Written By: Evan PerkinsThe 20th-ranked Arizona Wildcats (2-0) aims to improve their ranking when they battle the 17th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats (2-0) on Friday, September 13 at 8:00 PM ET at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas. The Kansas Wildcats are favored at home with a point spread at -7.5 (-110).
The Wildcats are coming off a tough 22-10 victory against the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks. At the half, the Lumberjacks were up 10-6. But the Wildcats were able to buckle down defensively and put up consistent offense in the second half to pull away.
Noah Fifita completed 18 of his 26 passes for 173 yards. He had one touchdown but also threw the ball away for an interception. While this was a good performance in their win, he must be more precise in the upcoming battle.
The Wildcats established 361 yards and had 18 first downs but had a turnover. They allowed 198 yards and 13 first downs and forced a turnover. Against Kansas State, they cannot afford to allow double-digit numbers in scoring per quarter.
Their offense has scored 41.5 points per game while allowing 24.5 to opponents. They scored big numbers on offense against the New Mexico Lobos in their opening game, but their defense has been difficult to gauge in both of their battles.
The Wildcats defeated the Tulane Green Wave 34-27 in a tough second-game matchup. The defense came through in the end when they recovered a fumble for a touchdown and later had an interception to ice the game.
The Green Wave were up 20-10 at the half, but the Wildcats stormed back to finish a critical road win. Avery Johnson completed 15 of 23 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns. DJ Giddens led both rushing and receiving yards and had a touchdown, making him a crucial part of the offense.
The Wildcats put up 396 yards and had 19 first downs, but they allowed 491 yards and 21 first downs. The most significant difference is that they forced two turnovers for the Green Wave, so the defense must be pristine.
They have averaged 37.5 points a game and allowed 16.5 points from opposing teams. Their offense has consistently scored this amount, making them likable in this showdown.
MyBookie has excellent college football betting odds for the upcoming Arizona Wildcats vs. Kansas State Wildcats showdown. The odds show Kansas State as 7.5-point favorites after having two great wins prior.
Market analysis shows Kansas State has a 72.9 percent chance of winning. In the second half, Kansas State showcased a suffocating defense against the Green Wave, while Arizona had some issues early against a much weaker team.
