K-State's No. 1 Pass Defense Faces its First True Test Against Cincinnati

When it comes to defending the pass, there hasn't been a team in the country that is doing it better than K-State.

Entering the Big 12 opener against Cincinnati, the Wildcats are ranked No. 1 by allowing only 85.7 passing yards per game. The combination of an outstanding pass rush, combined with a physical secondary has made it extremely difficult for opponents to have any success throwing the ball.

The toughest test to date looms on Saturday, though, as Cincinnati quarterback JC French IV presents a different type of challenge.

On the season, French has thrown for 631 yards and five touchdowns, while completing 76.5% of his passes. Only Noah Fifita has completed a higher percentage in the Big 12, and French ranks sixth in all of college football.

Defensive line is making things very difficult for opposing quarterbacks

A big reason why the Wildcats' passing defense has been so good is because of its ability to get after opposing quarterbacks. Through three games, K-State has 11 sacks and 30 tackles for loss. Both of those rank first in the Big 12 and are in the top 6 in the country.

During his weekly press conference, Collin Klein said the defensive line is forcing opponents to change how they are atacking the Wildcats.

“The game of football is won and lost up front. So, our secondary has done a great job," Klein said. "They are doing a great job. Teams are afraid to drop back and pass because of our ability to rush the passer and get to the quarterback. So, through the first three weeks, there's been a conscious decision on our opponents’ part to adjust how many times they drop back and how many times they put the ball in the air. That's a credit to everybody."

In the win last week against Tulane, the Wildcats finished that game with six sacks, which was the most in a game since 2024 against Colorado.

Cincinnati is a well-balanced offensive attack

The Wildcats have done a great job of getting off to a big lead, and making opposing offenses one-dimensional. That will be put to the test against a Bearcats offense that that can hurt defenses in many different ways.

Cincinnati is averaging 43.7 points in its first three games and has scored at least 30 in all three games. While French has been outstanding to start the year, the Bearcats are also averaging 269.7 rushing yards.

French is able to make it tough on a great pass rush like K-State, as he does a very good job of getting the ball out quickly. Even when he is passing the ball, it can feel like a run how quick it is out of his hands.

Both teams have to be confident coming into this game. For the Bearcats, they have a dynamic offense that will test K-State's secondary like it hasn't been this year. However, making no mistake about it, the Wildcats also test Cincinnati in ways the Bearcats haven't seen either. The race for the Big 12 begins on Saturday, and it is time to start separating the true contenders.

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