Here’s guessing this conversation has taken place between at least 20 pairs of Kansas University football fans:

Fan No. 1: “We won last year, and it’s just like last year. Kansas State was coming off of a big victory against Texas, and Kansas was coming off of a bye week.”

Fan No. 2: “True, but Kansas was at home last year, and this year the game is in Manhattan.”

What Fan No. 2 doesn’t realize is that similar conversations were taking place between K-State fans the previous week. They went like this:

Fan No. 1: “We beat Texas last year. Why can’t we beat them this year?”

Fan No. 2: “Because the game was at home last year, and it’s in Austin this year.”

Didn’t matter. Kansas State defeated Texas for the second year in a row.

Homefield advantage impacts outcomes in college football, but not as greatly as bye-week advantage.

Kansas State coach Ron Prince, his staff and players had two weeks to prepare for Texas, and it showed.

Kansas coach Mark Mangino, his staff and players are in the midst of two weeks of preparation for K-State, and it ought to show Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

The notion that Kansas (4-0) might have lost its winning momentum, its rhythm, by taking a week off is popular as well.

“You pick up rhythm,” KU cornerback/receiver Aqib Talib said. “Your body’s feeling better. You’re coming off a good win. Your body’s feeling so much better than if you had a game. We’ll be ready.”

Fresh bodies account for only a portion of the bye-week advantage. The fine-tuning that goes on during the first week, when players work on getting sharper at what they do instead of worrying about the opposition, also plays into it. For example, it no doubt was a factor in K-State reducing its penalty yardage to such a great extent in the Texas game.

Having two weeks to prepare for an opponent also comes into the equation in a big way. Coaches have more time to identify the best game plan and can drill it into the players sooner and more often.

For this matchup specifically, two other factors play in KU’s favor even more than in most bye-week situations.

First, Kansas State plays a true 3-4 defense, a rarity on today’s college football scene. Because it’s a novelty, preparing for it requires more time. Texas had one week, Kansas two.

The second factor: The no-huddle Kansas offense, which takes the stress off the quarterback because the audible calls come from upstairs to the sideline to the quarterback, is better suited than most at nullifying the advantage of the 3-4 defense.

No matter a team’s defensive alignment, four players are going to rush the quarterback in non-blitzing situations. In a defensive alignment with four down linemen, the blockers know where the pass rushers are coming from. In the case of a 3-4, the blockers have to identify which outside linebacker will rush the quarterback. A coach sitting upstairs has a better chance than a quarterback reading a defense to identify which linebacker will rush the passer.

And don’t forget, the school coming off a bye week is 5-0 in this series.

Call it Kansas 31, Kansas State 24.