Free College Football Picks Today: West Virginia Mountaineers vs Kansas State Wildcats 11/19/22

The No. 19 Kansas State University Wildcats (7-3, 5-2 Big 12) head to face the West Virginia University Mountaineers (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium on Saturday. The Wildcats are 7.5-point favorites, and the total is 54.5.

Kansas State is coming off an impressive 31-3 win over Baylor at McLane Stadium last Saturday. Will Howard was 19 of 27 for 196 yards and three touchdowns. Deuce Vaughn ran 25 times for 106 yards. He added eight receptions for 50 yards and a touchdown. Ben Sinnott caught seven passes for 89 yards and two touchdowns.

West Virginia beat Oklahoma 23-20 at Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium last Saturday. Garrett Greene threw for 203 yards and a touchdown. He added 119 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Sam James caught three receptions for 90 yards.

HEAD-TO-HEAD

The Wildcats won the only game between the teams last season, a 34-17 victory in November. Skylar Thompson tossed one touchdown for Kansas State, as Deuce Vaughn added a rushing TD. Jarret Doege tossed two touchdowns for West Virginia.

TALE OF THE TAPE

The Wildcats are averaging 30.6 points per game for the season, 49th in FBS, and they are facing a Mountaineers defense that has surrendered 32.8 PPG (117th). Meanwhile, West Virginia has scored 31.2 points a game this season, 46th in the nation, and Kansas State is allowing 17.5 PPG (12th).

The Wildcats rank as one of the country’s top teams in rushing yards per game (214.7, 15th), while they are 104th in passing yards (203.1). The Mountaineers are 113th in passing yards allowed per game (268.0) and 67th against the run (147.2).

West Virginia is 53rd in the nation in passing yards per game (243.7) and 55th in rushing (165.5), while the Wildcats are allowing 217.3 passing yards (50th) and 143.8 rushing yards per game (61st).

TOP PERFORMERS

Through nine games, Adrian Martinez has thrown for six touchdowns (1 INT) and 140.1 yards per game to lead Kansas State in passing. In four away games this season, he has two TDs and an average of 128.0 yards passing. Deuce Vaughn leads the team in rushing with an average of 108.1 yards a game over 10 games. He has five touchdowns on the ground and one through the air.

Malik Knowles is the Wildcats’ leading receiver with 55.8 yards a game and one TD.JT Daniels has 13 passing touchdowns (9 INT) with 210.7 yards per game through 10 games to lead West Virginia. In five home games this season, he has thrown for seven TDs (4 INT) and an average of 232.4 yards.

Tony Mathis Jr. has been the home team’s leading performer on the ground, averaging 68.1 yards a game through eight games. He has five touchdowns. Bryce Ford-Wheaton has been the primary target in the Mountaineers’ passing game. He has seven touchdowns and a 64.1 yard per game average through 10 appearances.