Kansas State football will play a tough Utah team that’s fighting for a spot in the CFP. Here are some last-minute things to know.
MANHATTAN — One of the best opponents Kansas State football will face all season awaits the Wildcats in Salt Lake City on Saturday, Nov. 22.
K-State will play Utah at 3 p.m. at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Utah (8-2, 5-2 Big 12) has plenty to play for as it pursues a spot in the College Football Playoff and, with help, still has a shot at reaching the Big 12 championship. The Utes are massive favorites to win the game.
Advertisement
K-State (5-5, 4-3 Big 12) has to win one of its last two games to earn bowl eligibility.
Here are some things to know heading into the Utah game:
Utah football’s two-quarterback attack will be worth watching
Utah’s offense has the second-best ground attack in the country while touting one of the sport’s better offensive lines. The Utes have good running backs, but their two quarterbacks require a bit more preparation.
Utah plays two quarterbacks, Devon Dampier and true freshman Byrd Ficklin, who are both capable runners and throwers. Dampier has been banged up, pushing him into more of a throwing role, while Ficklin has proven to be one of the more explosive runners at the position. K-State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman joked that he has yet to see Ficklin get tackled in the tape that he’s reviewed.
Advertisement
Klanderman also noted that the Utes don’t change much in their offense depending on who’s under center.
“They could have three or four different personnel groups and be in the same formation,” Klanderman said. “It’s about players, not plays; I suppose at the end of the day, that’s how it should be.”
How will Kansas State replace Jayce Brown? It can’t.
K-State will be without its best receiver for the remainder of the season after Jayce Brown exited the Wildcats’ win over Oklahoma State. He led the team with 41 catches for 712 yards and five touchdowns this season, while also providing a home-run threat that the Wildcats don’t have much of.
Advertisement
“You’re not going to replace Jayce Brown,” offensive coordinator Matt Wells said. “I think you’ve gotta find different ways to move the ball, and that’s going to be a big challenge against these guys. I think the key for the whole offense is that we gotta get to third down and be able to convert.”
What went wrong against Oklahoma State on offense?
Wells noticed that different players took turns at messing up. Some plays, it’d be Avery Johnson; on others, it’d be a receiver dropping a pass; then, there’d be a lineman giving up penetration, blowing up a play.
“You couldn’t put your finger on one thing,” Wells said. “I was just proud of our resolve as the game went on. We continue to fight and find different ways to run the ball, especially in between the tackles late in the game.”
Nov 15, 2025; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Kansas State Wildcats huddle during the second half against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
How good is Utah football’s pass rush?
Kansas State has already faced one of the best defenses in the country, playing Texas Tech earlier in the year. The Wildcats will now face the Big 12’s second-best defense when they play the Utes.
Advertisement
Utah ranks 16th in the country with 2.7 sacks per game, while also allowing just 15.6 points per outing. Defensive end John Henry Daley leads the team with 9.5 sacks and 14 tackles for a loss. Across from him, Logan Fano has three sacks and five tackles for a loss. Henry Daley is graded as the 11th-best pass rusher in college football.
Matt Wells said the altitude in Utah is a mindset
Wells coached in Utah as Utah State’s head coach from 2013 to 18, and he spent time as an assistant in the two years before that. He thinks the worry about playing in altitude is overblown.
“It’s a marketing ploy out there, I think a little bit, but you gotta hydrate,” Wells said. “I think it may be a little psychological at times. I don’t ever see it as a big factor, to be honest with you.”
Advertisement
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State football visits Utah – Things to know
Source: Utah News