Kickoff: 7 p.m. at Bill Snyder Family Stadium

TV: FOX national with Tim Brando and Spencer Tillman

Vegas Line: Kansas State favored by 11.5

• The Jayhawks enter their final regular season game, averaging 7.20 yards per play this season, which ranks tied for third nationally with Tennessee, behind only Ohio State (7.39) and USC (7.28). The program record for yards per play in a season is 6.40, set in 1950.

• Kansas has seven plays of 60 or more yards this season, including three against Texas Tech earlier this month. The seven plays of 60 or more yards are tied for seventh most in the country, behind only TCU (10), Florida (9), and four others tied at eight. Only three Power 5 teams – TCU, Florida and Tennessee—have more 60-yard plays than Kansas.

• Kansas has posted five games of 500 yards or more of total offense already this season in 11 games after a 525-yard performance against Texas Tech. That is the best mark since the 2007 team posted seven such games in 13 contests.

• From 2018 to 2021, Kansas posted six games of 500 or more yards of total offense in 45 games. During that span, the Jayhawks topped the 500-yard mark twice against conference opponents. This season, KU has already topped the 500-yard mark against three conference opponents.

• The Kansas offense also ranks fifth in the country in team passing efficiency (169.53), ninth in third down conversion percentage (50.4%), 23rd in rushing offense (200.8) and sixth in fewest sacks allowed (0.73 per game).

• Running back Devin Neal posted the 17th 1,000-yard rushing season in Kansas history last game when he topped the 1,000-yard mark for the season with a 51-yard performance against Texas. Neal has rushed for 1,002 yards on 155 carries this season, averaging 6.5 yards per carry.

• Neal is averaging 6.46 yards per carry, which is 14th in the country and second in the Big 12. He has eight runs of 30 or more yards on the season, which is tied with four others for second-most in the country behind UAB’s DeWayne McBride, who has nine.

• Neal finished the season with exactly 600 rushing yards in six home games. He’s the first Kansas running back since Jon Cornish in 2006 to average at least 100 yards in home games for the entirety of a season.

• Cornerback Cobee Bryant had three pass breakups against Texas Tech earlier this month, and now has eight for the season. He has 11 passes defended in nine games this season (three interceptions, eight pass breakups), and is tied for the Big 12 lead at 1.10 passes defended per game.

• Kansas is one of six teams in the country with 2,500 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, 2,200 rushing yards and 20 rushing scores. The others are Ohio State, Oregon, UCLA, TCU and Florida State.

• Since 2000, only three Kansas teams have posted 2,500+ passing yards and 2,000+ rushing yards in the same season. This year’s team has 2,583 passing yards and 2,209 rushing yards. The only other teams since 2000 to top both marks were the 2003 and 2007 teams.

Following a 48-31 road win at West Virginia, Kansas State returns home to close out the 2022 regular season with the annual Dillons Sunflower Showdown against instate rival KU. The Wildcats can clinch a berth in the Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship with a win against the Jayhawks.

K-State is 8-3 this season with all three losses coming against teams that are currently ranked in No. 4 TCU, No. 19 Tulane and No 24 Texas. The Cats are bowl eligible for the third time under Chris Klieman and will advance to their 24th bowl appearance in school history, including the 11th in the last 13 seasons.

Klieman is the first coach in school history to send three of his first four squads to the postseason.

Deuce Vaughn has 1,148 rushing yards this season to record his second-straight season with 1,000 rushing yards – just the third player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard seasons. He ranks second in school history in career rushing yards (3,194) and moved into the top 10 in school history for a season.

The Cats have been solid on defense, allowing just 18.7 points per game and 361.8 total yards per game. This week, the Cats rank fourth nationally in turnover margin, 11th in fourth down defense, sixth in interceptions, 15th in scoring defense and 19th in pass efficiency defense.

The Cats have kept each of their Big 12 opponents this year under their season scoring average entering its game against K-State while also holding three conference opponents without a touchdown.

On Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, I sat down and watched Kansas State coach Chris Klieman’s weekly press conference ahead of hosting Kansas in this weekend’s regular-season finale. And it was refreshing to hear Klieman, who’s always been a fan of Kansas coach Lance Leipold, speak highly of a KU program that’s endured a lot of hardship to enter the in-state rivalry game with a winning record.

