I am all for the careful expectations for this game, but I think this prediction is a far too conservative. While our defense is still highly questionable after uneven performances against less than stellar competition, Kansas State’s defense is downright horrid.

You can rationalize giving up 265 yards passsing to Nevada, because they are throwing team that runs an unconventional offense, and has a QB that you can reasonably imagine being a backup in the NFL.

But, how can you justify a Kansas State defense that gave up 500 + yards to – not Louisiana State University – but to the Ragin Cajuns that are Louisiana Lafayette!

I think we are looking at Louisville-like performance against KSU. We should score over 40 points – after 4 weeks of adjustments and working out the kinks, I expect us to be crisp and explosive, even on the road.

I think our defense will continue to be shaky and will likely give up a big play or two. Freeman is a talented runner/passer type that we’ve struggled with in the past (see Chase Daniels), and they have some deep threat receivers.

-Our offense is better than their defense by a wide margin.
-Our defense will make us cringe a few times, but overall will hold their own.
- Our Coach is far superior to Prince (I’d like to think we’ve been holding back quite a bit over the past four weeks)
- Harrell has to keep his head, play within himself, stop trying for the homerun on every play. (The deep ball probably is open on film more often than not, but , like a three-pointer in basketball, it’s also a lower percentage opportunity – so let’s hope he picks his spots wisely).
-Our receivers need to run their routes and hold on to the football.

This game will be over in the third quarter:

TTU 45 KSU 24

Tech 49 KSU 17 (scoring last TD when Tech calls the dogs off)

Harrell Offensive MVP

Dixon/All 3 LBs Defensive MVP

Game will be close the first quarter, then Harrell & Co. bust out a can of Air Rations on KSU. Their defense won’t get a break till halftime. We will see some Dwayne Slay moments on Freeman by McBloodbath, and I foresee Freeman throwing 2-3 INTs. I will prob. take a nap during the 4th quarter.

Not withstanding that Corso has Tech on his upset watch.
TT- 45
KState 14
OMVP Its time for The Crab
DMVP The Charb get another couple Ints

Tech – 56
KSU – 17

I expect the defense to play solid. Look for 2 ints and that many forced fumbles as well. I think the Tech run game will be very stong and then look for the pass game to open up as the KSU secondary is stepped up to stop the run. I could be completely wrong, but thats what Id like to see at least.

if the run is not being stopped, I would expect Woods and Batch to both have over 100 yards on the ground, each.

If Tech wins 35-31 (or worse) tomorrow, it’s going to be a very long season.

Tech 55 KSU 16

Tech 230 on the ground KSU 73 Yards on the ground
Tech 423 passing KSU 248 Passing
Turnovers Tech +3

Special Teams. 1 Punt or Kick off return for Tech or have one get damn close to it.

KSU stinks! They have not impressed anywere! North Texas or Montana State are not powerhouses! Both are bottom of the barrel teams.

KSU turns the ball over and even North Texas State as bad as they are rushed for more than 100 on the ground! The only team not to put lots of yards on the ground was Montana State who is really a stinker.

Tech wins on the road very impressively as long as the players do not show up with heads too big for their britches or helmets.

Well, I see a lot of overly optimistic fans, but let’s be realistic here. On paper, yes, Tech is a far superior team. However, they have always played uncharacteristically bad on an October road game almost every year:

2002: Iowa State, L31-17 (however, Iowa State was a good team back then)
2003: Missouri, L62-31
2004: No bad road games for October, a lucky year (of note: last road game vs KState)
2005: Texas, L52-17 (could also pick Baylor, where we only led 6-0 in the early 4th quarter)
2006: Colorado, L30-6
2007: Missouri, L41-10

If Tech will lose the road game they shouldn’t have this year, it will be KState. A&M is too mediocore to do it, and Tech’s other road contests are against good competition.

Hopefully I am wrong, and this TTU squad really is different from the rest and they blow KState out of the water, but we are coming off a bye week where our previous week was against an FCS cupcake.

My prediction:
Tech digs themself in a hole the first half, Graham throws at least 2 INT’s, Tech secondary gets burned a couple times.
Second half, Graham shakes the rust off, the D steps up and makes some big plays, and Tech begins to make a come back.

Final score: TTU, 41-38 (OT) .

Ok, so I was wrong, thank goodness. Looks like all the media pundits predicting a shootout or a possible upset were wrong (Lee Corso comes to mind). I am impressed with how sharp Harrell was, and how well Leach prepared the team. This Tech squad is definitely different from the rest, if they keep up that intensity and effort every game, then they do have a legitamate shot to beat OU and UT and win the Big XII.