Kansas State’s loss to Cincinnati hit Collin Klein in a way that makes sense for a coach who spent his playing days in Manhattan winning far more than he lost.
Klein was a two-year starter at quarterback for the Wildcats and went 21-5. During his senior season, Kansas State won 11 games and captured the Big 12 conference championship. That kind of background doesn’t make defeat any easier to swallow, especially not in a league opener that started the Klein era the wrong way.
After the 27-20 loss to the Bearcats last Saturday, Klein took time to sort through it before turning the page.
"Well, I was able to look at both sides of the ball on the way home and kind of take some notes and get a revisit of what exactly happened and how all that had gone," Klein said. "I went to bed and got up and went to church with my family, and was already stewing and focused on what we can do to move this thing forward and get better."
Now comes the part he has to live with: a full two weeks before Kansas State gets another shot.
The Wildcats are in their bye week, which means the frustration lingers a little longer, but it also gives Klein and his staff a chance to dig into the issues that showed up against Cincinnati. The biggest one was the run defense, which gave up 271 rushing yards. Both Cincinnati running backs went over 100 yards and combined for three touchdowns.
Kansas State also has to clean up the mistakes that changed the game. Darrell Salley Jr. had a breakout day with seven catches for 140 yards and a touchdown, but his fumble on the first play of the second half swung the momentum. Cincinnati responded with 14 straight points and seized control.
The Wildcats will try to reset during the break and get back on track Oct. 10 against Houston at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
In Other News...
Kansas State Still Waiting For Linkon Cure To Break Through
Kansas State entered this season with rare buzz around Linkon Cure, the highest-rated recruit in program history and the Wildcats first five-star prospect. For a team that does not often land a player with that kind of national attention, the expectation was obvious: Cure was supposed to be a difference-maker, especially as a tight end with the size and skill set to become a reliable piece of the passing game.
Instead, his introduction has been slower than anyone in Manhattan probably hoped. Injuries have interrupted his progress, and the tight end room has given Kansas State other options, leaving Cure with only a modest start to his college career. Even so, Collin Klein still sees a bigger role ahead, and the Wildcats are waiting to see when the talent that made Cure such a prized get finally starts showing up on the field in a more consistent way. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Already Faces Doubts In The Big 12 Race
Kansas States place in the Big 12 picture is already looking more complicated than it did a few weeks ago, as the leagues updated power rankings continue to shift after Week 4. Oklahoma State has rebounded from an early loss with three straight wins and now looks like a team that belongs in the contender conversation, while a handful of other undefeated programs, including BYU, Texas Tech, Utah and Cincinnati, are still setting the pace near the top.
For Kansas State, the concern is less about one bad weekend and more about how crowded the race is becoming around it. The conference board now includes teams building momentum in different ways, and the early standings are beginning to separate the clubs that can afford a stumble from the ones already feeling pressure to keep up. Where the Wildcats fit in that mix is becoming one of the more interesting questions in the Big 12. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State's Recruiting Momentum Just Added Another Early Defensive Win
Kansas States 2028 recruiting class picked up another early piece with the commitment of Malachi Johnson, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound edge rusher from St. Louis. Johnson becomes the second pledge in the class, giving the Wildcats another defensive building block well before the cycle starts to take shape in earnest.
Johnsons decision also points to the kind of relationships Kansas State has been able to build on the trail, especially with defensive line coach Buddy Wyatt. The fit appears to have gone beyond the field, with Johnson drawn to the programs football culture and the academic options in Manhattan, giving the Wildcats a promising early win as they look ahead. [Read more 🡒]