Loss to Longhorns would cripple K-State’s season but appears unlikely
When thinking of teams that K-State has found success against over the years, it might surprise some fans that Texas makes the list. When it comes to the gridiron, K-State has the Longhorns’ number.
The Longhorns play in a stadium that seats more than 100,000 people, has virtually limitless funds from boosters, alumni and land and a top-10 recruiting class every season. On paper, it looks like a David vs. Goliath matchup where Texas should be coming out on top.
The K-State Wildcats play in Bill Snyder Family Stadium, which seats about 50,000 people, never breaks the top-25 when it comes to recruiting classes and is located in eastern Kansas. However, the Longhorns haven’t beaten the Wildcats since 2003. K-State has won the last four meetings, including six of the last eight games since the Big 12 was formed.
This Saturday, there’s a lot on the line when the Wildcats matches up with the Longhorns for their final game of the regular season. With a victory, K-State will win the Big 12 Conference, will punch a ticket for the Fiesta Bowl and could help propel Senior quarterback Collin Klein to win the Heisman Trophy.
With a loss, K-State’s 10-0 start will not feel as good for fans as it did three weeks ago. The Wildcats could finish with a 10-2 record and potentially fall out of the BCS top 10. A loss also means no BCS bowl, no conference championship, no Heisman Trophy and the same record that the team finished the 2011 regular season with.
Texas enters the game ranked No. 18 in the country. Coming off of last week’s loss to TCU, the Longhorns would like nothing more than to ruin BCS hopes for K-State.
K-State’s head coach Bill Snyder and Texas’ head coach Mack Brown share a mutual respect for one another. Brown often calls Snyder the best coach in the country. With back-to-back double-digit win seasons for the Wildcats, it’s hard to argue against Brown’s statement.
K-State could earn back a lot of hype with a big win over the Longhorns this weekend. With it being the primetime game on ABC, there’s bound to be a lot of televisions tuned into the game around the country.
