I'm going to toss out my normal preview format for this game because I don't think Cincinnati particularly matters in this equation. Kansas State is better than Houston and lost to Houston. Kansas State is better than Arizona State and lost to Arizona State. Kansas State is better than Cincinnati, and it won't matter if Kansas State doesn't play better.

That starts with Avery Johnson.

Simply put, he hasn't been good enough the last two games. He's thrown 1 touchdown and 4 interceptions (granted, his last interception didn't matter one way or the other) and only run for 39 yards and a score. Heavy is the head that wears the quarterback crown, and Avery hasn't handled it well in the last two games. Maybe he's hurt, maybe he's not, but either way, if he plays better, the Wildcats are still fighting for a chance to win the Big 12.

He needs to stop thinking and start playing football. There's nothing wrong with running the ball. There have been multiple opportunities for Avery to tuck it and run over the last two games that, instead, have resulted in an errant or ill-advised pass. I know he wants to develop as a passer, but this is about winning games and getting better -- not just getting better. It looked like the light turned on in the second half of the Arizona State game once the offense picked up the tempo and Avery started moving around in the pocket more. I'm going to guess that's because the hurry-up is more about action and less about thinking.

Avery has all the physical skills in the world, but he's still missing reads in the passing game at the worst possible moments. I'm looking for a simplified game plan on Saturday that leans a little heavier on those physical skills and less on his ability to read coverage. I'd like to see the coaching staff acknowledge his struggles, cut the field in half, and give him more "option A or run" plays. This offense needs to find more consistency, and utilizing Avery more in the run game while also simplifying what he does in the passing game is the way forward -- at least in my humble opinion.

I don't think much else needs to change in the equation for the 'Cats to get back on the right side of the win/loss column other than improved quarterback play, but there are also a couple of other glaring issues that have kept them from winning with bad quarterback play.

First and foremost, special teams have been a nightmare. That's normally a strength for Coach Klieman's squad, but the long snappers are in their own head. You ever line up a golf shot, pull the club back, and then think, "Don't mess this up"? I have, and it usually ends with me fighting through the underbrush in search of my ball -- or in a splash. I guarantee that's what is happening with the long snappers. If you go out to practice, I'm willing to bet you don't see a single snap on the ground. This isn't a skill issue. These guys can snap the ball, but now they've got the fear. Once the fear grabs you, it's tough to shake. The 'Cats need one of the two snappers to shake the fear on Saturday. Field goal kicking can't be this much of an adventure. The game is hard enough without failing at the routine things.

Then there's the defense.

They were better against the run than I remember against Arizona State, limiting Skattebo to 73 yards on 25 carries (2.9 YPC), but there were multiple times where the defense had him dead to rights and failed to stop him before he reached the first down. At the same time, when Arizona State was trying to control the clock with their star back in the second half, the defense stepped up multiple times and gave the offense a chance to get back in the game (only to be foiled by a bad snap).

While the run defense was respectable, the secondary was horrendous in the first half. Sigle got juked to the ground on a route for a touchdown. Riley and Garber blew a coverage for a touchdown. They simply ignored the tight end on the tight end screen pass. No offense to Chamon Metayer -- he's a better athlete on his worst day than I was on my best -- but I'm pretty sure I house that tight end screen as well, right now, at 43 with a bad knee. They tightened up in the second half and only allowed a field goal over the last two quarters, but you can't take a half off and expect to win a college football game.

That's the most disappointing thing about the last two weeks. I feel like they got outworked and outexecuted by both Houston and Arizona State. What takes Kansas State from a team with middle-of-the-pack Big 12 talent to a team consistently in the Big 12 race is their ability to outwork and out-execute the opponent. When that doesn't happen, they can lose to anyone.

Kansas State is a better team, on paper, than Cincinnati, but you don't win games on paper. The Wildcats know that better than most. They've lost plenty of games on paper that they not only won, but dominated, on the field. To see that reversed against Houston and Arizona State was jarring. That needs to stop on Saturday. This team -- and specifically Avery Johnson -- need to make a stand. They got out-toughed by the Cougars and the Sun Devils. I don't want to throw around the word "soft," but they certainly didn't look like the hardened, veteran unit I'm used to watching these last few weeks.