It’s been called the biggest home game in Kansas State history. The last non-conference top-5 team to visit Manhattan was #2 Penn State in the 60’s. So yeah, it’s been a while.
It’s surely to be an exciting situation for the Wildcat-faithful, what, with their raucous 50,000 or so piling into Bill Snyder Family Stadium (yes, that’s what’s it called) for the biggest game they’ve hosted since before JoePa was called JoePa. Was Bill Snyder the coach then, too?
And have you heard the game is on Thursday? Yeah, it’s tonight. Do you have plans to watch? Has the team left? Does Gus even know? If so, does he realize he’s playing a living legend that’s feared from here to Timbuktu? All these things. They aren’t normal. How were we supposed to know? How are we supposed to handle them?
You see, it’s these things that do run through all of our minds, as stupid as they sound. At least one of them. Shutup, yes one of them has at least once.
But it’s also these things that give Kansas State fans the idea that their severely under-matched team has a real chance against a team that’s been there, done that.
I do realize this is an entirely different year with a few different players. But does anybody remember the Auburn Tigers going into a stadium with literally double the capacity last year and beating Johnny Football? It was a stadium Auburn had literally never played in, playing against a Heisman-trophy winner in his house. It involved a flight half-way across the country with all sorts of newness.
And while Tennessee isn’t an elite team, Gus also took his Tigers up to Neyland Stadium (also double the capacity of Kansas State), and pummeled the Volunteers.
This isn’t his first rodeo. It isn’t Nick Marshall’s first rodeo, or Corey Grant’s, or Gabe Wright’s, or really anybody’s that’s going to have siginificant playing time.
I get that it’s Thursday and their students and band (who sit right behind the visting team’s bench) are going to be so pumped to the point that it gives them hope.
I’ve been there. I was there in 2009 for the Iron Bowl. I was there in 2011 for the Iron Bowl. I knew Auburn was undermatched, but I thought if I got excited enough with Alabama coming to our place that this magic voodoo would show up and give Auburn a shot of something to knock off a top-5 team. In 2009, it almost happened. But it didn’t.
When it comes down to it, none of that matters. I understand the fighting EMAWs are going to have one hellacious 5 hours of tailgating and a great pregame, and maybe even an awesome first drive. But Auburn is a much better football team.
I’d put Kansas State right around the Tennessee level of the SEC. Wouldn’t you think Auburn would beat Tennessee every day and twice on Sunday right now? I would.
It’s just the mystery of going to a new place on a different night that makes people think certain aspects of their gameplan are unlike anything Auburn or Gus Malzahn has ever seen. It’s football, and Auburn and Gus are very good at it.
If Auburn can keep the mistakes to a minimum (even typing that sounds weird because Gus’s teams don’t make mistakes other than during a rain-riddled first half in Baton Rouge), then they should win this game by 24+ points.
In Auburn, I’d say they would. But just because I’m the type that buys into a the voodoo hype just a little and just because it’s the first away game, I’ll take away a point or two.
Nick Marshall will throw an early interception and Kansas State will drive easily down the field to start the game 7-0. Then real man, Gus Malzahn, SEC football will take over quickly and hush a Kansas State crowd that will end up getting what they really expected to happen. Auburn will rush for 350 yards. Sammie and Duke will have a TD a piece. Auburn will win comfortably.
Auburn 38, Kansas State 17
15 comments
Silly blog post
This is not even remotely close to the biggest home game in K-State history. Non-conference game, maybe (along with USC and Miami), but there have been many many Big 12 games over the years that have much more meaning than this.
And by the way, Auburn (and all SEC schools) are not exactly known for big pre-season games. How many “huge” games with non-SEC BCS schools have been played in Auburn, AL over the years. Not many.
But how many “huge” games can there even be with non-SEC schools?
well, look what the prairie dog dragged in.
Auburn plays Alabama, LSU, aTm, Ole Miss, Miss St, Ark, and Georgia EVERY YEAR. This year we also play South Carolina.
All this chatter, why do you feel the need to rattle your teeth at us?
I’m with the Blogler…21 points at least.
Go ask Oklahoma if K State is Tennessee like. Doubt that Stoops concurs with this analogy
After watching B12 average teams like Missouri and A&M compete in the SEC and after watching bottom feeder W Virginia take on the mighty Tide, I am optimistic about a KSU W.
Whatever, enjoy the Little apple!
All I can say as an OU student and an Auburn alum (don’t ask how that happened) it feels SO good to have my homestate Tigers in the Midwest!!! I have my Auburn flag flying in Oklahoma, my fight song as my ring tone, and today’s duds are orange and blue! I feel like home is only a state away for the first time in years. I would be lying if I said none of those silly questions have made their way through my orange and blue thoughts. I have seen underdogs come out on top and the big bad fan base that came in with smug expressions leave with dropped jaws. It isn’t impossible, K State. All Auburn fans know what it’s like to be overlooked so because of that, I never count my chickens before they’ve hatched. HOWEVER. AND IT’S A BIG HOWEVER… Our Tigers and our AU Family have something the likes of y’all in Kansas (nor in any Midwestern state) have never seen. It’s a combination of talent, togetherness, faith, love, and I’m gonna say it… magic… that just seems to come alive on any field and intensifies as the clock winds down. Don’t dare turn away from the scoreboard when Auburn is playing on the field… even if it’s down to the last second. With that — WAR EAGLE!
