Kansas State is entering the Big 12 race with plenty of skepticism hanging around it, and the latest championship odds only reinforce that reality.
Polymarket recently pegged the Wildcats at No. 6 in the conference, giving them a six percent chance to win the Big 12 title this season. That puts Kansas State behind Texas Tech, BYU, Utah, Oklahoma State and Houston in the market’s view.
The full set of odds lists Texas Tech at 50%, followed by BYU at 14%, Utah at 10%, Oklahoma State at 7%, then Houston, Kansas State and TCU all at 6%. Arizona, Arizona State and UCF are next at 4%, with Kansas and West Virginia at 3%. Baylor, Cincinnati, Colorado and Iowa State are all at 2%.
It is not hard to see why the Wildcats are being treated as a long shot. Collin Klein is taking over in his first season as head coach, and quarterback Avery Johnson will need a new target after top receiver Jayce Brown left for LSU. On top of that, the Big 12 looks crowded at the top, with Texas Tech, BYU and Utah all expected to be major contenders.
Still, odds are only odds, and they do leave room for a surprise. Kansas State also has a schedule that could work in its favor, since a number of its biggest games against top opponents will come at home. That gives Klein a chance to show quickly that he was the right hire.
Beyond the conference picture, Kansas State is also working on the future of its roster. The Wildcats are still searching for their first addition to the class, and their latest offer went to offensive lineman Jerry Richmond of East St.
Louis High School in East St. Louis, IL.
Richmond also holds offers from Florida Atlantic, North Carolina and South Dakota.
In Other News...
K-States Future Schedule Is Taking Shape In A Big Way
Kansas States future non-conference slate is filling in fast, and the latest addition gives the Wildcats another home game to look forward to in the 2029 season. Sam Houston is headed to Manhattan for a first-ever meeting on Sept. 15, 2029, adding another familiar scheduling wrinkle for a program that has been busy locking in opponents well beyond the immediate horizon.
The Wildcats have now finalized a run of non-league matchups stretching from 2026 through 2032, with games set against Nicholls, Washington State, Tulane, South Dakota, Georgia Southern, Texas State, Oregon State and North Carolina State. For a program that has spent plenty of time balancing regional fit, Power Four caliber tests and shorter trips that make sense financially, the growing list offers a clearer picture of what the next several seasons could look like, even if there are still pieces left to sort out. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas States 2026 Hopes Rest On Three Huge Senior Questions
Kansas States long view for 2026 is already taking shape, and the senior class is right at the center of it. As part of a series breaking down five Wildcats from each class who could matter in that season, the focus now shifts to three veterans whose rsums and roles will loom large if the roster develops the way the staff hopes. Quarterback Avery Johnson remains the face of the offense, wide receiver Jaron Tibbs brings another layer to the passing game, and transfer defensive back Adrian Maddox is the kind of piece that can change the look of the secondary.
The reason those names matter is simple: the Wildcats are trying to project beyond the present, and senior-year decisions tend to shape what comes next in Manhattan. Johnsons growth, Tibbs fit in the receiver room, and Maddoxs place on defense all carry different kinds of weight, especially with coaching changes and current eligibility realities adding another layer of uncertainty. None of it is settled yet, but these are the kinds of players who can turn a 2026 conversation from hopeful to serious. [Read more 🡒]
Avery Johnson Has A Chance To Become The Star K State Expected
Avery Johnson keeps looming as the kind of quarterback Kansas State has been waiting for, and the setup around him is getting better. With Collin Klein back as offensive coordinator, there is a real sense that the Wildcats can finally build an offense around Johnsons dual-threat ability in a way that matches his talent and the expectations that followed him into Manhattan.
For Johnson, the next step is less about promise and more about production. He has flashed the tools that made him such an intriguing name, but the Wildcats are still waiting on the kind of season that turns potential into a conference title chase, and ESPNs view of 2026 suggests this could be the year the pieces start to fit. [Read more 🡒]