Kansas State vs. West Virginia Prediction: Avery Johnson, Wildcats Deliver Final Blow to WVU’s Big 12 Hopes

    Sitting at 3-3, the Mountaineers' hopes for a Big 12 title are hanging by a thread. Our Kansas State vs. West Virginia prediction explores how the Wildcats could deliver the final blow.

    The Kansas State Wildcats and West Virginia Mountaineers may have only faced off since 2012, but streaks have defined their matchups: K-State started 4-0, then WVU countered with 5-0, and now K-State leads 2-0.

    Gear up for a Saturday night showdown with a deep dive into the latest odds, spread analysis, and our Kansas State vs. West Virginia prediction.

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    Kansas State vs. West Virginia Betting Preview

    All Kansas State vs. West Virginia odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. The CFN Spread comes from College Football Network’s Football Playoff Meter.

    • CFN FPM Spread
      Pick ‘Em
    • Spread
      Kansas State -2.5
    • Moneyline
      Kansas State -142, West Virginia +120
    • Over/Under
      56 points
    • Game Time
      7:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, Oct. 19
    • Location
      Milan Puskar Stadium, Morgantown, W.Va.
    • Predicted Weather at Kick
      62 degrees, 3 mph winds, sunny
    • How To Watch
      Fox

    The spread and total haven’t moved an inch since opening, but an influx of money later in the week could quickly change that.

    MORE: CFN Betting Parlay Calculator

    Kansas State is 1-4 against the spread in their last five road games, and Morgantown is no easy place to play.

    In terms of the over/under, the latter has hit in eight of the last 11 Kansas State-West Virginia matchups.

    Kansas State’s Winning Probability

    The FPM sees this game as a pick ’em, with both teams owning a 50% win probability. Yet, if the Wildcats leave Week 8 victorious, their road to the Big 12 title isn’t all that difficult, with over 70% win probabilities until the season finale against undefeated Iowa State.

    • vs. Kansas: 81.1%
    • at Houston: 83.0%
    • vs. Arizona State: 70.3%
    • vs. Cincinnati: 79.6%
    • at Iowa State: 36.9%

    West Virginia’s Winning Probability

    Meanwhile, West Virginia’s path to the dance is one loss away from falling apart, and with Arizona and Texas Tech still on the schedule, the program is likely playing for a bowl game this season.

    • vs. Arizona: 41.1%
    • vs. Cincinnati: 63.1%
    • at Baylor: 75.3%
    • at UCF: 74.2%
    • vs. Texas Tech: 47.2%

    Prediction for Kansas State vs. West Virginia

    West Virginia sits at 3-3 this season, but their losses have all come against undefeated, ranked opponents: Penn State, Pittsburgh, and most recently, Iowa State.

    Typically, this wouldn’t be a huge knock against them, but it highlights a troubling trend for head coach Neal Brown, who now holds a 3-16 record against ranked teams during his time with the Mountaineers. And now, another tough challenge awaits this Saturday.

    Kansas State’s only setback came against unbeaten BYU, but they’ve managed to knock Arizona and Oklahoma State out of the AP Top 25 this season.

    Neither quarterback has been particularly impressive in the passing game, but K-State’s Avery Johnson has a clear edge over WVU’s Garrett Greene, who has completed just 57% of his passes with eight touchdowns and six interceptions.

    Still, the two offenses have put up similar numbers this season:

    • Kansas State: 430.8 YPG and 31.3 PPG
    • West Virginia: 425.3 YPG and 30.2 PPG

    MORE: Simulate the College Football Season With CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor

    Beyond the quarterback matchup, the Wildcats have another significant advantage: RB DJ Giddens. Coming off a 25-carry, 182-yard performance against Colorado, Giddens is primed to dominate against the Mountaineers’ defense.

    On the other hand, while West Virginia’s run game has been strong, Kansas State boasts the second-best run defense in the nation, allowing just 71.7 rushing yards per game. Expect the Wildcats to win and cover in Week 8.

    Prediction: Kansas State 38, West Virginia 16

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