Five important storylines ahead of Kansas State’s next football game at Texas Tech

The Kansas State football team will try to bounce back from a 29-21 loss against Oklahoma State this weekend when it heads to Texas Tech for a 6 p.m. kickoff against Texas Tech.

It will be an important conference game for both K-State (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) and Texas Tech (3-3, 2-1 Big 12), as they try to stay within shouting distance of Oklahoma at the top of the league standings.

Here is everything you need to know to start preparing for this week’s game.

K-State vs. Texas Tech: Game details

Kickoff: 6 p.m. Saturday

Where: AT&T Jones Stadium in Lubbock, Texas

TV: FS1

Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City and KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita

Betting line: Texas Tech by 1.5 with an O/U of 55.5

Five things to know

1. Texas Tech is starting to play up to preseason expectations. After an ugly start to the year, which featured losses to Wyoming, Oregon and West Virginia, the Red Raiders seem to have regained their mojo. Texas Tech has won its past two games by double digits against Houston and Baylor. Now, it gets a chance to really build some momentum at home against K-State. A win would push Joey McGuire’s team back into the Big 12 championship race.

2. Chris Klieman has never lost to Texas Tech. Much was made last week of Klieman’s historical troubles against Oklahoma State and Boone Pickens Stadium. Well, this series has been much kinder to him over the years. K-State has gone a perfect 4-0 against Texas Tech under Klieman. All four games were close, though. The Wildcats won them by scores of 30-27, 31-21, 25-24 and 37-28. Oddsmakers are expecting another tight contest on Saturday.

3. Behren Morton is Texas Tech’s new starting quarterback. Tyler Shough is out indefinitely with an injury, so the Red Raiders have turned their offense over to Behren Morton, a 6-foot-2 sophomore who grew up in Eastland, Texas. He has played well the past two weeks. Morton has thrown for 578 yards, eight touchdowns and two interceptions this season. K-State shouldn’t have to worry about him running the ball, as he only has eight rushing yards. But Texas Tech hasn’t taken a step back with him at QB.

4. Will Howard can’t stop throwing interceptions. It wasn’t the only reason that K-State lost at Oklahoma State, but Howard made things extremely difficult on the Wildcats by throwing three interceptions. The junior quarterback has seven picks on the season, including at least one in all five of K-State’s games. That will need to change for K-State to get back to its winning ways.

5. K-State won’t be at full strength on defense. The Wildcats won’t have Daniel Green or Asa Newsom at linebacker and they might not have Will Lee of Jacob Parrish at defensive back. Green and Newsom are out for the season with injuries. Parrish didn’t travel with K-State to the Oklahoma State game with an injury and Lee was forced off the field against the Cowboys with an injury of his own. It is unclear if either of them will be ready to play by Saturday. K-State will rely on Keenan Garber and Justice James at corner if they remain on the sideline.