Kansas State Football: Wildcats will ride Deuce Vaughn back to bowl game

Schedule/predictions

On top of the always challenging Big 12 schedule, Kansas State won’t have it easy in non-conference play either, taking on Stanford and Nevada.

Here’s a look at the schedule as a whole with predictions:

• Week 1: vs Stanford (L) — This is a neutral field game and Stanford has been a consistent winner, plus the Cardinal won four in a row to end last season and will win a close one.
• Week 2: vs Southern Illinois (W) — Kansas State will run away this season after putting a 50 spot on the scoreboard.
• Week 3: vs Nevada (W) — The Kansas State defense will be tested by Nevada QB Carson Strong, but in this case, the offense will do enough to win.
• Week 4: at Oklahoma State (L) — The Cowboys always have a dynamic win and the Wildcats won’t have enough to win in Stillwater.
• Week 5 vs Oklahoma (L) — Kansas State might make this close but Oklahoma is too talented.
• Week 6: vs Iowa State (L) — Iowa State should be on upset alert this week. It will be a close game but Iowa State is just a little too good.
• Week 7: at Texas Tech (L) — Texas Tech has a talented quarterback in its own right and the Wildcats drop a tough one in Lubbock.
• Week 8: vs TCU (W) — Sitting a 2-5, the Wildcats have to start winning and their season back on track against TCU.
• Week 9: at Kansas (W) — Kansas is not going to be good this season and Kansas State should win easily.
• Week 10: vs West Virginia (W) — This feels like a Deuce Vaughn game. He goes off and leads Kansas State to its best win of the year.
• Week 11: vs Baylor (W) — Kansas State responds to a four-game losing streak with a four-game winning streak thanks to a victory over the Bears to reach bowl eligibility.
• Week 12: at Texas (L) — Sark will have Texas rolling in no time and with the game in Austin, Kansas State won’t be within two touchdowns.

Record: 6-6 overall, 4-5 Big 12

It’s not a huge improvement but last season but getting back to the postseason would be vitally important for the Wildcats, who are capable of winning 7-8 games in 2021.

I doubt this team can seriously contend for the Big 12 title in 2021, but Vaughn is an electrifying talent and it’s possible the K-State could spend some time in the top 25.

Yet, with a tough conference schedule, especially at the start, the Wildcats might be battling in the bottom half of the schedule to reach a bowl game once again.