The Baylor Bears and the Kansas State Wildcats meet Saturday in college football action from Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Baylor just finished up a home game versus Houston. In that matchup the Bears dropped to 3-6 with a tough overtime loss. As for Kansas State, they’re coming off a Saturday road meeting with Texas. The 6-3 Wildcats would go on to take a difficult overtime loss in that one as well. Check back all season long for free college football picks at Sports Chat Place.

Baylor Bears

The Bears weren’t able to find much success in their first eight games this year, beating only LIU 30-7, UCF 36-35 and Cincinnati 32-29. Baylor has had issues on offense, averaging a tepid 22.5 points per game in that stretch. The Bears posted just seven passing scores with five interceptions, and didn’t fare much better on the ground with 3.3 yards per carry and a 109.5 yards-per-game average. 

In the weekend matchup versus Houston, the Bears scored 10 points in the final quarter to force overtime but ended up losing 25-24 in a tough result. QB Blake Shapen posted 263 yards with two scores and a pick, while Dominic Richardson added 51 rush yards. Tops in receiving was Drake Dabney with four catches for 76 yards and a TD. 

Baylor Bears Team Facts

• The road team has won each of Baylor’s last six games.
• The road team has covered the spread in each of Baylor’s last seven games.
• Baylor has lost the first half in five of its last six games against conference opponents.
• Each of Baylor’s last seven road games against conference opponents have gone OVER the total points line.

Kansas State Wildcats 

Over on the Wildcats’ side, they had much better luck with a 6-2 run over their first eight outings. Kansas State was a very effective scoring team in that stretch with 39.6 points per game and 43 total scores. Seventeen of those TDs came through the air (with seven picks) alongside 23 total rushing touchdowns (averaging 226.0 yards per game). 

Back on Saturday versus Texas, the Wildcats stormed back from a 27-14 fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime but still ended up losing 33-30. Will Howard managed 327 yards with four scores and an interception, and Treshaun Ward led the rush with 30 yards. Jayce Brown (77 yards; TD), Phillip Brooks (76 yards; 2 TDs) and Keagan Johnson (70 yards; TD) did most of the receiving work in the loss. 

Kansas State Wildcats Team Facts

• The favorite has won each of Kansas State’s last nine games at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
• The favorite has covered the spread in each of Kansas State’s last nine games at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
• Kansas State has won the first quarter in three of its last four games against conference opponents.
• Kansas State has won the first half in each of its last four home games against conference opponents.
• Each of the last five games between Baylor and Kansas State at Bill Snyder Family Stadium have gone UNDER the total points line.

Matchup/League Facts

• Kansas State rank 17th among FBS teams for points per game this season (36.6).
• Kansas State rank T18th among FBS teams for points allowed per game this season (17.8).

ANDREW’S FREE PICK 

I’ll probably stay with Kansas State. The Wildcats nearly pulled off the comeback upset versus Texas on Saturday but really struggled on third downs (2-of-14) and through the rush (33 yards). Defensively Kansas State gave up 478 yards (248 passing) but also nabbed three takeaways and held the Longhorns to 2-of-15 on third-down tries. The Wildcats have scored 30 or more points in four straight games. 

As for Baylor, they played reasonably well on offense over the weekend (413 total yards) but couldn’t quite finish off the win. Baylor has been pretty sketchy over the last four games (1-3) so it’s tough telling how well they’ll hang around in this one. If Kansas State can bounce back from the tough loss I think they’ll be fine cover-wise, though.