Kansas State @ Baylor preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 30, 2017 ) Baylor 20, Kansas State 33

Kansas State and host Baylor are both looking for a much-needed Big 12 win Saturday in the middle of difficult schedules. The Wildcats enter on the heels of back-to-back losses to ranked teams and face two more ranked foes after Baylor while the Bears face three straight Top 25 teams in the coming weeks.

Sophomore quarterback Charlie Brewer has Baylor averaging 331.4 passing yards but the Bears have allowed 14 sacks, including six in last week's loss to Oklahoma. Baylor will look to limit big plays against a Kansas State offense that has struggled to find consistency. Former starter Skylar Thompson came off the bench to spark the Wildcats late against Texas but will continue to split time with Alex Delton. "No one has dramatically separated themselves from each other," coach Bill Snyder said of his quarterbacks during Monday's teleconference. "Obviously Skylar came in and had a pretty decent second half (against Texas) and, consequently, that put him a step up for the coming ball game. But, if healthy, they will both still pay."

TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 1. LINE: Baylor -4.5

ABOUT KANSAS STATE (2-3, 0-2 Big 12): Thompson (601 passing yards, four touchdowns, one interception, 175 rushing yards, two TDs) started the first four games before coming off the bench to lead a pair of second-half touchdown drives against Texas. Delton (273 yards, one TD, two interceptions, 143 rushing yards) led the Wildcats to 64 yards and no points in the first half of his first start of the season. Junior receiver Isaiah Zuber (29 catches, 389 yards, three TDs) has twice as many catches as the next Wildcat (Dalton Schoen, 14 catches, 261 yards, two scores).

ABOUT BAYLOR (3-2, 1-1): Brewer has completed 63 percent of his passes for 1,262 yards with eight touchdowns and added another three scores on the ground to help the Bears average 35.6 points. Jalen Hurd (31 receptions, 415 yards, three TDs) and Denzel Mims (24 catches, 359 yards, two TDs) lead Baylor's receiving corps, which has lots of options. Freshman Tyquan Thornton is averaging 19.4 yards per catch and the Baylor running backs have combined for 31 receptions - led by JaMycal Hasty's 16 catches for 122 yards and a score.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Baylor is perfect in 18 red-zone trips, scoring 14 touchdowns and four field goals.

2. Kansas State has not allowed a rushing touchdown in three straight games for the first time sine 2014.

3. Baylor senior DE Greg Roberts (14 tackles) has three sacks and four tackles for loss in the past two games.

PREDICTION: Baylor 24, Kansas State 17