Kansas State vs. Arizona: Staff Predictions for Friday’s Week 3 Game

I’m going to be honest, I think this game has the potential to be chaotic. While K-State hasn’t looked their best the last two weeks, there’s been improvement in the second half of both games. And the staff has admitted throughout the week that things need to change offensively.

However, Arizona poses a real threat through the air. Wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan is the best wide receiver in the country and has made the sport look easy. He’s the perfect blend of size, speed, and big-play threat, and he’s going to have big plays against K-State.

Still, I’m picking K-State to win this game in a close one. These are the games that K-State has historically gotten up for under Chris Klieman, and I have no reason to believe they can’t bounce back from two relatively poor performances to start the season. It’ll be close, but I think K-State pulls it out.

Score Prediction: Kansas State 34, Arizona 30

In this Friday Night showdown, I expect this game to come down to the wire. How K-State’s defense will perform against Arizona’s playmakers will be the deciding factor. It’s rare for this K-State team under Coach Klieman to play poorly on the defensive side for two weeks in a row, so I’m going to bet this Wildcat team figures it out against Arizona. Give me K-State in a close battle.

Score Prediction: Kansas State 31, Arizona 27

Kansas State welcomes a new Big 12 foe into Bill Snyder Family Stadium this weekend, as Arizona visits Manhattan, KS for the first time in school history. All prior meetings between the two have come in Tucson, with Arizona being a career 5-1-1 against Kansas State, but no meetings have happened since 1978.

In a game of new conference opponents that won’t count as a conference game, also happening on Friday the 13th, look for this game to get weird. Don’t be surprised to see another special teams score from Kansas State, this time potentially on a Dylan Edwards punt return.

I expect this game to be a back-and-forth battle, with Arizona having a high-powered passing attack, but ultimately I think K-State’s run defense and ability to pound the ball in the run game lead to a two possession win for the Wildcats from Manhattan.

Score Prediction: Kansas State 45, Arizona 34

I think Kansas State’s defense will be too much for Arizona, especially the front 7. I think Fifita throws a couple of touchdowns beating the secondary after a disappointing performance last week from both teams.

However, the Kansas State offense will be too much and we will expand the playbook to its fullest today. If Dylan Edwards gets more touches tonight, I like the Cats by a touchdown.

Score Prediction: Kansas State 34, Arizona 27

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