Kansas State heads into Saturday with more than just an opponent to worry about. Fresh off its 18th straight win over KU in the Sunflower Showdown, the Wildcats are trying to avoid a different kind of follow-up problem: they haven’t won the game immediately after beating the Jayhawks since 2022. In each of the past three years, that next step has ended in a loss, with defeats to Iowa State, Houston and Texas Tech.
This time, the challenge comes at Arizona State, and the setup is a little messy for K-State. The Wildcats are 2.5-point favorites with an over/under of 56.5, but the usual confidence comes with some real uncertainty attached.
Kickoff is set for 2:45 p.m. Central Time Saturday at Mountain America Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. The game will air on ESPN2, with radio coverage on KFNZ (96.5 FM and 610 AM) in Kansas City and KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita.
On paper, Arizona State looks like the kind of team Kansas State should handle. The Sun Devils have taken some heavy losses, falling to Texas A&M 48-20, Baylor 55-19 and Texas Tech 53-25. Their offense has struggled enough that they are making a quarterback change this week, turning to Mikey Keene after several weeks of poor play from Cutter Boley.
Normally, that would point to a comfortable K-State win. But the Wildcats have their own issues entering this one.
Senior quarterback Avery Johnson is questionable because of a neck/shoulder injury he suffered on an awkward fall against the Jayhawks. If he’s limited, or if backup Jacob Knuth has to step in, that changes the feel of the whole game.
There’s also the recent trend that hangs over Kansas State after the Sunflower Showdown. And one more wrinkle: the Wildcats haven’t covered the spread as a road favorite since they beat West Virginia in 2024.
So this doesn’t look like the kind of game that should be decided early or cleanly. It feels tighter than the matchup on paper would suggest. Still, Kansas State should have the edge on the ground, and that’s the area that could decide it.
Arizona State has not been able to do much to stop opposing run games. Big 12 teams are averaging 6 yards per carry and 227.7 yards per game against the Sun Devils. That matters because K-State should be able to lean on Joe Jackson and Rodney Fields even if Johnson doesn’t play.
The Wildcats’ own run defense has been vulnerable at times, too, especially in losses to Cincinnati and Houston. But Arizona State hasn’t shown the kind of rushing attack that seems built to exploit that weakness. The Sun Devils are averaging just 2.6 yards per rush against Big 12 opponents this season.
If K-State can keep mistakes down, defend with enough discipline and get a boost on special teams, that should be enough to get out of Tempe with a win. My prediction: Kansas State finds a way, even if it isn’t pretty. Season record O/U: 2-4.
In Other News...
Kansas State Took A Chance On One Of The Portals Biggest Mysteries
Kansas State added a little intrigue to its frontcourt mix by taking a chance on Matt Gilhool, a former four-star recruit from the 2024 class whose college path has already been interrupted by health concerns. Gilhools senior year of high school was derailed by a significant heart issue, and that setback carried into his first season at LSU before he redshirted the 2025-26 season to recover and rebuild his conditioning.
Now healthy, Gilhool arrives in Manhattan with the kind of resume that still makes evaluators pause, even if the sample size remains thin. For Kansas State, he projects as a reserve forward-center who could provide depth right away, but the bigger appeal is the possibility that a player once seen as a major prospect can finally start to show why he was so coveted in the first place. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Klein Has Kansas State Pushing Hard For A Texas Prize
Kansas States recruiting board has been busy across several classes, with the Wildcats sending out scholarship offers to high school prospects at a range of positions and from several states. Among the players drawing attention is Jordan Hall, a cornerback from Aledo High School in Texas, as the program continues to cast a wide net for help on both sides of the ball.
The group of offers also includes offensive tackles, linebackers, defensive backs and tight ends, a sign that Kansas State is still building for the long haul under its current approach. For a program that has made finding the right fits a priority, the presence of a Texas defensive back on the list is another reminder that the Wildcats are working hard to stay in the mix far beyond the Big 12 footprint. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Has A Real Shot At A Defensive Difference Maker
Kansas States defensive backfield could be in line for a meaningful addition as the Wildcats remain in the mix for Iowa Western Community College cornerback Coaleon Johnson, who is weighing a finalist list that also includes nine other schools for the 2027 recruiting class. For a program still chasing more consistency in the Big 12, landing a player with that kind of interest would be a significant step in reinforcing a unit that always has to be ready for league play.
The timing is notable, too, with Kansas State still preparing for Arizona State and sorting through the uncertainty around quarterback Avery Johnsons availability because of injury. As the Wildcats try to keep their conference push moving, the recruiting race for Johnson is another reminder that roster building never really pauses, even when the immediate focus is on the next Saturday. [Read more 🡒]