Kansas State fans getting a first look at the Collin Klein era in a video game are seeing a mixed bag: a respectable team rating, a few eye-catching player numbers and one very obvious issue that should get fixed fast.
EA Sports College Football 27 has the Wildcats at 81 overall at launch, which puts them in a tie for 34th nationally and right in the middle of the Big 12 pack. Kansas State lands behind Texas Tech (87), BYU (86), Houston (83), Oklahoma State (83) and Arizona (82), and sits alongside Arizona State, Colorado and UCF at 81.
The roster ratings give a pretty clear picture of where the game thinks Kansas State stands. The offense is dragged down by the line, while the defense’s top interior players and linebackers come in a little lighter than elite teams. The two highest-rated defensive tackles are 77 and 76 overall, and the highest-rated linebacker is a 75.
Around the Big 12, the rankings shake out like this: Texas Tech is first at 87, BYU second at 86, Houston and Oklahoma State are tied at 83, Arizona is fifth at 82, and then Arizona State, Colorado, Kansas State, UCF and Utah are all tied at 81. TCU checks in at 80, Baylor and Cincinnati are at 79, West Virginia is 78, Iowa State is 77 and Kansas is 77.
The game also brings back a fan favorite with “Mascot Mashup,” letting players take control of mascots again. That means Willie Wildcat is back in the mix as a playable character, and you can even load up a team full of Willie Wildcats.
Kansas State also gets a stadium option that lets players switch to a stripe-out look, with every other section alternating purple and white.
One early snag stands out immediately: Avery Johnson does not look like Avery Johnson. The game has him with black hair instead of the blonde look fans know, and that update is expected to come soon.
On the field in Dynasty Mode, the simulation gives Kansas State a 10-3 finish. The Wildcats lose to Houston, TCU and Arizona, but they do beat Kansas 45-2 for their 18th straight win in the rivalry, according to the game.
K-State does not make the College Football Playoff in the sim, while BYU wins the Big 12. Ole Miss wins the national title behind Trinidad Chambliss, who takes the Heisman.
Kansas State ends up in the Liberty Bowl and beats Georgia 38-17.
Johnson’s simulated season is productive: 19 touchdown passes, 13 rushing touchdowns, 3,301 passing yards and seven interceptions. The ground game gets a major boost too, with Johnson, Joe Jackson, Rodney Fields Jr. and Jay Harris combining for 41 rushing touchdowns.
The Wildcats’ top-rated players in the game start with Johnson at 88 overall. He’s just outside the top 10 quarterbacks and brings 88 speed, 93 acceleration and a 93 throw-on-the-run rating, which makes him a dangerous option in the game.
Garrett Oakley is next at 87 overall, putting him among the top 10 tight ends. Ja’Son Prevard also comes in at 87 after transferring from Virginia, where he graded well as a nickel. He’s still fighting for a starting spot.
Joe Jackson is rated 85 overall after his late-season surge, while Wendell Gregory is also at 85 after winning Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year. Jaron Tibbs is an 84, and John Pastore is another 84.
Pastore’s spot helps highlight one of the team’s bigger questions at launch: the offensive line. Colorado State transfer Tanner Morley is the second-highest-rated lineman at 79 overall, followed by Gus Hawkins at 76, Tyler Johnson at 75, George Fitzpatrick at 75 and Dylan Villarouel at 74.
Kaleb Patterson leads the cornerbacks at 83 overall, though the Wildcats could still start Zaschon Rich at 79 and/or Donovan McIntosh at 76. Jay Harris and Rodney Fields are both 81 overall at running back, and Fields could see his rating change as the year goes on. Adrian Maddox is 80 overall at safety, with Wesley Fair entering at 73.
EA Sports College Football 27, the 24th game in the series and the third since its 2024 return after an 11-year break, launches July 9 for $69.99. Early preorder access begins July 2.
In Other News...
Kansas State May Have Found The Answer Avery Johnson Needed
Kansas States passing game has been looking for a new headliner, and Josh Manning gives Avery Johnson a familiar kind of answer. The former Missouri receiver arrives after three seasons with the Tigers and is expected to step into the top spot in the Wildcats receiving group, a timely boost for an offense that needed to replace production after Jayce Brown moved on to LSU.
The staff is also still working the recruiting trail, with an offer out to Antonio Dural, a two-way athlete from Klein Oak High School in Texas who plays both cornerback and wide receiver. Mannings presence gives Kansas State a proven target to build around now, while the Dural pursuit shows the Wildcats are still trying to add more speed and flexibility to the room for the long haul. [Read more 🡒]
Wendell Gregory Carries Huge Expectations Into Collin Kleins First Kansas State Season
Wendell Gregory arrives in Manhattan with the kind of rsum that makes people around Kansas State stop and pay attention. The defensive end transferred in from Oklahoma State after a breakout season that earned him Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors and a spot on the conferences third team, and he is expected to be a major addition as Collin Klein begins his first season running the program.
There is still the usual early-summer adjustment period for any transfer, even one with Gregorys pedigree, as he settles in with new teammates and a different playbook. Kansas State is also still working the recruiting trail, including an offer to two-way athlete Antonio Dural from Klein Oak High School in Texas, a reminder that the staff is trying to build both immediate help and longer-term depth around this next phase. [Read more 🡒]
Big 12 Preseason Respect Puts Kansas State Defense In The Spotlight
The Big 12s preseason honors offered an early glimpse of how the league views Kansas State heading into the next season, and the Wildcats landed a pair of defensive names on the conferences All-Conference preseason team in John Pastore and Wendell Gregory. Former Wildcat linebacker Austin Romaine, now at Texas Tech, also surfaced on the list, a reminder that Kansas States defensive pipeline continues to send recognizable talent around the league.
For Collin Klein, the bigger storyline may be the way the Wildcats are building up front. He has pointed to the defensive lines depth and improvement, especially on the edge, where several players have flashed enough to make the room feel deeper than it was a year ago. Even with that momentum, Kansas State was not among the teams driving the preseason conversation at running back, which only adds to the sense that the Wildcats defensive identity will be the part of this roster most worth watching. [Read more 🡒]