Houston vs Kansas State Picks and Prediction for Saturday October 10, 2026
The Houston Cougars will travel to Manhattan, Kansas, Saturday afternoon for a Big 12 matchup against the Kansas State Wildcats. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 PM with coverage on FOX. Houston enters the weekend ranked No. 22 nationally with a 4-1 record and will look to pick up another important conference victory. The Cougars have put together a strong start to the season and will try to continue that success away from home. Kansas State comes into the game with a 3-1 record and will have the advantage of playing in front of its home crowd. The Wildcats will look to build momentum in conference play and improve their position in the Big 12 standings. Kansas State is listed as a 2.5-point favorite, with the total set at 55.5 points. The Wildcats are -138 on the money line, while Houston comes in at +120. Stay in the action with our College Football Picks.
Houston looks to defend their ranking
Conner Weigman leads the Houston offense with 1,186 passing yards and 11 touchdowns on 91 completions. Weigman has also contributed 156 rushing yards and 6 scores on 42 carries. Makhi Hughes has added 309 yards and one touchdown on 48 carries, while Re'Shaun Sanford II has chipped in 314 yards and 2 scores on 66 carries. Amare Thomas leads the Houston receivers with 330 yards and 4 touchdowns on 27 catches. Patrick Overmeyer has added 317 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 receptions, while Koby Young has contributed 176 yards and 4 scores on 8 catches.
The Houston offense did the work a week ago, scoring 27 points all in the second half on 393 total yards of offense. Defensively, Houston was the better team, giving up 17 points on 332 yards and forcing 1 turnover in the win. Connor Weigman led the way for Houston a week ago completing 18 passes for 239 yards and running the ball 13 times for 50 yards and three scores. Re’Shaun Sanford II led the way on the ground for Houston with 62 yards on 18 carries. Patrick Overmeyer was the top receiver on the team with 76 yards on 6 grabs.
Kansas State hunts the home win
Avery Johnson is leading the Kansas State offense this season with 910 yards and seven touchdowns on 88 completions, along with a team-high 291 yards and three scores on 30 carries. Rodney Fields has added 49 carries for 274 yards and four scores, and Jay Harris has chipped in 14 carries for 88 yards and three touchdowns. Derrick Salley Jr. leads the team with 178 yards and one touchdown on 11 receptions.
Offensively, Kansas State moved the ball well last week, scoring 26 points on 447 total yards but converted only 10 third downs on multiple attempts and turned the ball over one time in the loss. Defensively, Kansas State was outmatched, giving up 31 points, including 21 in the second half, on 436 total yards. Avery Johnson led the charge for the Kansas State offense last week, completing 30 passes for 292 yards and one score and ran the ball 6 times for 38 yards. Joe Jackson led the team with 59 yards and 11 carries and Rodney Fields chipped in 12 carries for 50 yards and two scores. Derrick Salley Jr. led the team with 140 yards and one touchdown on 7 catches.
Houston vs Kansas State Picks and Prediction
Pick: Houston Cougars +2.5 (-110)
Houston has a chance to make a statement Saturday afternoon when the Cougars travel to Kansas State for a difficult conference matchup. The Wildcats have enough offensive talent to make things interesting, especially with the support of their home crowd. Houston will need to control the football and limit mistakes to prevent Kansas State from building momentum. The Cougars have shown they can compete at a high level this season and should have plenty of confidence coming into this game. Kansas State will have opportunities to put points on the board, but Houston should be able to find success offensively and make enough plays down the stretch to pull off the road victory.
Pick: Under 55.5 (-118)
Neither team will want to give away easy scoring opportunities Saturday when Houston and Kansas State meet in Manhattan. The Cougars should focus on keeping Kansas State from consistently moving the football, while the Wildcats will try to make Houston work for every possession. Both teams have enough talent to produce points, but this matchup could feature several lengthy drives that take time off the clock. Field position and turnovers will be important, especially if the game remains close heading into the fourth quarter. Houston and Kansas State should each have productive offensive stretches, but neither side is likely to completely take over. Expect a competitive game that finishes below the posted total.