Kansas State starting quarterback Skylar Thompson out for the season

A huge blow to the 3-1 and #22-ranked Kansas State Wildcats, as starting senior quarterback Skylar Thompson is out for the rest of 2020 following surgery on an “upper body injury” last week.

The announcement was made on head coach Chris Klieman’s weekly conference call today. Thompson has played in four consecutive seasons for K-State, going 40/646 for 626 yards and four touchdowns without an interception during three games in 2020.

The Wildcats sit at 3-1 overall after a loss to Arkansas State to open 2020, but 3-0 in the Big XII. After a huge upset of #3 Oklahoma they are still in contention for their first outright conference championship since Eli Roberson led the Little Apple to the title in 2003 over Jason White and the Sooners.

Quarterback Will Howard will step in for Thompson, but the drop-off is significant. He was 8/19 for just 117 in a 21-14 win over TCU last Saturday. Howard added 86 yards on the ground in 13 carries.

Because of the blanket waiver policy, Thompson was already allowed to return to compete in 2021, so his injury won’t affect that status, and in fact could be granted a sixth-year injury waiver from the NCAA for 2022 because he only participated in three games. But it’s a big a loss for a Wildcats team hoping for the Big XII championship game this season.

K-State currently sits at +900 to win the conference at DraftKings Sportsbook.