The Sunflower Showdown has lacked competition for a long time, but this year’s matchup might just be the bite-and-scrap game fans have been starving for. Kansas State’s mounted 13 consecutive wins over the Jayhawks – few close and many blowouts. After talking with multiple KU players and coaches this week, I’ve gathered that last Saturday’s 55-14 senior day loss to Texas, as rough as it was, is about as flushed as it can be by this point. The players believe they can shake it off and they’ve done it before following the bye week vs. No. 18 Oklahoma State.

From a stats standpoint, these two programs line up quite fair. Both squads average over 30 points through at least 400 yards of offense per game. The KU defensive line had a rough showing on the ground with Texas’ Bijan Robinson, who Leipold considered a first-round pick, and will face another tough test against Wildcats leading rusher Deuce Vaughn on Saturday. The Kansas State offense is rounded out with a confident backup quarterback in Will Howard, who’s proven he can be the leader his team needs with complimenting weapons in wide receiver Malik Knowles and running back DJ Giddens.

For the Jayhawks – It’s obvious the same Jalon Daniels we saw up until Week 5 isn’t back in the saddle, quite yet. The question is how much rust did the presumed KU leaves behind vs. the Longhorns and what changed this week leading up to Saturday night? Devin Neal said on Tuesday that he’s still a bit sore but ready to put it on full-throttle against the Wildcats, which is no surprise. That’s just how Devin is. Defensively, I thought O.J. Burroughs gave me the most insight about what they’ve been studying with Howard and how K-State’s O-line has paved the way for his arm to grow.

Any outside critic will take Kansas State in this one, no doubt. They’re Big 12-hopefuls and have played some of the best football in the conference throughout the season. Kansas has taken some tough hits this season and has one more regular season game to prove its newfound worth, against its in-state rival that’s beaten them up for 13 years – they’ll be sharp.

Kansas State 27- Kansas 23

The past seven days have been an emotional roller coaster for the Karate Jayhawks. After getting throttled by Texas last Saturday, KU got a major boost Tuesday evening as National Coach of the Year candidate Lance Leipold agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in Lawrence through 2029. That leads into Saturday’s Sunflower Showdown, as the Hawks travel to Manhattan to take on Kansas State Saturday night.

Despite the good news, the matchup with KSU is not a good one for the Jayhawks. A week after returning to the lineup following a four game absence, quarterback Jalon Daniels will face the No. 2 ranked defense in the Big 12 Conference. KSU is fast, physical, and very sound against the run and pass.

After the Texas ground game dominated the KU defense, K-State standout running back Deuce Vaughn is primed for a big day versus the Jayhawks. Vaughn’s quickness and ability to hide behind his offensive line will be a problem for a KU defense that has been abysmal this season against the run.

It’s a new era for the bowl eligible Football Jayhawks, but Leipold and his staff don’t have this program to the point where they can beat KSU at home yet. That day is coming, but not this Saturday.

Kansas State 38- Kansas 14

The Sunflower Showdown has some meaning for the first time in a long time. Both teams enter the game with a winning record and it will be the first meeting between the two where they were both eligible in the same season since 2003.

A rivalry game should not need much motivation but Kansas State has a lot of it and a trip to the Big 12 title game is on the line. A Wildcat win puts them in Dallas next week to face TCU.

The biggest question going into the game is the Kansas offense. We have a good picture what to expect from the Kansas defense, but the offense is what will tell the story in this game.

Last week Jalon Daniels returned to the lineup against Texas after missing four games. What made the Kansas offense among the nation's best early in the season was Daniels ability to keep the ball and create. Whether it was a quarterback draw, option, or designed runs Andy Kotelnicki kept defenses on their heels.

Against Texas Daniels did not have one designed run play. I believe that could change this week but it will depend on his health.

The concern is the defense against Deuce Vaughn. They haven't fared well against the conference's best running games and that is what Kansas State will present. Kansas State has a physical offensive line and their goal will be establishing the run.

Every time I try to play this game out in my head I have Kansas State winning. But the margin of victory keeps changing. I think the KU offense will show more creativity and find a way to move the ball better than last week.

I just don't think it will be enough to get out with a win.

Kansas State 34- Kansas 24