Arizona’s first-ever visit to Kansas State does not count as a Big 12 conference game, but pay that semantic no heed.
The performance will tell us exactly where the Wildcats belong in the conference hierarchy.
With a victory in Manhattan on Friday night, they should be considered the Big 12 frontrunner alongside Utah and perhaps Oklahoma State even though the result won’t count in the conference standings.
Their odds are fairly long, however. The Wildcats are 7.5-point underdogs, and for good reason:
— Kansas State looked vulnerable last weekend as it rallied from a 10-point deficit in the third quarter to overtake Tulane.
But the Wildcats were picked second in the Big 12 preseason media poll, three spots ahead of Arizona, because they have won 19 games the past two years, are masterfully coached by Chris Klieman and possess two of the most dynamic playmakers in the conference in quarterback Avery Johnson and tailback DJ Giddens.
— Arizona’s performances thus far has been flawed.
The defense was wobbly in the Week 1 victory over New Mexico, which featured a mobile quarterback, Devon Dampier, who rushed for 130 yards and has a skill set similar to that of Kansas State’s Johnson.
The offense wasn’t sharp in the Week 2 victory over NAU, an FCS team that shut down receiver Tetairoa McMillan and held Arizona to two touchdowns.
— Friday night road games are perhaps the most challenging competitive experience in the sport.
That’s doubly true when the environment is rowdy and the opposition is stout and the coach staring at you from across the field, Klieman, is one of the best in the business.
What about Arizona’s Brent Brennan?
We examined Brennan’s recent record in short-week games during his tenure at San Jose State to gain perspective on Arizona’s preparation.
In 2021, the Spartans played three games on short weeks. They lost 23-3 at Western Michigan on a Friday night immediately following a game at Hawaii. (Insane scheduling.) Later that season, the Spartans lost at home to San Diego State 19-13 on a Friday (after a game at Colorado State), then won the following Thursday at UNLV 27-20.
In 2022, the Spartans beat UNLV 40-7 on a Friday night.
In 2023, they lost at home to Air Force 45-20 on a Friday immediately following a game at Toledo.
So the results are mixed, with Brennan’s 2-3 record in short-week games across those three seasons complicated by two long trips the week before.
We’re hesitant to draw conclusions about Brennan’s preparation strategy. But if the Wildcats escape with a victory Friday night, let there be zero doubt: They should be considered a frontrunner in the Big 12 race.
To the picks …
Last week: 7-2
Season: 11-6
Five-star special: 1-1
All picks against the spread
Lines taken from vegasinsider.com
(All times Pacific)
Arizona State (-1.5) at Texas State (Thursday)
Kickoff: 4:30 p.m. on ESPN
Comment: A major trap game for the Sun Devils, as we explained earlier in the week. Texas State is a top-tier Sun Belt team with a veteran quarterback, Jordan McCloud, who faced Oregon and UCLA during his one season playing for Arizona (2021). To …read more
Source:: The Mercury News – Entertainment
