South Dakota @ Kansas State preview

Kansas State will begin its quest for a fifth straight season of eight or more wins when it hosts South Dakota of the Missouri Valley Conference on Saturday night. The Wildcats return 16 starters from a squad that finished 9-4 a year ago and lost to UCLA, 40-35, in the Alamo Bowl.

Despite the large number of returning starters, Kansas State was only picked to finish seventh in the preseason Big 12 Conference media poll. A big reason for that was the loss of all-time leading receiver Tyler Lockett and 1,000-yard receiver Curry Sexton as well as starting quarterback Jake Waters. Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder tabbed sophomore Jesse Ertz, the 2012 Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year, to replace Waters following a four-man competition in spring camp. "Jesse, from that group of players, performed with greater consistency throughout that period of time than the others did," Snyder said. "It's that simple."

TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, None. LINE: NL

ABOUT SOUTH DAKOTA (2014: 2-10): The Coyotes begin their fourth season under Joe Glenn, who went just 30-41 in six seasons as head coach at Wyoming (2003-08) but has won three national titles at the Division II or FCS level at Northern Colorado and Montana. With senior Kevin Earl out for the season with a back injury, junior Ryan Saeger returns at quarterback after going 2-2 in a part-time starting role a year ago, including a 28-21 upset of FCS nationally ranked Northern Arizona. Junior RB Trevor Bouma has rushed for nearly 1,300 yards in his first two seasons.

ABOUT KANSAS STATE (2014: 9-4): The Wildcats will lean on a physical offensive line that returns four starters, including highly-rated NFL guard prospect Cody Whitehair (6-4, 305), while breaking in Ertz and a deep but fairly inexperienced group of wide receivers. Charles Jones, who ranked third in the Big 12 in rushing touchdowns with 13, including 11 out of the Wildcat formation, returns at running back and will be joined in the backfield by fullback Glenn Gronkowski, younger brother of New England Patriots' star Rob Gronkowski and a highly regarded NFL prospect in his own right. The defense, which allowed just 23.2 points and 369.3 yards per game a year ago, returns six starters led by safety Dante Barnett, a preseason all-Big 12 pick.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Kansas State is 24-1 in home openers since 1990.

2. The Wildcats have ranked in the top 20 nationally in blocked kicks three of the last four seasons and led the nation with five in 2013.

3. Kansas State has returned a kickoff for a touchdown in 10 consecutive seasons, the longest streak in the nation.

PREDICTION: Kansas State 56, South Dakota 10