Manhattan ? From Kansas State’s point of view, Ell Roberson probably couldn’t have picked a better game to watch from the bench.

The senior quarterback of the No. 7 Wildcats injured his non-throwing hand last week in the second quarter of a 55-14 rout of McNeese State, the No. 1 team in Division I-AA.

Next up for Kansas State is Massachusetts, the No. 10 Division I-AA program and a team with injury problems of its own.

Coach Bill Snyder, refusing to give details, has only said Roberson is out indefinitely and that rarely used former walk-on and McLouth High product Jeff Schwinn will start.

“Contrary to some reports, he will be back, I just don’t know exactly when,” Snyder said. “We’ll know when we know. Jeff is going to be fine.”

If Schwinn goes down, his backup is freshman Dylan Meier. And if something should befall Meier … it probably won’t matter, as the bigger, faster Wildcats (3-0) figure to make it 10-0 in their last 10 games against Division I-AA foes.

A simplified game plan will probably call for lots of handoffs between Schwinn and running back Darren Sproles, one of the best in the Big 12.

One Massachusetts fan who did not seem to be expecting much from the Minutemen (1-0) was coach Mark Whipple.

“We need to get out of that first quarter still in the game,” he said.

En route to a 55-14 victory over McNeese State, K-State scored 28 points in the first quarter alone.

UMass has problems of its own. Running back Raunny Rosario and wide receiver Greg Scott are both out.

Rosario appeared to hurt a knee in a 51-7 victory over Central Connecticut, and Whipple said sophomore Steve Baylark would start in his pace.

Scott sat out the second half of the Central Connecticut game with his arm in a sling.