Offense

The K-State offense did exactly what it needed to do against Kansas last Saturday, with running back Daniel Thomas leading the charge with 185 yards and a touchdown. The Wildcats did not turn the ball over, and while there were some miscues with the passing game, they controlled the line of scrimmage and wore out the Jayhawk defense. The Tigers have fared well against the run this season, but have not faced many teams that feature a run-first offensive style like K-State's offense. This game will be a test for Thomas and the offensive line.

The Missouri offense is coming off a big game against Baylor. While the Tigers lost to the Bears, 40-32, Tigers quarterback Blaine Gabbert threw for a school-record 468 yards. The Tigers squandered a 27-16 halftime lead in the loss in what has been an inconsistent season thus far. While Mizzou has a strong passing game, the rushing attack has been less than stellar, ranking 10th of 12 in the conference with 111 yards per game. It's likely that if Mizzou wins this game, it will be because of their passing game, not the work of running back Derrick Washington.

Defense

Easily the most consistent unit on the team, the Wildcat defense has continued to perform well, holding the Kansas Jayhawks to just 10 points and 60 rushing yards. The Wildcats also did a good job of limiting big plays downfield, forcing the Jayhawks to throw short passes that were easily contained by the K-State safeties. Against the Tigers, similar tactics should work, with the Wildcats focusing on containing Gabbert and the Tiger passing game. Forcing turnovers would also be a big plus in helping the Wildcats win Saturday.

The Tiger defense has played inconsistently lately. Giving up 40 points at home to Baylor is bad. Standout linebacker Sean Witherspoon ranks second in the Big 12 with 9.33 tackles per game and is tied for fourth on Mizzou's all-time tackle list. He leads a defense that has fared well against the run for most of the season. Besides their game against Nevada, where they allowed 218 rushing yards, the Tiger defense has held running games below their averages, meaning quarterback Grant Gregory might have to make some big throws on Senior Day.

Special Teams

The K-State special teams took a hit last week against the Jayhawks, with kicker Josh Cherry missing another kick and the kickoff coverage unit allowing a 67-yard return by safety Darrell Stuckey to open the game. Also, the Jayhawks were wise enough to kick the ball away from Brandon Banks, so there were no special teams touchdowns. Punter Ryan Doerr has combined with D.J. Fulhage to put opponents in tough spots by punting well. But most remarkably, this unit has not turned the ball over lately, handling snaps cleanly and not allowing any blocked punts. So in this instance, a missed field goal or two is a small price to pay if everything else can go right on special teams against the Tigers.

Mizzou's special teams have played well throughout the season, with kicker Grant Ressel going 17-18 on field goals this season, placing him second in the NCAA in field-goal accuracy. He is also perfect on extra points this season. The Tigers' returns have been less impressive, with their kickoff returner Jasper Simmons averaging just 21.1 yards per return with no touchdowns. Actually, no Tiger returner, on either punts or kickoffs, has scored a touchdown for the special teams, while the coverage unit has given up a punt return for a score. The team is ninth out of 12 in the conference in kickoff return yardage, meaning they will need a particularly good play to score on special teams against the Wildcats.

Prediction

K-State 24, Mizzou 17

While the Tigers currently sit at five wins and are on the cusp of bowl elibility, it is fair to say that the Wildcats have more to play for this week. Combining the implications this game has on the Big 12 North race, their own bowl eligibility and the fact that it is Senior Day, the Wildcats will be extremely well-prepared to play Saturday. However, this game will probably be close throughout, with both teams being involved in a lot of hard-fought games that come down to the final possession. Barring an unforeseen injury, expect to see Thomas run for more than 100 yards and to score at least one touchdown.