No. 23 West Virginia (6-3, 4-2 Big 12) at Kansas State (5-4, 3-3), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Line: Kansas State by 2 ½.
Series record: Kansas State leads 5-2
WHAT'S AT STAKE
The Mountaineers, fresh off an impressive win over Iowa State, still have Big 12 title game aspirations, but they would need to win out and get some help. The Wildcats are coming off an overtime win over Texas Tech that means they would become bowl-eligible with a win.
KEY MATCHUP
West Virginia QB Will Grier against the Kansas State secondary, which has taken its lumps all season. Grier ranks second nationally in touchdown passes, fifth in total offense and eighth in pass efficiency, and a bevy of talented pass-catchers makes him a matchup nightmare.
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
West Virginia: WR David Sills V, a former quarterback, has become one of the nation's most unlikely star wide receivers. He already has 16 touchdown catches, which tops the nation and is third in total TDs.
Kansas State: Whoever plays QB. Jesse Ertz was the starter before going down with an injury, and there are reports he will miss the rest of the season. Alex Delton has started the past two games but left both with injuries. Skylar Thompson has entered in the second half and rallied the Wildcats to a pair of much-needed wins.
FACTS & FIGURES
Mountaineers needed two fourth-quarter touchdowns to beat Kansas State 17-16 last season in Morgantown. ... Kansas State is 2-0 against the Mountaineers in Manhattan. ... West Virginia is sixth nationally in pass offense (349.9 yards) and seventh in total offense (516.3). ... The Mountaineers have had three players total 10 100-yard receiving games this season. ... Grier needs two TD passes to pass Geno Smith and Marc Bulger (31) for second-most in a season in school history. ... The Wildcats are trying to become bowl-eligible for the eighth straight year. ... Kansas State coach Bill Snyder can move into second-place in Big 12 history with 122 conference wins. ... Kansas State has reached 200 yards rushing five times this season. ... Wildcats CB Duke Shelley leads the Big 12 with 11 passes defended. He also had a pick-six against Texas Tech last week.
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