The Kansas State Wildcats have the huge task of stopping Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback JC French
The Kansas State Wildcats feel they have an advantage every game because they possess a dual-threat quarterback named Avery Johnson.
This week, they are up against a similar disadvantage.
The Wildcats face the Cincinnati Bearcats in the Big 12 conference opener for both teams. The Bearcats are led by quarterback JC French, who has the same set of passing and running skills as Johnson.
French has completed 62 of 81 passes for 631 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions. He has also run 33 times for 143 yards and four scores. Kansas State first-year coach Collin Klein said stopping French is key if the Wildcats plan to open league play with a victory.
"I think their quarterback is extremely competitive," Klein said. "(He) made plays for them last week when the game was in jeopardy and did some really nice things there."
After cruising in their first two games with victories against the Boston College Eagles and Western Carolina Catamounts, the Bearcats had their toughest game last week against Miami of Ohio. They needed a huge game from French to hang on for a 35-31 victory.
French completed 31 of 43 passes for 309 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for 16 times for 39 yards and a touchdown. The numbers were similar to the effort that Johnson had last week for the Wildcats against the Tulane Green Wave.
He completed 21 of 28 passes for 227 yards while also rushing for a career-high 152 yards and two touchdowns in a 31-20 victory. This should be the Wildcats toughest test of the season after starting the season with a 71-3 victory against the Nicholls Cowboys and a 34-7 win over the Washington State Cougars.
This is also K-State's first road game of the season, making this a stiff challenge for Klein and the rest of the team.
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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of KStateRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected]
