Kansas State enters a fresh chapter this fall with Collin Klein taking over as head coach, and the early outlook puts the Wildcats squarely in the middle of the Big 12 picture. The media pegged K-State to finish eighth in the conference, but there’s still plenty of reason to watch how this season unfolds.
Avery Johnson is back for his third season as the full-time starter, giving the Wildcats stability at quarterback. Joe Jackson returns in the backfield, and there’s also plenty of buzz around tight end Linkon Cure, whose five-star recruiting status has raised expectations before he’s even taken a meaningful snap.
The schedule opens with a stretch that looks manageable on paper. Kansas State is expected to handle Nicholls on Sept. 5, then get another home win against Washington State on Sept.
- Tulane comes to town on Sept. 19, and that one carries a little more weight after the Green Wave pushed the Wildcats hard two years ago.
Klein has that tape available, and the idea is Kansas State will be ready for it.
A trip to Cincinnati on Sept. 26 is another spot where the Wildcats are projected to keep rolling. By the time they reach 4-0, Johnson should have put up numbers that start to draw attention, with the possibility of Kansas State moving into the Top 25.
After a bye week, the Wildcats return home to face Houston on Oct. 10 and are again favored to come through, even if that matchup would normally look tougher. The home date with Kansas on Oct. 17 is also slotted as a win, with the Wildcats expected to reach 6-0 and start drawing plenty of notice.
The back half of the schedule looks more demanding. Kansas State is projected to stumble at Arizona State on Oct. 24, a game that marks the start of a tougher stretch in a conference known for how unforgiving it can be. The Wildcats are then expected to bounce back at Colorado on Oct. 31, even with Deion Sanders and Coach Prime waiting on the other sideline.
Nov. 7 against Oklahoma State is viewed as a trap game, and the prediction there is a loss. From there, Kansas State is forecast to recover at TCU on Nov. 14, then beat Arizona at home on Nov. 21, with the home crowd giving the Wildcats a lift after two straight defeats. The regular season wraps at Iowa State on Nov. 28, and that one is framed as the make-or-break game - one Kansas State is projected to win to close Klein’s first season on a positive note.
Put it all together, and the Wildcats are looking at a nine-win season, which would be a strong way to kick off the Collin Klein era.
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