The Sunflower Showdown has a date, a kickoff time and a TV home.
Kansas State will host Kansas on October 17 at 11 a.m. inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium, with FS1 carrying the game nationally. For a rivalry that has recently gone under the lights in Manhattan, this one will bring a different feel with an early start.
The Wildcats and Jayhawks are both trying to steady themselves in Big 12 play before that meeting arrives. K-State is 3-1 overall and 0-1 in the league after a road loss to Cincinnati, and it returns home Saturday for a 2:30 p.m. matchup with Houston.
Kansas enters at 2-2 and 0-1 in the Big 12 after rolling past Middle Tennessee 55-0. The Jayhawks head to Utah this weekend.
The rivalry history still belongs to Kansas on the all-time ledger, with the Jayhawks leading 64-54-5. But K-State has had the upper hand for a long stretch, winning 17 straight Sunflower Showdowns.
The Big 12 also laid out its schedule for Oct. 10 and Oct. 17, with several games set across ESPN, FOX, TNT and FS1. On Oct. 10, Iowa State plays at BYU on Friday night at 9:15 p.m. on ESPN, UCF visits Oklahoma State at 11 a.m. on ESPN or ESPN2, Arizona plays at West Virginia at 11 a.m. on TNT, Houston visits K-State at 2:30 p.m. on FOX, Kansas goes to Utah at 9:15 p.m. on ESPN, and Hawaii plays at Arizona State at 9:30 p.m. on FS1.
For Oct. 17, in addition to Kansas at K-State on FS1 at 11 a.m., Cincinnati is at West Virginia at 11 a.m. on TNT, Arizona State visits Texas Tech at 2:30 p.m. on FOX, TCU plays at Baylor at 6 p.m. on FS1, Notre Dame is at BYU at 6:30 p.m. on ABC, Oklahoma State visits Houston at 6:30 p.m. on FOX, and Utah plays at Colorado at 9:15 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2.
In Other News...
K-State Must Rework A Key Offensive Spot After Costly Blow
Kansas State now has to sort through a significant adjustment on offense after senior tight end Will Anciaux was ruled out for the rest of the season with a lower leg injury. Collin Klein confirmed the news and said the Wildcats will have to rework that part of the attack, a tough break for a team that has leaned on Anciauxs presence and experience.
Garrett Oakley, Linkon Cure, Lawson McGraw and Owen Harrington are among the names expected to see more chances as Kansas State fills the void. Anciaux still has one year of eligibility left, so there is at least a path for him to return next season, but for now the Wildcats have to move forward without a veteran piece in a spot that was built to matter. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Is Sending A Clear Recruiting Message About Its Future
Collin Klein is wasting no time putting Kansas States recruiting footprint on future classes, extending scholarship offers to a growing list of high school prospects across multiple years. The latest wave includes Noah Gigger from the 2030 class, a reminder that the Wildcats are thinking far beyond the immediate cycle as they continue building relationships with young talent at a range of positions and schools.
The names on the offer sheet show just how broad that approach has become, with Kansas State jumping in early alongside other programs already tracking many of the same players. For a staff trying to shape the roster several years down the line, the message is clear: the Wildcats want to be in the conversation early and stay there, even if the real payoff is still a long way off. [Read more 🡒]
K-State's First Real Test Brings Extra Stakes Back To Manhattan
An idle week gave Kansas State a chance to catch its breath and get healthier before a much different kind of Saturday in Manhattan. The Wildcats now come out of the break to host Houston, bringing back the sort of spotlight that has been missing early in the season, with a ranked opponent finally on the schedule and a little more weight attached to every snap.
Houston arrives at No. 22 with Conner Weigman steering the offense, which sets up a key matchup against K-States top-ranked pass defense. The game also adds a familiar face on the other sideline, with former Wildcats quarterback Michael Bishop in his first season on Houstons staff, giving this one a bit of extra edge beyond the standings. [Read more 🡒]