3 Kansas State Players to Watch Against Oklahoma State
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Oklahoma State is set for another Big 12 battle against some of the most dangerous players the conference has to offer.
On Saturday, OSU will be back on the field after its bye week to host Kansas State. While the season hasn’t gone according to plan for the 4-5 Wildcats, Saturday could be a perfect opportunity for them to get back on track in Stillwater, especially if OSU is unable to contain some of the Wildcats’ top players.
3 Kansas State Wildcats to watch against Oklahoma State:
QB Avery Johnson
The Kansas State offense begins and ends with what its star quarterback is able to do. Throughout his career, Johnson has struggled to live up to the lofty expectations thrown at him, but he still presents a challenge to any defense he faces.
This season, Johnson has thrown for 1,991 yards, 16 touchdowns and four interceptions. Add in 343 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground, and it’s clear that the Wildcats’ struggles this season aren’t exactly Johnson’s fault. As a dual-threat quarterback, OSU will have to be ready for just about everything when Johnson is has the ball.
WR Jayce Brown
While Johnson is certainly a great talent at the quarterback position, his receivers have certainly helped his numbers look that good, with Brown being a key piece of that puzzle. As Kansas State’s leading receiver this season, Brown has racked up 38 catches for 630 yards and four touchdowns. With another 116 yards and a touchdown as a rusher, the Cowboys will need to be ready for Kansas State to use its top weapon in a variety of ways.
Considering the Cowboys have had one of the worst passing defenses in the nation this season, Brown should have an opportunity to take advantage of the OSU secondary and put up some big numbers on Saturday.
LB Desmond Purnell
Although Kansas State’s defense has had a bit of a rocky campaign in 2025, Purnell has been someone the Wildcats can count on to make some big plays. This season, Purnell is second on the team with 50 tackles and has impacted the game in a variety of ways.
Through nine games, Purnell has also racked up 2,5 sacks, two interceptions, including a pick-six, one forced fumble and four pass breakups. While Zane Flores is back in action for the Pokes and played well against Kansas, he will need to watch out for Purnell all day.
Ivan is a sports media student at Oklahoma State University. He has covered OSU athletics since 2022 and also covers the OKC Thunder for Inside The Thunder and Thunderous Intentions.