Saturday Spotlight, Big-12 Championship
(10) Kansas State Wildcats at (3) TCU Horned Frogs
Kansas State: In an unprofessional way, you could say they are boring. I see them as a fundamental group. There’s nothing flashy about this team at all and I say that because they don’t wow you with the football. What I am saying is they stick to their game plan and execute it well! Running the football has been their main strength this year. With Quarterback Adrian Martinez, they just ground and pound until it wore a defense down and would continue to do so until the defense could stop it. No disrespect to Adrian, but he can’t throw the ball consistently and is only considered a running threat. I was in full agreement when the Wildcats decided to roll with Will Howard under center. What do I always say? Remain with the hand that’s hot and that’s exactly what Chris Kileman has done. Let’s look at the numbers since Will became the starter. He’s eclipsed over 200 yards passing in four of the five games he’s appeared with 13 touchdown passes and just two interceptions. The most important stat is the Kansas State offense scoring 40 points in three of those contests. Now that we got that out of the way, let’s talk about the difference maker for this offense, Running Back Deuce Vaughn! He’s the main reason why they are ranked second in the Big-12 in rushing this season. This is a well-rounded team that runs the ball and they play defense. The proof of that is they are tops in scoring defense in the conference. Also, they take tremendous care of the football. Today, they will get a rematch with the best team in the Big-12 this season.
TCU: What a season it’s been for them. Here’s a fact that will really make you scratch your head too. Max Duggan wasn’t their starting Quarterback to begin the season and that’s such a tough thing to believe. However, in this sport, you must be ready when your number is called upon and he certainly did that and has owned this job since taking over. Max threw for over 3,000 yards with 29 touchdown passes and three interceptions. He also completed 67 percent of his passes during the regular season, and he has such a strong cast of receivers to spread the football too. We all know about Quentin Johnston, the possession receiver that terrorizes defensive backfields regularly and I said earlier in the year that he reminds me a lot of Brandon Marshall and he’s complemented by Derius Davis and Taye Barber. Out the backfield, Kendre Miller runs the football and leads the country with 6.7 yards per carry. The Horned Frogs were tested back in Austin against the Texas Longhorns and a week later in Waco against the Baylor Bears. The Longhorns held them to under 20 points and against Baylor, they struggled early on, but found a way to win the game. That’s simply what the great teams do, they find multiple ways to win football games and push through. This has been the best team in the Big-12 this season and it hasn’t been close if you ask me. Today, they will look to win their conference championship in a rematch with Kansas State.
Kansas State X-Factor: Deuce Vaughn– He’s the catalyst of this Wildcats offense. He’s a small guy only standing at 5’6, but he’s a very powerful runner. When I was on “College Football Showdown” with Israel Rivera, I compared him to Darren Sproles. Deuce is an elusive runner in the open field and has more than enough quickness to burst into the second and third levels of the defense. Along with Will Howard, both he and Deuce combine to give Kansas State a physical rushing attack.
TCU X-Factor: Taye Barber– There are so many weapons on the Horned Frogs offense and Taye is one of them. If you overcompensate for Quentin Johnston (which is normal), Taye will make you pay and pay badly. Anytime he’s on the field, he feels he can make a big play and when the ball comes his way, that’s normally what ends up happening! Taye can serve as that underneath threat or he’s taking the top off the zone coverage.
Final Thoughts: It’s the second battle between these two this year and as I’ve said throughout the radio all week, it’s tough to beat a team twice in a single season. When they met back in October, Adrian Martinez got hurt unfortunately and the offense received a spark from Will Howard. I look for Head Coach Chris Kileman to lean on the duo of Howard and Vaughn to help monopolize possession of the football. Deuce will pose as a challenge for the Horned Frogs defense because he has versatility and a bruising running style. While TCU’s aerial attack gets much of the love, their running game is what makes them one of the most complete units in the country. That’s the key to this game. How will Kansas State prepare for this offense? Keeping spies in the middle will be crucial for them and as crazy as this may sound, you’d rather have Duggan beat you than Miller. Will TCU make their first trip to the College Football Playoff?
Prediction: TCU 35, Kansas State 27
