In one of the more interesting non-conference games to open the 2021 college football season, Kansas State will take on Stanford this Saturday in the Allstate Kickoff Classic inside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The game – one of just four neutral site matchups featuring two Power 5 teams in the opening weekend – kicks off at 11 a.m. and will be shown on FS1 with Aaron Goldsmith (play-by-play) and Mark Helfrich (analyst) on the call. The game will also be aired nationally on ESPN Radio with coverage from Marc Kestecher (play-by-play), Max Starks (analyst), Jorge Sedano (analyst) and Mike Peasley (sidelines). As always, the game can be heard across the 39-station K-State Sports Network with Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play), former K-State quarterback Stan Weber (analyst) and Matt Walters (sidelines) calling the action. The contest can be heard on 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK AM.
A LOOK AT K-STATE
• K-State is looking to right the ship in 2021 after a 4-6 campaign in 2020, one that started out with the Wildcats going 4-0 in Big 12 play and rising as high as No. 16 in the AP Top 25.
• The Wildcats lost the services of senior starting quarterback Skylar Thompson in the third game last season, but he returns as one of the Wildcats’ five “Super Seniors” in 2021.
• Thompson ranks in the top 10 in school history in 15 career categories, while he is one of only two signal callers in K-State history to have 5,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in a career (Ell Roberson).
• Thompson has the luxury of playing behind an experienced offensive line that brings back 100% of its starts from a year ago in addition to playmakers at every skill position.
• Headlining the skill group is running back Deuce Vaughn, who burst onto the scene a year ago as he was named the True Freshman of the Year by 247Sports, as well as an All-American and Freshman All-American by multiple outlets.
• Returning at wide receiver – a group that is now tutored by offensive coordinator Courtney Messingham – is dynamic playmakers in Malik Knowles and Phillip Brooks, the latter who was an All-American as a punt returner last year and has earned numerous Preseason All-America honors.
• At tight end, the Wildcats welcome transfer Daniel Imatorbhebhe, who has spent time at both USC and Illinois.
• Defensively, the Cats could rotate as many as 12 players along the defensive front, while two of the linebacker spots will be held down by Daniel Green and Cody Fletcher, both of whom were pressed into starting duties toward the end of 2020.
• Familiar starters in the back end return in cornerbacks Ekow Boye-Doe and safety Jahron McPherson, but K-State brought in four transfer defensive backs that look poised to lead the secondary in 2021.
• As many as three kickers are battling to replace three-year letterwinner Blake Lynch, and the list includes senior Ty Zentner, junior Taiten Winkel and true freshman Chris Tennant.
• Last season, Zentner shared punting duties with Jack Blumer, and the two could rotate again in 2021.
• Brooks will man the punt-return spot again in 2021, while he and Knowles will most likely be deep for kickoff returns.
A LOOK AT STANFORD
• Stanford enters the 2021 season, the 11th under head coach David Shaw, coming off a 4-2 campaign in a shortened 2020 season.
• With 2020 quarterback Davis Mills moving on as a selection by the Houston Texans in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Cardinal are in the midst of a quarterback battle between senior Jack West and sophomore Tanner McKee.
• Last season, West threw for 154 yards on 13-of-19 aim, while McKee completed 3-of-7 passes for 62 yards.
• The new starting quarterback will have the services of Stanford’s top two rushers from a year ago back in 2021 in Austin Jones (550 yds, 9 TDs) and Nathaniel Peat (204 yds, TD).
• Stanford’s top returning receiver is senior Brycen Tremayne, who finished second on the team last year with 14 catches for 265 yards.
• Defensively, the top returning tackler is linebacker Levani Damuni, who was second on the squad last year with 42 tackles.