SEC Upset Special Week 4: Auburn @ Kansas St.
Auburn and Kansas State will take the field on Thursday night in a matchup of top-25 teams. While the Wildcats are ranked at No. 20, they are still 8-point underdogs heading into this game. Let’s take a look at why Bill Snyder’s group could pull off the upset in this one.
Run Defense
Kansas State plays physical on defense and will try to penetrate Auburn’s tough offensive line that returns four starters from a year ago. It’s no secret that the Tigers are a running offense. They want to line up and run the ball on almost every down and they want to wear down the opponent’s defense.
I think Kansas State holds up pretty well against Auburn’s rushing attack because they are a well-coached squad. Snyder is 31-10 at Kansas State over the last three years, and he just simply knows how to win football games.
This defense will play physical and provide Auburn with one of its biggest challenges of the season. The Wildcats allowed 69 rushing yards against Stephen F. Austin and only allowed 2.8 yards per rush against Iowa State.
Kansas State Has Playmakers on Offense
Quarterback Jake Waters has played well this season, and has been a threat with his legs. He has 462 yards passing for two touchdowns, but most of his damage has been done on the ground. In two games, he has rushed for 193 yards and four touchdowns.
Kansas State QB Jake Waters
He also has one of the most exciting playmakers in all of college football at wide receiver. Tyler Lockett, a senior, has only 7 catches for 145 yards and one touchdown this season, but we have seen in the past how big of a threat he can be.
Kansas State will take its deep shots to Lockett in this game, and will also have an advantage around the goal line with Waters behind center.
It’s on the Road….on Thursday Night
Anyone that has watched college football over the years knows that “Thursday night” and “upset victory” are closely associated terms. One might say that the crowd seems more enthusiastic and the players seem to play with an “extra gear”.
Auburn is one of the most talented teams in the nation, but playing at Kansas State on Thursday night is a very tough game for any team.
Snyder is one of the top coaches in the NCAA.
Conclusion
In my previous two articles, I thought the underdog would still lose but cover the spread, but in this one I’m going with the Wildcats. I think Kansas State is one of the best-coached teams in the country, and that discipline, combined with the hype surrounding the game will lead to a Kansas State victory.
4 thoughts on “SEC Upset Special Week 4: Auburn @ Kansas St.”
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MAXIMIZE YOUR EDGE
eeeek definitely a bold play and I can see why you like it. I strongly disagree actually. Don’t want to give too much away because I’ll be doing a write-up myself, but talent alone, Kansas State recruited the past 4 years put them 76th with the likes of teams such as: Central Michigan, Tulsa, Miami of Ohio, and ECU. Auburn is sitting at 10th.
As good as Bill Snyder is, Gus Malzahn is a very good coach as well. Specially off the bye.
Auburn is too strong to lose this game. Their offense is better than it was last year and IMO, if not the best, one of the top 5 in the nation, and while KSU does have playmakers, this is an SEC def were talking about. I imagine KSU gets down, and i’m not sure they’ll be able to keep up.
While acknowledging both Bill Snyder’s ability and KSU’s better than average defense, I think you’re investing way too much in the Thursday night effect. I might normally agree with you but Auburn is coming off a bye week so the usual Thursday night problems of short week and travel simply don’t exist. Malzahn, a pretty fair coach In his own right, has had plenty of time to put in his game plan and the Tigers have had plenty of rest coming into the game. I think the Tigers superior rushing game and superior defense will be enough to overcome any KSU home field advantage. I see Auburn sending KSU to its 7th straight defeat to a ranked non conference foe 28-17.
To say K-State is good at stopping the run because in there last two ballgames they stopped the run, well they haven’t even come close to lining up against this monster rushing the football. Those stat24ements made by whoever at the Saturday edge your allowing your clients to see how bad of a football mind you are!! Auburn will rush the football for well over 300 yards, come qtr. number 4 the Auburn Tigers will be running the football at will. The final score will have the SEC 40 and the BIG12 24
How’s that SEC Kool-Aid taste this morning fellas? Laying more than a TD on the road against a good team is handicapping suicide.