Kansas St Wildcats 2017 NCAA Football Preview

College Football Predictions – Kansas St Wildcats 2017 NCAA Football Preview

2016 Recap

2016 Record – 9-4

2016 ATS – 7-5

It was another typical Kansas St season. Low expectations. Go out and exceed them.

The Wildcats reeled off a quiet nine-win season and finished things off with a win over Texas A&M in the Texas Bowl. It should be noted that Kansas St ended the campaign with a four-game winning streak (Baylor, Kansas, TCU, Texas A&M) and enter the 2017 season with a lot of returning starters. They are most certainly a threat to sneak into the Big 12 Championship Game. <grabs popcorn>

2017 MEGALOCKS Opening Power Rating

Big 12 – TBD

OFFENSE

Yes we know. It looks boring. But there is something strangely attractive about an offense that can seem so INNOCENT yet still score 32 points per game. QB Jesse Ertz is on the MEGALOCKS underrated list as he lulls you to sleep and then rips you apart running (1,012 yards, 12 TD) and passing (to a lesser extent). He just moves the chains. RB Alex Barnes averaged 7.9 per carry and should be the #1 back this season. WR Byron Pringle does not catch many balls, but when he does, he prefers that they are first downs and/or big plays. The offensive line appears to be in great shape with 4/5 starters returning and a good 2016 season to build upon.

DEFENSE

The Wildcats should be set on defense. Only six starters return to last season’s unit but we are happy to say that 3/4 are back on the DL including DE Reggie Walker who bagged 6.5 sacks and 11.5 TFL in 2016. Kansas St will be without last year’s leading tackler LB Elijah Lee but do bring back 3/4 starters in the secondary. The Wildcats were #1 in the Big 12 in scoring defense in 2016 and we think they are the favorite to repeat that performance in 2017.

SPECIAL TEAMS

This looks stacked. PK Matthew McCrane was perfect on XPs and on FGs inside 40 yards. P Nick Walsh averaged 43 yards per punt. The return teams were excellent and the Wildcats had both a KR TD and punt return TD during the 2016 campaign. All these pieces are back.

Potential ATS Trouble Spot

October 28 – at Kansas. This is a yuuuuge rivalry game and Kansas St will be coming in off three back-to-back big ones (Texas, TCU, Oklahoma) almost certainly as the favorite.

MEGAmazing Tidbits

The aforementioned battle with Kansas (Sunflower Showdown) has been played every year since 1911. This will be meeting #115. Pretty cool. It is the 6th longest active continuously-played series in college football (FBS & FCS) #1 ? Lafayette-Lehigh. #2 ? Minnesota-Wisconsin. Amaze your friends with that trivia !

MEGALOCKS ATS Value Rating (10) 8.5

MEGALOCKS says:

Overall, we give the WILDCATS a 8.5 ATS Value Rating (Excellent) this season.

The 2017 version of the Kansas St Wildcats look a lot like the typical Bill Snyder team we have enjoyed watching in the past. Annoyingly efficient offense. Solid defense. Great special teams. There should be plenty of opportunities to back these guys against the point spread. The Wildcats have rolled to an impressive 60-41-1 mark ATS (59.4%) during Snyder’s 2nd tour of duty and it seems to us another winning season is in the cards.

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