Garnering a preseason ranking for the second time in four years, K-State (20th AP, 19th Coaches’) opens the 2017 season against a ranked FCS opponent in No. 15 Central Arkansas on Saturday night at 6:10 p.m., inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The contest will be shown on ESPN3 and also available on the WatchESPN app with Brian Smoller (play-by-play) and former Wildcat tight end Travis Tannahill (analyst) on the call. The game can be heard across the 40-station K-State Sports Network with Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play), former K-State quarterback Stan Weber (analyst) and Matt Walters (sidelines) calling the action. The game will also be on Sirius channel 157, XM Channel 202 and in addition to the TuneIn app. Live stats are available at k-statesports.com, while Twitter updates (@ kstate_gameday, @KStateFB) will all be a part of the coverage.Image may be NSFW.
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A LOOK AT K-STATE
- Entering his 26th season at the helm of the Wildcats, College Football Hall of Famer Bill Snyder brings back 44 letterwinners – including 18 starters – from last year’s squad that earned a 9-4 record.
- Eight of the returning starters picked up All-Big 12 accolades in 2016, including Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year D.J. Reed (DB) and Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year Reggie Walker (DE).
- The K-State defense has six starters returning, which includes three on the line and three in the secondary. The Wildcats must break in a new set of starting linebackers, but players with experience are back and vying for the top spots.
- Senior Jesse Ertz returns at quarterback after starting all 13 games a year ago as he was one of just four players in the nation last year to throw for 1,500 yards and rush for 1,000 yards.
- The Wildcats’ rushing attack is deep with Alex Barnes, Justin Silmon and Dalvin Warmack looking to share the load in the backfield.
- Protecting Ertz and opening up holes in the running game, five players that made at least five starts along the offensive line are back, including a pair of 13-game starters at tackle in Scott Frantz (LT) and Dalton Risner (RT).
A LOOK AT CENTRAL ARKANSAS
- Central Arkansas also returns 18 starters from a squad that went 10-3, including an 8-1 mark in Southland Conference play, as the Bears reached the second round of the 2016 FCS Playoffs.
- UCA is ranked 15th in both the Preseason FCS Coaches Poll and STATS FCS Top 25.
- Led by fourth-year head coach Steve Campbell, UCA brings back its entire offensive line, a senior starting quarterback in Hayden Hildebrand and its top running back from 2016 in Carlos Blackman.
