GAME BREAKDOWN
KEY MATCHUP: Iowa State RB David Montgomery is a vital cog to the Cyclones’ offensive plan. So much so, his absence in the first half affected the Cyclones with their start as they trailed by 14 at halftime and fell 24-10 at Texas on Nov. 17. Montgomery was limited to 33 yards on 10 carries, so expect him to be primed for a stronger performance. The Wildcats’ defense has achieved steady improvement under first-year coordinator Blake Seiler but will have to show its effectiveness on the road as Iowa State attempts to end a 10-year skid in the series and keep Kansas State out of a bowl.
DRAFT SLANT
–OT Dalton Risner is projected by some draft analysts as a guard in the NFL after contributing mightily as a four-year starter for Kansas State. Scouts now cannot ignore Risner’s hands. In the fourth quarter, he was called for illegal touching on a play that saw him block ever so slightly before retreating to the backfield out of a tackle-eligible formation and catching a screen pass. His touchdown was nullified by the penalty but will still rate as one of the Wildcats’ most memorable plays in a disappointing season.
ROSTER REPORT
–QB Alex Delton, who replaced QB Skylar Thompson in the TCU defeat and then quarterbacked Kansas State to victory against Kansas, did not dress for the Texas Tech win. Thompson returned off his injury and played the entire game with mixed results, passing for 213 yards but losing nine yards on 11 rushing attempts because of three sacks.
–CB Duke Shelley sat out again with an injury to his right leg and could miss the remainder of the season after also being arrested Nov. 7 on a warrant for failure to appear in court. The loss of Shelley, a lockdown corner, has prompted Kansas State to use younger defensive backs who are developing.
–DB Walter Neil and LB Elijah Sullivan also missed the Texas Tech win with nagging injuries.
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