Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl 2013 Michigan vs Kansas State

Bowl History: The Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl  …. the NCAA certified this Bowl in 1989 and the game has been played annually since that time! This Bowl has had a variety of sponsors: Domino’s Pizza (1989-90), Weiser Lock (1991-95), Insight Enterprises (1996-2011) & in 2012, Buffalo Wild Wings.   The first game in this bowl series took place on December, 31, 1989 … Arizona beat North Carolina State, 17-10 while last years game featured, Michigan State and TCU, a game won by the Spartans (MSU), 17-16! The 2011 game, is best remembered for … the ESPN Skycam crashing on to the field and almost taking out Iowa’s WR , Marvin McNutt! This 2011 addition of the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, (last year known as the Insight Bowl) had the best attendance in its history, 54,247! Finally, the conference tie-ins are Big Ten /Big 12 & the Bowl Pay out is $3,300,000.00 per team!

Teams: Conference Affiliation: Big 10; Michigan: Overall Record 7-5, Conference Record 3-5, Divisional Record 2-3 (Big 10’s Legends Division) vs Kansas State: Conference  Affiliation: Big 12; Overall Record 7-5, Conference Record: 4-5!

Bowl Location: Tempe, Arizona @ Sun Devil Stadium, the seating capacity @ the facility is 71,706. Last year’s game which featured Michigan State and TCU, was attended by 44,617.

Day, Date & Time: Saturday, 12/28/2013 @ 9:15

Network: ESPN

Best Win(s): Michigan: Notre Dame 41-30; Kansas State: Texas Tech 49-26

Worst Losses: Michigan: Nebraska @ Home 17-13; Kansas State: North Dakota State 24-21

Common Opponents: None!

Las Vegas Hotsheet Favorite: Kansas State -3.5

Offensive Team Data: Michigan; Total Yards,  380 YPG; Passing Yards,  251 YPG;  Rushing Yards,  129 YPG; Scoring Average,  34 PPG, Turnovers,  1.67 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 3.86%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 91% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 82%

Offensive Team Data: Kansas State ; Total Yards,  421YPG; Passing Yards, 227 YPG;  Rushing Yards, 194 YPG; Scoring Average  33 PPG, Turnovers,  1.92 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 47.7%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 87% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 73%

Defensive Team Data: Michigan ; Total Yards,  366 YPG; Passing Yards,  227 YPG;  Rushing Yards,  139 YPG; Scoring Average,  27 PPG, Turnovers,  2 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 38%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 85% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 51%

Defensive Team Data: Kansas State; Total Yards,  364 YPG; Passing Yards,  220 YPG;  Rushing Yards,  144 YPG; Scoring Average,  24 PPG, Turnovers,  2.17 TPG; Percent of 3rd Down Conversions, 41%; Percentage of all scores in Red Zone, 90% & Percentage of TD’s in Red Zone, 59%

Sully’s CFP Game Simulator is a statistical analysis / predictor of how these teams will preform, based solely on their numbers, when they face off on the gridiron! Keep in mind, these stats were established against different teams and conferences and these differences must be taken into account to get a complete picture when attempting to predetermine a winner. If you are interested in how the Simulator works … read this part … if not … skip it! The process used is … we take Michigan’s total yards on offense, add it to what K-State gives up on defense, …  get a total and then divide that number by 2 … to get the mean. We then invert the process by taking Kansas State’s total offense, add it to what Michigan gives up on defense, get a total and divide that number by 2  to get the second mean… the greater number (with the exception of Turnovers) is then determined to have the advantage ( please note …. statistical advantage). We repeat this process in each of the eight statistical categories assessed!  That said… here are the results of the Head to Head Analysis:

Total Yards:  Advantage, Kansas State …. 394 to 372

Passing Yards: Advantage, Michigan…. 236 to 227

Rushing Yards: Advantage, Kansas State…. 167 to 137

Scoring: Advantage, Kansas State…. 30 to 29

Turnovers: Advantage, Michigan … 1.92 to 1.96

3rd Down Conversions: Advantage, Kansas State … 42.9 to 39.8

Red Zone All Scores: Advantage, Michigan … 90.5% to 86%

Red Zone TD’s Only: Advantage, Michigan … 70.5% to 62%

Individuals to Watch: Michigan:  QB Devin Gardner 2960 Passing Yards, 21 TD’s & 11 INT’s & WR Jeremy Gallon 80 Receptions, 1284 yards, & 9 TD’s; Kansas State: QB Jake Walters 2198 yards passing, 15 TD’s & 9 INT’s & WR Tyler Lockett, 71 receptions, 1146 yerds receiving &  8 TD’s

Sully Says: The Big 12 played 8 BCS opponents out of conference and went 4-4, (including 2 of the 4 wins that were against SMU, who was not in a BCS conference until this year … AAC) Take the Wolverines and and the 4 points … Michigan wins outright!