Kansas State and their quarterback, Collin Klein, just keep rolling right along doing what they do which is winning football games. The Wildcats' offense is the exact opposite of most of the high-flying acts defenses see on a weekly basis playing in the Big 12.
It's not spectacular, there's no razzle-dazzle, and it's very methodical which leaves opponents thinking they have an actual chance every time out.
But one after the other, their opponents end up in a roadside ditch as the Wildcat train barrels through leaving teams scratching their head wondering what just happened.
Up next for the Wildcats is Iowa State.
Everyone in the Big 12 is talking about Oklahoma and Texas this coming weekend for good reason. But one of the more intriguing matchups to watch this week is how Iowa State's defense stacks up against Kansas State's offense.
The Cyclones are solid up front and have two of the best linebackers in the conference, if not the country, in A.J. Klein and Jake Knott. There might not be a defense in the Big 12 better suited to slow down what K-State does on offense.
Paul Rhoads took over at Iowa State the same year Bill Snyder returned to Kansas State (2009) and has yet to beat him in three meetings, although those three games were all decided by a touchdown or less.
Rhoads was asked his thoughts on Klein during his Monday press conference and what exactly makes him so good. Every week opposing coaches are asked the same thing and if you've ever watched Kansas State, you'll likely agree Rhoads' description of what they do is about as dead-on as you can be.
What makes Klein such a challenge for a defense?
"The patience he executes plays with. It's uncanny. You sit there and watch and see how long it takes for a play to develop. Whether it's on TV or game tape, somebody is going to show up here and make a tackle for a two yard gain and they just don't. They don't show up. He waits and he has great vision, he lets it expose itself and then he gets it."
As for the Kansas State offense in general:
"In running an offense that way, they put themselves in so many manageable down and distance situations where you get on your heels as a defensive football team because it feels like you can't ever get off the field and stop them. He's the reason for that."
Many are touting Klein for the Heisman although you would have to consider him a dark horse considering some of the ridiculous offensive stats that are being put up by others on a weekly basis. The only way it happens is if Kansas State continues to win games. If that happens, he'll at least find himself in New York for the awards presentation, something that almost seem unimaginable not long ago.
You can bet he has Iowa State's attention on Saturday.
"Collin Klein is a very big man. I don't know how many of you have stood next to him. He's a very smart football player. He's a very strong football player," Rhoads added.
"Quarterback run game creates and extra gap in your defense so your outnumbered so to speak. You have a guy that is very patient in a situation where he already has you out-leveraged or outnumbered and he finds a way to have success. He presents a great challenge for our football team."
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Here are a couple other quick nuggets from Rhoad's press conference on Monday. You can see the entire video below, as well.
"We are facing our sixth undefeated team of the 2012 season (KSU). I challenge you to find anybody else in the country that everyone of their opponents has been undefeated when they've played them, matching right up with what the NCAA currently says is the strongest schedule in college football.:
Do you go in (every week) almost saying we have to score X amount? "Seventy-one points generally (draws some laughs)". Is that just this year? "No, right now that 's the benchmark for this year. Seventy-one should win it."
I'd say Baylor agrees with that.
