Kansas State hosts Washington State on Saturday as a 17.5-point favorite, and the number is doing a lot of work after two very different openers. Kansas State buried FCS Nicholls 71-3. Washington State managed 10 points in an Apple Cup loss at Washington. The spread has already ticked a point toward the road side, and the public is piling in there too. Our picks are below.
Last Updated: Saturday, September 12, 2026
Washington State vs. Kansas State — Time & How to Watch
| Where | Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan KS |
| When | Saturday, September 12 – 12:00 PM ET |
| TV | TNT |
Washington State vs. Kansas State Betting Preview
This is the first meeting between the two programs. Kansas State is 1-0, Washington State is 0-1, and the schedules behind those records look nothing alike. Both teams are also breaking in new head coaches. Collin Klein took over at Kansas State after coordinating the Texas A&M offense. Kirby Moore runs Washington State after coordinating Missouri’s.
Kansas State’s opener told us more about the opponent than the host. The Wildcats beat Nicholls by 68 and quarterback Avery Johnson threw for 199 yards with three touchdown passes. Johnson also broke the program’s career touchdown-pass record in the win. Running back Rodney Fields Jr. added 101 yards on the ground.
Washington State’s numbers were far uglier, though the opponent was ranked. The Cougars fell 24-10 at Washington, committed three turnovers, and did not convert a third down all afternoon. Quarterback Caden Pinnick went 16-of-25 for 142 yards with two interceptions and led the team in rushing with 61 yards. The running backs combined for just 38.
Availability matters here as well. Cougars’ top receiver Tony Freeman is likely to miss this game with a knee injury suffered early in the opener. He is also Washington State’s primary return man. Neither team is ranked in the current AP Top 25. For more Big 12 coverage, see our Missouri vs. Kansas prediction.
Washington State vs. Kansas State Odds
| Spread | Moneyline | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington State | +17.5 (-110) | +625 | U 49 (-110) |
| Kansas State | -17.5 (-110) | -1000 | O 49 (-110) |
Odds accurate as of September 12, 2026 via TheSpread.com. Odds change, get the latest NCAAF Odds – Futures – Props
Washington State vs. Kansas State — Who Is the Public Betting?
| Washington State | 89% | 11% | Kansas State |
See the latest College Football Public Betting Splits and make smarter wagers!
Washington State vs. Kansas State Prediction — Can the Road Underdog Hang Around the Number?
Start with the market. Kansas State opened laying 18.5 and now sits at 17.5, a one-point move toward the visitor. That lines up with the tickets. Roughly nine in ten spread bets are on Washington State. When a heavy public side also gets the better number, the price is usually shaded to that traffic rather than against it.
The case for the points is straightforward. Washington State just played a ranked team on the road and lost by two scores. Three turnovers and a scoreless first three quarters did most of the damage. Clean those up and the offense does not need to be good to stay inside 17.5. Kansas State, meanwhile, has beaten one FCS opponent. Nobody knows yet how that defense handles a Power Four quarterback who can run.
The case against is the shape of the Washington State offense. Zero third-down conversions is not variance. It is a line that could not move anyone up the middle, a back group averaging barely two yards a carry, and a quarterback carrying the run game himself. Now that unit loses its best receiver, travels two time zones, and starts at 9 a.m. body clock. Kansas State has the veteran quarterback and the home field. We will lay the number.
The Pick: Kansas State -17.5 (-110)
Washington State vs. Kansas State Prediction — Will a Stalled Offense Keep the Scoring Down?
Forty-nine is a fair opening read, and it has not budged since the game went up. The argument for the over is Kansas State’s ceiling. The Wildcats hung 71 in the opener, Johnson has an experienced arm, and Klein’s offenses at Texas A&M were not shy. If Kansas State scores in the mid-30s, Washington State only needs two touchdowns to push this through.
The problem is that Washington State has to hold up one side of the total, and last week it could not sustain a drive. An offense that goes 0-for-11 on third and fourth down does not sustain possessions, and short Cougar drives mean fewer total snaps for both teams. Add in the likely game script. A double-digit host that gets ahead early tends to lean on the run and drain the clock rather than chase points. The Nicholls score is a poor guide to what a Power Four defense allows.
The Pick: Under 49 (-110)
Final Thoughts and Bonus Angle
There is no moneyline angle worth taking here. Kansas State at -1000 asks for a huge outlay on a team that has beaten one FCS opponent, and Washington State at +625 sits about where a two-touchdown road dog with this offense belongs. The value lives on the spread and the total.
What would make us wrong is easy to picture. If Pinnick’s legs travel and Washington State converts on third down, this turns into a 27-20 type of game. That result loses the spread. The two picks are also correlated, so anyone playing both should size accordingly.
Our picks for this game: Kansas State -17.5 (-110) on the spread, and Under 49 (-110) on the total.
NCAAF Washington State vs. Kansas State FAQ: Saturday September 12, 2026
What time does the Washington State vs. Kansas State game start?
Kickoff is set for 12:00 p.m. ET on Saturday, September 12, 2026. That is 11 a.m. local time in Manhattan, Kansas, and 9 a.m. on the West Coast, an unusually early body-clock start for the traveling Washington State team. Both schools list the same 11 a.m. Central start on their official schedules.
What channel is the Washington State vs. Kansas State game on?
The game airs on TNT. It is also carried on HBO Max, which streams the same broadcast for subscribers, so cord-cutters can watch there without a cable login. Kansas State and Washington State both list the TNT and HBO Max pairing on their official game notes for this Saturday window.
Where are Washington State and Kansas State playing?
The game is at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas, on the Kansas State campus. This is a true road game for Washington State, not a neutral site. The two programs have never played each other before, and Kansas State is scheduled to make the return trip to Pullman in 2029.
What conference are Washington State and Kansas State in?
Washington State competes in the Pac-12 and Kansas State competes in the Big 12, so this is a non-conference matchup. Both teams entered the week 0-0 in league play. Washington State opens Pac-12 competition later this season, while Kansas State begins Big 12 play against Cincinnati on September 26.
Who is starting at quarterback for Washington State and Kansas State?
Caden Pinnick starts for Washington State and Avery Johnson starts for Kansas State. Pinnick is a redshirt sophomore who transferred in from UC Davis, where he was an FCS Freshman All-American. Johnson is a senior who already owns the Kansas State record for career touchdown passes.