Week two of the college football season is here. Kansas State plays Tulane, and Heartland College Sports has your game prediction, preview, and betting odds ahead of the matchup.
GAME INFO
Saturday, September 7; 11:00 a.m. (CT); Yulman Stadium; New Orleans, LA
TV: ESPN
Records: No. 17 Kansas State, 1-0; Tulane, 1-0.
Last Week: Kansas State def. UT Martin, 41-6; Tulane def. SE Louisiana, 52-0.
Series History: Tulane leads, 2-0.
Last Meeting: Tulane 17, Kansas State 10 (2022).
Fun Fact: The 2022 matchup between programs was one of the four losses on the season for the Wildcats, and among many members of the fanbase, it was the game that “cursed” alternate uniform combinations in Manhattan.
Kansas State vs. Tulane Betting Lines and Odds
Opening Line: Kansas State (-10.0)
Over/Under: 48.5
KEY PLAYERS
Tulane
QB Ty Thompson/QB Darian Mensah
While generally speaking, teams like to establish a starting quarterback prior to the season’s kickoff, the Tulane Green Wave are using a duo of freshman Darian Mensah and junior Ty Thompson. Mensah did the bulk of the passing for Tulane in their Week 1 win, going 10-12 for 205 yards and two scores, while Thompson put in work on the ground game. The Oregon transfer found the end zone twice on four carries for 23 yards. Both signal callers will be players to watch on Saturday.
DB Rayshawn Pleasant
The Green Wave defense pitched a shutout in Week 2, mainly in part to sophomore defensive back Rayshawn Pleasant. The Louisiana native was responsible for putting an immediate stop to one of the opposing team’s best drives of the day, coming up with a big interception, and returning it 100 yards for the score. He will be tasked with helping to keep the Wildcats’ passing attack in check as they look to bounce back after a slow start.
Kansas State
RB DJ Giddens
It goes without saying, the Big 12 Conference has some of the best running backs in America. That statement continues to ring true in Manhattan, Kansas. Junior running back DJ Giddens put together an impressive Week 1 performance against UT Martin, compiling 123 rushing yards on 13 attempts. Despite operating in a limited role due to an injury sustained in spring football, it was more of the same for Giddens, who averaged an unreal 9.5 yards per carry.
DE Tobi Osunsanmi
Debatably, the best player on the football field in the Wildcats’ home opener was redshirt sophomore pass rusher Tobi Osunsanmi. The Kansas native is coming off of an offseason position change from linebacker to defensive end and operates in somewhat of a limited role for the Wildcats. Osunsanmi is used primarily as a pass rusher on third down, and despite playing just 11 snaps in Saturday’s game, he recorded 1.5 sacks and was in position for multiple more. His presence is something that Tulane will need to gameplan for if they want to keep the pass rush at bay.
KEY STORYLINES
Tulane
It’s no secret that the Wildcats have yet to beat the Tulane football program, and with some of the players from the 2022 team still on the roster, the Green Wave will have a certain familiarity with the team. Can Tulane keep the Wildcats three-headed monster of Avery Johnson, DJ Giddens, and Dylan Edwards in check? If so, the team could find themselves pulling off a top-25 upset and advancing to a 2-0 record.
Kansas State
Will the offense get going? Kansas State cruised to a comfortable win against UT Martin, easily outpacing the Skyhawks. The same cannot be said about Tulane, an impressive G5 team capable of pulling off an upset win. Sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson posted just 190 total yards and two scores against UT Martin and will need to be more efficient with the football in Week 2.
PREDICTION: Kansas State 37, Tulane 24
The spread is ten points in favor of Kansas State for a reason, and I’m sticking to it. Neither Tulane nor Kansas State had to open the playbook fully to win their home opener, but when push comes to shove, Avery Johnson, paired with a stout K-State defense that could be the league’s best unit in 2024, will get the job done. Kansas State rolls to 2-0 and will have another huge test in Week 3 against Arizona.
