Offense:

The K-State offense struggled all game long last Saturday, scoring zero points in the second half. The performance of the passing game was so bad that quarterback Grant Gregory finished the game with fewer yards than each of Colorado's two quarterbacks. The bright spot for the Wildcats, as usual, was the play of running back Daniel Thomas. His 145-yard, one-touchdown performance in just 20 carries paved the way for the Wildcats to win the time-of-possession battle, something they've found success with in recent weeks. If the Wildcats are going to upset the Sooners, Gregory will have to play better.

The Oklahoma offense is far more inconsistent than last year's squad, which averaged 51 points per game. With last season's Heisman trophy-winner Sam Bradford undergoing season-ending surgery, the Wildcats will be facing the young but capable Landry Jones Saturday. Under Jones, the Sooners have struggled more than they have for years, finding themselves with three losses before the start of November for the first time since 2005. The Sooners also have a less experienced offensive line to play behind, which has hurt the production of the running game.

Defense:

The K-State defense has played well since the lopsided loss at Texas Tech. In the last two games, the Wildcat defensive line has put pressure on opposing quarterbacks, amassing 10 sacks. In addition, the secondary has come up big, with five interceptions during that span. This defensive resurgence will be tested against Oklahoma, with the Sooner offense full of capable players who can score in bunches. If the Wildcats hope to upset the Sooners, they will need to contain the running game and force Jones into mistakes with pressure up front. Not allowing big plays downfield will be crucial.

The Sooner defense is one of the best in the nation, with a defensive scoring average of 10 points a game. In big games, the Sooners still play well, allowing just 16 points in a loss to Texas in the Red River Rivalry game and just 14 points in a loss against Brigham Young. With size and speed at every position, the Wildcats will have a tough time scoring points on offense, as the Sooners will no doubt prepare all week to stop Thomas and the running game, knowing the passing offense is struggling. The Sooner secondary is not outstanding and could be exploited it Gregory makes throws downfield.

Special Teams:

The Wildcat special teams played well against Colorado last Saturday. While Brandon Banks did not have any kick returns for touchdowns, he did manage to put the Wildcats in good field position. The punt team also was able to recover a muffed punt that led to a Wildcat touchdown. Kicker Josh Cherry is also perfect on field goals in Big 12 Conference play. It will be important for the Wildcats not to make special teams mistakes.

The Sooner special teams have also performed well in recent weeks. Returners Dominique Franks and Ryan Broyles have both given the Sooners solid field position. Oklahoma's punter, Tress Way, is averaging more than 43 yards per punt, which is good for 21st in the nation in punt average. The Sooner punt coverage has been especially good, with just eight of the 34 punts being returnable and the total yardage given up on punt returns currently at one yard.

Prediction:

Oklahoma 38, K-State 17

Can the Wildcats win this game? Stranger things have happened. Will the Wildcats win this game? It seems doubtful. Bill Snyder has the edge in coaching with Oklahoma head coach Bob Stoops a former member of his staff, but in this match up, the Sooners have the edge in talent. Throw in a strong home-field advantage and the inability of the K-State offense to put up large amounts of points, and this game could get out of hand in a hurry. The Sooners may struggle to score against a K-State defense that is much improved in Snyder's first year back on the job, if for no other reason than because they are starting an inexperienced quarterback. However, anyone who remembers the 2003 Big 12 Championship game knows they play the games for a reason.