Kansas State vs Iowa State football: Five players to watch

Here are five players that you must keep an eye on between Iowa State and Kansas State during their football game on Saturday.

More from Big 12 News

Tyler Lockett (Kansas State wide receiver)

There are two places to find Lockett — as a wideout and returning punts and kicks on special teams. Lockett is the all-around athlete that will be a major threat on Iowa State’s secondary, especially if they can’t put much pressure on Jake Waters. If Kansas State does throw the ball a lot, you can bet Lockett will be the primary target. Iowa State could respond if they have a great game out of…

Nigel Tribune (Iowa State cornerback)

The cornerback currently leads the team with 11 tackles (3 assists). He’s one of the highlights in a defense that’s filled with question marks heading into this season. If Kansas State can’t get the ground game going, it will be pivotal for the secondary to shut down the Wildcat receivers, and it starts and ends with how Tribune plays on the field.

Oct 12, 2013; Manhattan, KS, USA; Kansas State Wildcats defensive end Ryan Mueller (44) is congratulated by teammate Jonathan Truman (21) for a fumble recovery during a 35-25 loss to the Baylor Bears at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Mueller (Kansas State defensive end)

One of the most exciting matchups will be seeing how Tom Farniok controlling the offensive line and trying to prevent Mueller from wreaking havoc in the Iowa State backfield. North Dakota State did a good job of defending the Cyclone receivers which led to Sam Richardson scrambling a bit more. He might be scrambling just to stay away from Mueller.

Dondre Daley (Iowa State wide receiver)

Quenton Bundrage is out for the season, but that means it’s time for some Iowa State receivers to step up. Allen Lazard is now a starter where Bundrage used to line up, and he had one big catch that set up Iowa State’s second touchdown, but there should be some more praise for Daley with a career-high five catches. The sophomore is already a quarter of the way to his total amount of yards from last season.

Jake Waters (Kansas State quarterback)

Normally I try to avoid the quarterback in these pieces because they already have enough focus, but this is a special exception. Waters has ties to Iowa State, wanting to play for them but the school not recruiting them because they liked what they had in Sam Richardson. Sure, there’s some ambition for Waters to beat the Cyclones, but there’s no ill-will toward them — he understood the situation. If the running game doesn’t get established, you can bet Waters will try to make some plays with his legs.

Home/Big 12 News