NCAA Football Kansas State Wildcats Betting Tips for Upcoming 2023 Season

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Quick, which team was the Big 12 champion in college football last season? You might think TCU because the Frogs reached the College Football Playoff, but it was Kansas State. Are the Wildcats capable of repeating this year? Let’s break them down.

Let’s break down Kansas State this year. Here’s the preview for your college football betting lines to win the NCAA National Championship.

Kansas State Wildcats 2023 Season Betting Guide | MyBookie College Betting Preview

Kansas State Wildcats | Big 12 Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season
School: Kansas State University
Head coach: Joe Klanderman | 4th season
Home field: Martin Stadium | 32,952

Kansas State Odds to Win Championship: +12000

Kansas State Wildcats’ Season

Kansas State upset No. 3 TCU in the Big 12 title game last year, 31-28 in overtime, to earn a New Year’s Six Bowl berth. Ty Zentner kicked a 31-yard field goal for the win. The Wildcats set up the winning field goal after TCU had the opening possession of overtime and Kendre Miller was stopped short on consecutive plays from inside the 1.

The Wildcats captured their first Big 12 title since 2012 and their first victory in a Big 12 Championship Game since 2003. Despite that loss, TCU still made the playoff. K-State was sent to the Sugar Bowl and lost 45-20 to Alabama to finish 10-4.  Will Howard threw for 210 yards and two interceptions, and Deuce Vaughn had 22 carries for 133 yards and one touchdown.

Vaughn put a stamp on a stellar junior season in which he earned consensus All-American for a second straight season. Vaughn finished with 1,558 rushing yards to rank third in school history and his nine 100-yard rushing performances tied for second most in school history. His 1,936 all-purpose yards finished fifth in school history. He’s now in the NFL.

Kansas State Wildcats Offense

The 2022 Wildcat offense ended as one of the best in school history. K-State finished with 5,863 total offensive yards to rank second in school history behind the 6,615 yards put up by the 2003 team. The Wildcats averaged 418.8 yards per game to rank fifth in school history. K-State scored 452 points in 2022 to rank seventh in school history. K-State’s 2,916 rushing yards this season ranked fourth in school history, while its 2,947 passing yards ranked sixth.

While Vaughn is gone, the QB Howard is back.  He played in seven games with six starts over the second half of the 2022 season, including the Big 12 Championship victory over TCU and in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama. Howard threw for 1,633 yards and 15 touchdowns with just four interceptions on 119-of-199 passing, while he rushed for three touchdowns.

Had he been in the lineup for enough snaps, Howard would have finished 10th in Total QBR nationally. K-State averaged 5.7 yards per play and 28.4 points per game without him, then ramped up to 6.1 and 36.1, respectively, with him. He ranked eighth in school history in passing efficiency at 149.6 and recorded multiple touchdown passes in six-straight games, the longest streak ever by a Wildcat in a single season and the longest overall since Josh Freeman did so in seven games (final three games of 2007, first four games of 2008).

While Vaughn leaves big shoes to fill at tailback, but the Wildcats are excited to see what DJ Giddens can do with increased playing time. Treshaun Ward, a transfer from Florida State, should also make big plays. Blocking shouldn’t be a problem. K-State returns its entire offensive line, including star guard Cooper Beebe.

Kansas State Wildcats Defense

The defense is led by linebacker Daniel Green, who many expected to turn pro. The 6-3, 245-pound defender is one of the best linebackers in the conference when healthy. Green has made 219 career tackles with the Wildcats. Linebacker will be a position of strength with Austin Moore also returning after making a team-high 87 tackles last season. The linebacker unit loses only one rotational piece in Nick Allen.

The K-State defense switched from a four-man front to a 3-3-5 alignment in 2021, and the change has paid off. In the 27 games since the defensive switch, the Cats are allowing just 21.4 points per game, which ranks second in the Big 12 and 23rd in the nation. The Wildcats have surrendered just 21.0 points per game in 2021 and 21.9 points per game last year. It marked the first time K-State allowed less than 22.0 points per game in consecutive seasons since going 13-straight years from 1991 to 2003. K-State held all of its Big 12 opponents last season under their season averages coming into the game.

Kansas State opens the season against FCS school SE Missouri State and will win that game as well as Week 2 vs. Troy, but the final non-conference game at Missouri on Sept. 16 will be a challenge. In Big 12 play, K-State plays new members UCF and Houston but not Cincinnati or BYU. The Wildcats also avoid Oklahoma, which is a nice break. The Cats could run the table at home but probably lose on the road at least at Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Texas.

Kansas State Season Prediction

The Wildcats have seven home games and will have several ranked opponents to take on during the road. Kansas State’s offense should be able to move forward effectivelywith the 4th seaon with their experienced Joe Klanderman. While there are several potential pratfalls, the Wildcats should be able to find enough offense to get way over the win total.

NCAAF pick: Wildcats finish 9-3, no Big 12 title game

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