What began as a promising season for Kansas State is anything but at the halfway point of the season. Still, there is plenty of football left to salvage something of a disappointing campaign, but Kansas State must find a way to win at home Saturday vs. TCU (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX).
The Wildcats (2-4) dropped yet another close game last Saturday at Baylor. They fell behind by a point after leading 31-17 early in the fourth quarter, then took a 34-32 lead with under two minutes remaining. But Baylor delivered the decisive bunch with a go-ahead field goal with 31 seconds remaining on the way to a 35-34 victory.
For the fourth time this season, Kansas State fell to an opponent by six or fewer points.
At 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the Big 12, it does not look likely that K-State will reach the Big 12 Championship Game this season.
But you never know what can happen, and all six of the Wildcats’ remaining games are winnable.
That said, many of them are also games that they can lose and even salvaging something from the season could be beyond them.
Will the Wildcats pull out the win at home against the Horned Frogs? Read on for our TCU vs. Kansas State prediction and best bets. Also, get the best value odds for those recommended wagers from top sports betting sites such as BetOnline.
TCU vs. Kansas State Betting Trends
- TCU is 3-2 ATS this season.
- The under has hit in each of TCU’s last three games.
- The Horned Frogs are 5-3 SU and ATS on the road in the last two seasons.
- Kansas State is 2-4 ATS this season.
- The Wildcats are 3-7 SU and 4-5-1 ATS in the program’s last 10 games as an underdog.
- The over is 2-1 in Kansas State’s three home games this season.
TCU vs. Kansas State Prediction and Best Bets
Prediction: Kansas State to win
Against Baylor, Kansas State did a lot right. The Wildcats compiled 506 total yards, scored 34 points, and got a career-high 344 passing yards from Avery Johnson.
But they also did a lot wrong. Johnson threw a pick-six with K-State driving in Baylor territory while up 31-25 with under five minutes remaining. After driving down the field on the next possession, they couldn’t punch it in from the 2-yard line and had to settle for a field goal.
Then, after allowing Baylor’s go-ahead field goal with a half-minute left, they quickly moved close to field goal range but had to settle for a 56-yard field goal attempt, which was blocked to end their hopes.
In all but one game this season have the Wildcats not needed to either make a stop or get a score in the late stages of the game. Only once has this gone in their favor, a tighter than expected 38-35 win over North Dakota.
Results for Kansas State This Season
- 24-21 L vs. Iowa State (Dublin)
- 38-35 W vs. North Dakota
- 24-21 L vs. Army
- 23-17 L at Arizona
- 34-20 W vs. UCF
- 35-34 L at Baylor
There is something to be said for being in all of their games, and these close losses may well balance out by the end of the season.
That will be too late to make of the season what it could or should have been, but this weekend’s contest vs. TCU will be a good opportunity to start flipping some of those losses into wins.
The Horned Frogs’ only loss to date is a 27-24 loss at Arizona State, a game that they led 17-0 in the first half and 24-17 late in the fourth but ultimately lost due to a disastrous final few minutes.
That game was the lone blemish for QB Josh Hoover, who has otherwise been outstanding. K-State had actually been decent against the pass before going up against Sawyer Robertson (25 of 39, 345 yards, 2 TD, INT) last week, which is concerning considering Hoover and Robertson are two of the conference’s top quarterbacks.
Hoover should have another prolific performance, but I like Kansas State’s offense to have enough firepower to come out on the right end of another close contest. Last week was encouraging, even in defeat. Look for that effort to pay off this time around.
TCU vs. Kansas State Best Bets
1) Kansas State ML (+105 at BetOnline)
While Kansas State has not done anything to merit a major show of faith in this matchup vs. TCU but they are better than they have shown.
It’s possible that the loss to Baylor may have broken the Wildcats, but when things could get wild in the Big 12, they aren’t out of the running for the title game yet and should still be plenty motivated.
2) Kansas State Team Total Over 28.5 Points (+110 at Bovada)
After laying a massive egg in a 23-17 loss at Arizona on September 12, the Wildcats have racked up 68 points and 940 yards in their last two games.
That is a positive omen for Saturday’s game. TCU has yet to allow more than 27 points thus far, but I see another good game coming for Johnson, who has accounted for 659 yards in the last two games.
3) TCU/Kansas State Under 13 (-124 at Lucky Rebel)
I think both teams will put up some points in this matchup, but the percentages favor a slowish start. In Kansas State’s six games this season, 13 or more points have been scored in the first quarter just once. And in TCU’s five games, the first quarter total went over 13 in the first two games but has not in the last three.
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