MANHATTAN, Kan. — At 6-4 overall and 4-2 in Big 12 play, Kansas State in some ways is a distant perch from Mizzou (1-4 Big 12, 5-4) entering their game at Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Saturday.

But the resurgent Wildcats aren't brimming with some sense of entitlement, either. In fact, to hear them tell it on Tuesday, it's another week of groping for a way to win.

"It's a football team that hasn't given up," offensive tackle Nick Stringer said. "We've just been kind of grinding out the season, day by day, trying to get better."

Part of that mindset is a sense of themselves as a program still in rebuilding mode after five straight non-winning seasons.

Part of it is a reflection of their low-key coach, Snyder, who returned to the KSU sideline this season after three years of retirement.

But part of it is sheer reality: K-State is not yet assured of so much as a bowl berth, let alone the Big 12 North title.

Because two of its victories were over FCS opponents (Massachusetts and Tennessee Tech), KSU still needs one more over an FBS team to have the mandatory number of victories to qualify for a bowl. FBS teams can count only one victory over FCS opposition toward bowl eligibility.

SLACKING OFF

While MU set about rehabbing from its damaging 40-32 loss to Baylor on Saturday, reconciling it remained elusive Monday.

Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel believed his team had a terrific week of practice before allowing the Bears to end their 13-game Big 12 road losing streak and four-game losing streak overall.

Senior linebacker Sean Weatherspoon didn't disagree with Pinkel but added some illumination after Pinkel's news conference.

"We got beat in the last 48 hours," Weatherspoon said.

By that, he was referring to several unidentified players goofing around in the team hotel the night before the game.

"That was kind of flabbergasting to me," he said.

Without naming names, Weatherspoon also saw indications of the same casual attitude in the locker room after the loss.

"When I see people joking around when we lose it hurts me and it hurts the coaching staff," he said, later adding, "I'm highly upset right now."

Which is why Weatherspoon served up some fire and brimstone to the team when they huddled on Sunday before practice.

While Weatherspoon suggested the issue reflected a young team, he also found himself baffled. As an underclassman, he said, he tried to emulate his elders.

"Right now we're not seeing that," he said.

In the bigger picture, Weatherspoon noted that this week's depth chart has potential for some changes that weren't announced Monday.

"The depth chart has a lot of 'evens' on it right now," said Weatherspoon, evidently privy to a more in-depth version than that released to the media. "Not a lot of changes, but a lot of 'evens.' So we're going to get the right guys on the field."

EARNING HIS KEEP

MU sophomore kicker Grant Ressel is one of 20 semifinalists for the Lou Groza Award, which goes to the nation's top kicker. In his first year as a starter, Ressel has made 17 of 18 field goals and all 26 extra-point attempts. As he closes in on Jeff Wolfert's school record 21 field goals in a season, Ressel is second in the nation in field goal accuracy (minimum 10 attempts) and fourth in the nation in field goals a game (1.89).

Ressel walked on, but Pinkel said earlier this season it would be "a good idea" to give him a scholarship.

LOCAL LINE

Although his numbers are minimal in K-State's run-dominated attack, Hazelwood West's LaMark Brown is a starting receiver for the Wildcats with 13 catches and two touchdowns. Oakville's Alex Hrebec is a reserve linebacker with 32 tackles (including 19 solo). Injuries have limited defensive end Brandon Harold (East St. Louis), a freshman All-American last year, to just one game.

TIME PASSAGES

After playing nearly two-thirds of their games at night over the last few years, the Tigers' declining fortunes are casting them out of prime time. The 11:30 a.m. kickoff against Kansas State will mark the third straight day game for Mizzou after playing the previous four at night. The Tigers also will play day ball against Iowa State (1 p.m. on Nov. 21) and Kansas (2:30 p.m. on Nov. 28).