Questions at quarterback for both Kansas State and Arizona State follow them into a matchup in which both teams hope to avoid their third Big 12 loss.
The Wildcats and Sun Devils kick off at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona, on Saturday, Oct. 24, at 2:45 p.m. CT.
Arizona State (3-3, 1-2 Big 12) has been up and down this year, with its lone Power 4 win coming in a 24-17 victory over Kansas on Sept. 19 in London. The Sun Devils were blown out in their other two Big 12 games, including a 53-25 loss at Texas Tech this past week, when ASU switched quarterbacks at halftime.
Kansas State (4-2, 1-2 Big 12) pulled away for a 35-24 win over Kansas this past week, but Avery Johnson's availability is in question after he appeared on the team's availability report. He sat one play against Kansas early in the first quarter but played the rest of the game without issue.
Kansas State vs Arizona State scouting report
Why Kansas State has an advantage: Questions at Arizona State's quarterback position are unlikely to be answered until after kickoff. The Sun Devils benched Cutter Boley at halftime during ASU's blowout loss at Texas Tech in favor of Mikey Keene, who played a better second half. Devils coach Kenny Dillingham declined to name a starter for this game publicly, but leaks suggest the team is leaning toward playing Keene.
Bolley is a 61.9% passer this year with 13 touchdowns and five interceptions, but he was 5-for-10 for 124 yards, a touchdown and two picks in a half against the Red Raiders. Keene entered and was 25-of-34 through the air for 256 yards and two touchdowns. Bolley can run; Keene can't. This isn't the best quarterback competition.
At the same time, the Wildcats took a step in the right direction defensively by shutting down the Jayhawks' rushing attack this past week, outside of quarterback scrambles. That should bode well against ASU, which averages 143.7 rushing yards, with Kyson Brown leading the team with 329 yards through six games.
The biggest thing to watch will be the Wildcats' ground game, which might've found something against the Jayhawks, rushing for a season-high 359 yards. If they come anywhere close to that, it won't matter who's behind center.
Why Arizona State has an advantage: If K-State doesn't have Johnson, it's in trouble. None of the quarterbacks behind him have any meaningful experience. The three backups are all dealing with injuries, and it's hard to tell how limited this offense would look with any of them in. If it's Jacob Knuth, the Wildcats would likely run the ball until the wheels come off. If the Wildcats get behind, they'd probably be in big trouble. If it's Johnson, it'll be interesting to see how limited he is.
On top of that, the Wildcats tend to struggle the week after beating Kansas, having lost their previous three post-KU games. K-State also didn't impress at Cincinnati, the Wildcats' lone road trip so far this year, leaving questions about how they perform on the road.
This will be a good test for K-State's secondary, which hasn't faced a team as pass-happy as Arizona State. The Sun Devils attempt 35.3 passes per game and average 276.7 yards. That's the 23rd-most in the country, and more than Houston's Conner Weigman, who threw for 242 yards and four touchdowns against K-State on Oct. 10. The Cougars are much more balanced than ASU, touting the nation's 17th-best run game.
Despite this season's struggles, Dillingham remains among the league's best. Arizona State hasn't lost consecutive games this year, nor has it since Dillingham's debut season in 2023. Quarterback questions or not, Arizona State can't be slept on or counted out.
Kansas State vs Arizona State odds, money line, over/under
Odds courtesy of BetMGM on Thursday, Oct. 22
- Spread: Kansas State by 2 1/2
- Total: 56 1/2
- Money line: KSU (-135), ASU (+110)
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Kansas State vs Arizona State score prediction
Prediction if Avery Johnson plays: Kansas State 27, Arizona State 24
We believe the Wildcats found something in their run game, and it will carry over into their game at Arizona State. The Sun Devils struggle to stop the run and rarely run the ball themselves, which could turn into a good afternoon for the Wildcats.
Arizona State is still hard to fully grasp, with wins over Morgan State, Hawaii and the Jayhawks, but blowout losses to Texas A&M, Baylor and Texas Tech. Overseas trips hurt teams, but Arizona State has enough flaws that make K-State the rightful favorite. We didn't even get into how bad the Sun Devils are on third down, or how poor their special teams have been.
Prediction if Avery Johnson doesn't play: Arizona State 20, Kansas State 14
Is there a scenario where Klein calls an amazing game with Knuth behind center, and the "Jacob Knuth Game" is remembered forever? Yes. He runs the ball well when the Sun Devils struggle to stop the run. The scoring would be lower with the Wildcats playing more of a possession game, taking 3-4 yards at a time.
But we wouldn't be on it. Arizona State's quarterbacks at least have some experience, Dillingham is a good coach, and the Sun Devils are at home. Johnson is the Wildcats' most valuable player for a reason.
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State vs Arizona State score prediction: What if Avery Johnson doesn't play?