With Saturday's loss to Missouri, the Wildcats ensured that next week's game in Lincoln, Neb., will be for all the marbles in the Big 12 North.

It was already clear winning the North division race would most likely involve a win against the Huskers. However, with the letdown on Senior Day, the Wildcats will need a win to extend their season and go to a bowl game.

Beating the Huskers will not be easy, especially with some of the flaws Missouri exposed. The Tigers showed a solid run-defense can stop Daniel Thomas. He might have had 79 yards, but the struggles in the red zone fell squarely on his shoulders. The offense was unable to score a touchdown even once Saturday because the outcome was decided already late in the fourth quarter. The Tiger defense held its ground on the fourth down and inches after the Wildcats had first and goal at the 2-yard line and could not convert.

Also struggling for the Wildcats was the defensive line, which has gotten better recently. The line struggled to find the backfield, recording zero sacks and zero tackles for loss. Granted, the Tigers do not run the ball often, but Tiger quarterback Blaine Gabbert had too much time to find open receivers.

And then there was Danario Alexander: At 6-foot-5-inches, the speedy receiver is a mismatch downfield and is by far the best Tiger receiver. However, his 200-yard, three-touchdown day showed a weakness in the K-State secondary. While Nebraska might not have the passing game to expose this flaw, the Tigers showed that quick receivers can find plenty of open space downfield.

The Wildcats also turned the ball over too often. Turnover margin has played an integral part in the recent success of the Wildcats, and today it did not end in K-State's favor. The Wildcat defense did not force any Tiger turnovers, while the Wildcat offense coughed up the ball three times. Each of the turnovers proved to be pivotal, as the Tigers scored touchdowns after all three of them. If you take away those 21 points, the Wildcats would have played a much closer game and the outcome could have changed in their favor.

While there were many negatives in the game, there were some positives for K-State. Forced to abandon the running game for most of the fourth quarter, quarterback Grant Gregory threw for a season-high 239 yards. While he also did not score a touchdown, he was able to scramble and find open receivers to keep the ball moving.

Also, kicker Josh Cherry kicked a career-high four field goals to accumulate all of the Wildcats' points. Surely this game will provide him some confidence as he returns to his home state of Nebraska to play the most important game of the season.

Assuming Thomas is able to bounce back, the Wildcats have a decent chance to win in Lincoln. However, there will be a lot of pressure with everything riding on this final game that could have been avoided with a win on Senior Day. It is also worth noting that the Wildcats are 0-4 in true road games this season, so it would have been nice to secure a bowl berth this week in the friendly confines of Snyder Family Stadium.