Iowa State vs Kansas State: 3 Player Props and Best Bet for Saturday, August 23

Céad míle fáilte, college football bettors!

It’s appropriate to open with an Irish hospitality – a Gaelic phrase that literally translates into “a hundred thousand welcomes” – with the NCAA’s first kick-off coming from the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Dublin, Ireland.

This year’s participants are two schools that are well-acquainted with each other. When the No. 17-ranked Kansas State Wildcats take the field against the No. 22-ranked Iowa State Cyclones, it will be the 109th consecutive meeting between these two schools.

Who will win this Big 12 matchup abroad? We’ll cover that and provide bettors with three of our favorite player prop bets, helping you lassies and laddies earn a big pot of gold on college football’s opening weekend.

Kansas State Wildcats QB Avery Johnson UNDER 205.5 Passing Yards

Kansas State returns junior quarterback Avery Johnson in 2025. The 6-foot-3 signal-caller finished last year with 2,712 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions in his first year as a starter. The Kansas native led the Wildcats to a 9-4 mark, including a victory in his team’s bowl game.

Last year, Johnson did not surpass the 200-yard mark in his first four contests, including three competitive games. Instead, the Wildcats relied on his legs and the team’s ability to run the football (see below for more details) to win football games. Expect a similar pattern to emerge this year, and bettors should take the under on this player prop wager.

Iowa State Cyclones TE Gabe Burkle OVER 12.5 Receiving Yards

The Cyclones are also returning their quarterback this season, welcoming back Rocco Becht for his junior season. That’s great news for every Iowa State receiver, but extremely good news for Gabe Burkle.

The Iowa native finished the 2024 campaign with 26 receptions for 296 yards and a score. While those aren’t uber-impressive numbers, it makes the tight end the top returning receiver this season.

That connection between Burkle and Becht will pay dividends this fall. Expect Burkle to start his strong junior season off with a bang, easily recording more than a dozen receiving yards to cover his player prop bet.

Kansas State Wildcats RB Dylan Edwards OVER 77.5 Rushing Yards

The departure of D.J. Giddens allows Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards to step up in a big way for the Wildcats. Last year, he finished with 546 rushing yards on 74 carries, adding five scores for the nation’s second-best rushing attack.

This season, he’ll be the featured back. Expect him to consistently log 15-20 carries per game like Giddens. That means bettors should expect him to finish around the century mark during each outing, making his player prop a must bet for Saturday’s season opener.

Best Bet: Iowa State (+3.5)

This matchup features two offensive divergent schemes going against defenses that will struggle to defend their opponents. Iowa State’s aerial attack was solid under Becht in 2024, and Kansas State struggled to defend the pass last season.

Conversely, the Wildcats have one of the nation’s strongest rushing attacks. That’s a weakness for the Cyclone defense. That means both teams should score a lot of points, making the 50.5-point over an option, too.

But the best bet for this contest is that this game will be close throughout. Iowa State has the upper hand for this matchup, and I expect the Cyclones will either pull off the upset or narrowly lose this one.