Kansas @ Kansas State preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 22, 2011 ) Kansas State 59, Kansas 21

Seventh-ranked Kansas State enters the 110th Sunflower Showdown against rival Kansas on Saturday riding high two weeks after earning a signature victory over then-No. 6 Oklahoma – its highest-ranked road win to date. The Wildcats returned to the top 10 for the first time since 2003 and senior quarterback Collin Klein entered the Heisman Trophy discussion. Coming off an open date, the Wildcats host Kansas for the first time since 2009 on a three-game winning streak in the series. The Jayhawks, who also didn’t play last week, haven’t enjoyed the turnaround first-year coach Charlie Weis and Notre Dame transfer quarterback Dayne Crist hoped. Kansas hasn’t won a Big 12 road game since 2008 (13 consecutive losses).

TV: 12 p.m. ET, FX. LINE: Kansas State -24.5.

ABOUT KANSAS STATE (4-0, 1-0 Big 12): Klein is 15-4 (9-3 Big 12) as a starter and has proven to be a threat through the air and on the ground, accounting for more than 60 percent of the Wildcats 431.5 yards per game (261.8). He has passed for five touchdowns and rushed for five more while completing 70 percent of his passes. But Klein has other playmakers on offense. Running back John Hubert averages more than 107 yards, second in the conference and 16th in the nation.

ABOUT KANSAS (1-3, 0-1 Big 12): With the Jayhawks' scoring troubles (21 points per game) – and Crist’s 48 percent completion rate, Kansas might rely on its three tailback rotation. Tony Pierson (58 carries for 309 yards) and Taylor Cox (45, 266) split carries in the first three games, while James Sims, the leading rusher the past two seasons, rushed for 91 yards on 18 carries against Northern Illinois, his first game after a three-game suspension. Each has two touchdowns and average more than five yards per carry. It won’t be easy: Kansas State gives up only 92 yards per game on the ground.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Kansas State coach Bill Snyder is 16-4 against the Jayhawks and hasn’t lost to Kansas since returning as coach for the 2009 season.

2. Since the 2009 season, Kansas is 2-23 in conference play, have lost 17 straight road and neutral site games dating to September 2009 and have 13 consecutive losses to FBS opponents (4-21 since 2010).

3. The Wildcats have scored 59 points in each of the past two years against Kansas, winning by 38 and 52 points to easily cover spreads of 10.5 and 3.

PREDICTION: Kansas State 45, Kansas 13