Not an unrealistic score expectation and short of the arrogant condescending jabs a fair article. I do want to point out though where the rest of the country is starting to build a real disdain for all things SEC, yes you all do sound ignorant when you refer to your conference as though it’s your team name. I also know SEC fans care as much about my opinion as I do yours. So with respect to that I guess were on equal footing now. You did not invent football in the SEC and there are many other teams in the nation that do also play good football. Every year in the last decade or so the SEC fields 2-3 outstanding nation championship caliber teams, as do other conferences. Yes the conference is deep and talented and has easy access to many talent rich southern recruiting states but please stop acting like you field a conference of 12 national championship level teams you just make yourselves along with your paid for sycophants at ESPN sound like the same smug arrogant elitist asses that southern culture so deeply dislikes when it come from northeastern”Yankee” academic snobs( yes that is how you come across). So let that sink in everything you hate in a Harvard or Yale snob you project to the rest of the nation with your football elitism. I love SEC football but every other fan in the nation should have not have to hold it’s head in shame and line up to proclaim your supremacy. We love out teams too,just the same as Vanderbilt and Mississippi state love theirs. So my plea to you is SEC please get over your collective egos and come back to earth so that the rest of us who truly respect and enjoy SEC football, as we also do with, our own alma maters can do so without wanting to choke slam you.
SAY WHAT? A YANKEE WANTS TO CHOKE SLAM US BECAUSE OF ARROGANCE? WHY… BLESS YOUR HEART! I CAN’T IMAGINE WHAT THAT HOSTILITY MUST BE LIKE FOR YOU. SOUNDS LIKE MR. WES NEEDS A GLASS OF SWEET TEA, Y’ALL. *wink* Calm down, dawl. It’s just football. *smiling*
Its the biggest home game this season, ok. Lets not get carried away on this “ever’ hooey.
I hope you are eating your words. You may have won but not by 24+ pts you said! You SEC people think y’all are high and mighty and almost lost! K-State should have won easily. Some mistakes on their part but it’s sad if those mistakes weren’t made, they would have beat y’all by 20+ pts! Embarrassing! Step off you high horse and get over the SEC. Yall think you are way better than you really are! Arrogant.
Getoveryourself shut up and go on somewhere else. You’re on an auburn tiger fan blog running your mouth. Read the logo..war blogle a place for auburn talk and banter which is exactly what goes on here. This isn’t a forum for Kansas state or the big 12. If you don’t like the arrogance then no one said you had to read a blog about it.
The SEC so far has three teams play BIG 12 schools. Auburn over K state 20-14, Alabama over WVU 33-23 and Arkansas over Texas Tech 49-28. Now if that doesn’t show who the better if the two conferences this year I’m not sure what will. War Eaglr
War eagle*
I’m back to commend every Auburn fan except one who made it to the game in Manhattan. And obvious dickwad who cut in a huge bathroom line, and that’s a poor human being trait and a personal pet peeve not any knock on Auburn.Again, not that you need my acceptance.
I saw a civil, polite, football loving fan base that traveled well and represented their university well. I have witnessed many fans from our own conference and other big name schools as well,over the years come in for big hyped games and act like pompous arrogant jackasses. This was my not at all my experience with Auburn fan. All polite and respectful. Most pretty confident, as you should be, but down to earth. Huge difference in a knowledgable confident fan and a drunken, brash shit talker who most likely only gets”passionate” about their team when they reach a certain plateau in the polls.This type of t-shirt fan in my opinion is more a fan of talking shit by living through a winning team in reality than a truly loyal fan of any team,and Kstate has our share as well. Had we won we would have had 10,000 of these new “fans” today of this type. I truly believe that when traveling to support your team this is how you should conduct yourself in a hostile environment and it is how I act when going to away games to cheer on K-State.
Next every one to a man quickly stood and removed their hats and joined in K-States patriotic ceremony of allegiance for the pledge and national anthem. and God bless you for it. I can’t tell you how many times I see people ignore this and or not remove hats it is a huge personal irritant and makes my blood boil. Good on ya Auburn I know down deep you are a hard working blue collar type fan base with a rich agricultural background and an across the board sister institution to K-State.
After the game I did not personally witness a single Auburn fan arrogantly or loudly boasting or trying to key up the Home crowd that was roundly disappointed on the way out the gates. This is another common occurrence over the years in my experience. So from my perspective maybe I should listen and watch a little less ESPN and ignore the mouthy cockroaches that invariably crawl out of the wood work on the internet and talking heads to crow to the world any time a team is doing well. My respect goes out to you all that made it and I hope you enjoyed the game and Manhattan. God Bless and if we match up again stop by my tailgate for a beer.
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