No. 12 K-State faces KU for Big 12 title game spot

Kansas State needs to beat Kansas for a 14th consecutive time to earn a rematch with TCU in the Big 12 championship game. The Wildcats have reached the title game twice, most recently beating Oklahoma in 2003. Kansas is as good as it's been under any coach in more than a decade. It's also a chance for Kansas to make the Sunflower Showdown a rivalry again. The two schools have been playing since 1902 and every year since 1911. They are 12-point underdogs. For the Jayhawks, it is a matter of playing well and showing that they're taking steps. for the first time since 2008, they are bowl-eligible for first since Mark Mangino went to the Insight Bowl in his penultimate season.

Deuce Vaughn is the Big 12's fourth-leading rusher with 1,148 yards. He ran for 162 yards and three touchdowns last season. Kansas State's defense gave up 243 yards to Texas' Bijan Robinson last weekend.

Jayhawks lost 55-14 to Texas. Quarterback Jalon Daniels played well after missing six weeks with a shoulder injury. He was 17 of 26 for 230 yards with two TD passes and a pick against Texas and had two carries for 12 yards.

Will Howard was pressed into service when Adrian Martinez got hurt against TCU. He's played so well that any talk of setting him down has ceased.

Kansas running back Devin Neal ran for 224 yards and a touchdown against Oklahoma State before piling up 190 yards in a loss to Texas Tech. He was held to just 51 yards by Texas.