane Florence actually allowed AP poll voters to reconsider the Mountaineers’ first two games and elevate them to 12th from 14th in the most recent rankings.
West Virginia (2-0) comes off the impromptu week off and a 52-17 win over Youngstown State on Sept. 9. Grier completed 21 of 26 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns in the Mountaineers’ victory, connecting with seven different receivers. He threw touchdown passes of 11, 24, 33 and 40 yards, with three of the scoring tosses to Gary Jennings.
Grier will have to be more patient against the Wildcats (2-1) than he has been the first two games.
“They can do different things to you,” Holgorsen said of the Kansas State defense. “They’re blitzing more and pressuring more and playing man coverage more than what I’ve seen. So, there’s going to be opportunities for big plays.”
Following a dominating, bounce-back 41-17 win over Texas-San Antonio last week, K-State will hit the road for the first time in 2018. Uncharacteristically, the Wildcats have had trouble hanging on to the ball in their first three games.
In a narrow season-opening win against South Dakota, Kansas State threw two interceptions and fumbled multiple times, losing two. The Wildcats threw just one interception the following week against Mississippi State before putting the ball on the ground four times against UTSA, losing two of those.
“We’ve had nine fumbles, four in first game, one in second, thought we had it corrected but then it jumped up and got us again,” Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said. “We were careless with the football, and we are working on the capacity to focus and maintain self-discipline.”
Wildcats starting strong safety Denzel Goolsby did not play against the Roadrunners while backup cornerback Kevion McGee was also out against UTSA. Snyder said he is not sure of their status for the game against the Mountaineers.
“(West Virginia) is probably one of the worst teams you can be short-handed against,” Snyder said. “They have developed a great deal of balance, and have the ability to run it and throw it. This is not something that you want, but it’s no different than anyone else. You have to have someone that is prepared to play as well as the next one.”
This marks the ninth meeting between West Virginia and Kansas State, with the Wildcats holding a 5-3 overall lead. The teams have split the four games played in Morgantown.
