Early Betting Lines For K-State Conference Games Announced

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Don Best has officially released 250 early lines (mostly for BCS clubs), including eight of K-State’s conference games; Texas Tech is apparently too tricky to quantify right now, as only three lines on the Red Raiders are available, and K-State is not included. K-State is favored in five of its eight Big 12 games, and would likely be favored in the Texas Tech game as well (making six of nine):

 Saturday, September 21, 2013
KANSAS ST.
TEXAS -9

Saturday, October 5, 2013
KANSAS ST.
OKLAHOMA ST. -9

Saturday, October 12, 2013
BAYLOR
KANSAS ST. -5

Saturday, October 26, 2013
WEST VIRGINIA
KANSAS ST. -9

Saturday, November 2, 2013
IOWA ST.
KANSAS ST. -13½

Saturday, November 16, 2013
TCU
KANSAS ST. -4½

Saturday, November 23, 2013
OKLAHOMA -4
KANSAS ST.

Saturday, November 30, 2013
KANSAS ST. -21½
KANSAS

Two games immediately stick out to me. The first is that K-State is expected to triumph over TCU. Several pundits have made Texas Christian their favorite to win the Big 12, so it means something that K-State is expected to win this game. Granted, the game is in Manhattan, but the Wildcats are favored by more than a field goal. If you’ll recall, K-State won at TCU last year by the score of 23-10 to improve to 10-0 before falling to Baylor the following week.

Secondly, Oklahoma doesn’t have a big line against K-State. Everyone remembers how the Wildcats went into Norman to open Big 12 play and walked out with a 24-19 victory last year, but this Sooners team is expected to compete for the league title. Both K-State and Oklahoma suffered a lot of turnover this offseason, and it will be interesting to see how these odds change after we get a few games into the season.

K-State probably has the roughest introduction to conference play, having to start at Texas followed by a game at Oklahoma State. Oklahoma State has recently become the media favorite to win the Big 12, while there’s consensus that Texas has the most individual talent in the conference. Of course, Texas had more talent than K-State last year too. As did Oklahoma State. Or, at least that’s what ESPN told me…

As far as the other games on the list, Baylor may be the favorite if the game is held in Waco rather than Manhattan – the Bears clobbered K-State 52-24 last year and return a lot of talent. West Virginia’s defense was awful last year and the team lost its best players on offense, so I’m not afraid of what happens when the Mountaineers visit. And, yes, K-State is expected to win by more than three touchdowns against KU. Because what a better way to close out the season? (Well, humiliating Texas 42-24 to win the Big 12 last year was pretty great way to close out the season too, but you catch my drift.)

79 days left until kick-off of the 2013 Kansas State football season – do you feel the excitement yet?