The Texas Longhorns and Kansas State Wildcats will face off at Darrell K. Royal - Texas Memorial Stadium in an 11:00 am kickoff that will be televised on FOX. It's the biggest football game of the year for both teams and the stakes couldn't be higher as the 'Horns and Wildcats are each vying for the top spot in the Big 12 Conference. The winner will be one step closer to competing for a Big 12 Championship in early December.
Texas has had a strong season thus far, compiling a record of 7-1 with their only loss coming at the hands of rival Oklahoma. With quarterback Quinn Ewers out with an injury, backup Maalik Murphy will get his second consecutive start under center. Murphy went 16/25 last week against BYU and threw for 170 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. Look for a good Kansas State defense to apply pressure and blitzes to try and force Murphy into making poor decisions with the ball.
For Kansas State, their team appears to be peaking at the right time. With a 6-2 record, 4-1 in conference, they are in the thick of the Big 12 race. The Wildcats have won three straight since losing to Oklahoma State in Stillwater in early October. In their last two contests they have allowed just three points along with scoring 82 points. Quarterbacks Will Howard and Avery Johnson split snaps, but both are polished and can command the offense effectively.
Both teams have defenses that can get the job done. Texas gives up 328 yards of offense a game which ranks 27th nationally. The Wildcat defense isn't far behind at 44th, giving up 343 yards per game. Texas stops the run effectively, with opponents averaging just 97 yards a game on the ground. K-State is almost as stingy, allowing just 109 yards on the ground. Whichever defense can stand ground will have a significant advantage towards a victory.
The Longhorns have won six straight against Kansas State and are favored in this game by 4.5 points. While Texas has the home field advantage, Kansas State is surging at an opportune time. If they can contain the Longhorns’ offense and limit big plays, they have a good chance to leave Austin with a win.
What: #7 Texas Longhorns vs. #25 Kansas State Wildcats
When: Saturday, November 4, 2023
Time: 11:00 AM
Location: Austin, TX
Venue: Darrell K. Royal – Texas Memorial Stadium
TV: FOX
Spread: Texas -4.5
All Time-Record: Texas leads Kansas State 13-10
Last Meeting: Texas defeated Kansas State 34-27 (11/5/2022 – Manhattan, KS)
Former Texas Running Back and Heisman Trophy Winner Ricky Williams to be Honored at the Kansas State Game
The Longhorns will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Ricky William's Heisman Trophy season with a first-quarter on-field recognition of Williams. Williams, the school's second player to win the coveted award, won the award in 1998. He finished his career at Texas as the NCAA all-time leading rusher with 6,279 yards. He will also be recognized during halftime for being a recipient of the Texas Exes Distinguished Alumnus Award.
. Glad he still got home. But that's a hilarious miss by the refs.