Kansas State opens a new chapter Saturday night, and the spotlight is squarely on Collin Klein.
The Wildcats host Nicholls at Bill Snyder Family Stadium at 6 p.m. CT in what will be Klein’s first game as head coach. The matchup will stream exclusively on ESPN+, and Kansas State is a heavy 41 1/2-point favorite with the over/under set at 55 1/2 points.
For Klein, the debut comes with a roster built to win right away. Quarterback Avery Johnson is back for his third season as the program’s starter, giving Kansas State a familiar centerpiece as the Wildcats try to get rolling under their new leader. The program also enters the season with the fourth-best odds to win the Big 12, a number shaped in part by a favorable schedule.
Nicholls arrives in Manhattan off a 44-10 win over Mississippi Valley State in Week 0, but the Colonels are still an FCS team Kansas State will expect to handle cleanly. The Wildcats are paying Nicholls a $500,000 guarantee for the game.
The biggest issue to watch for Kansas State is up front. The Wildcats already know they will be without starting left tackle John Pastore for the season after he suffered a lower leg injury in fall camp.
Left guard Tanner Morley was also limited during Kansas State’s most recent open practice on Wednesday, Aug. 26.
Big 12 teams do not have to release availability reports for non-conference games, so any further injury updates would have to come from Klein’s Monday media availability or his weekly radio show.
That offensive line battle looms as the key matchup of the night. Nicholls was one of the FCS teams that struggled most in pass rush production and gave up 176.3 rushing yards per game. Kansas State still won’t leave Saturday with every question answered along the front, but it does need to walk away feeling better about that unit than it does right now.
Klein’s first game also carries a clear tone-setting chance. Kansas State’s favorite son is back after two years as Texas A&M’s offensive coordinator, and he takes over after Chris Klieman’s sudden retirement in December. A game under the new LED lights at Bill Snyder Family Stadium gives the Wildcats a stage to start cleaner than they did a year ago.
The expectation is for Kansas State to control the night, and the prediction reflects that: Kansas State 49, Nicholls 6. Avery Johnson is projected to have a big outing, especially as a runner, while the defense should have a chance to make an immediate statement against an opponent that has struggled at the FCS level in recent years. North Dakota gave K-State a tougher test last season as an FCS team, and Nicholls is not viewed in that same tier.
In Other News...
Kansas State May Have Found A Transfer Receiver Ready For Much More
Kansas State has spent the early part of the season trying to sort out where the next reliable target in its passing game might come from, and Joshua Manning has started to make a case for himself. The Missouri transfer arrived with two years of eligibility remaining under the 5-for-5 rule, and since joining the Wildcats he has already gotten into multiple games, putting together a mix of catches and kickoff returns that suggests there may be more here than just depth.
Mannings background only adds to the intrigue. He comes with a strong high school and college resume, along with a family history rooted in football, and Kansas State has already seen signs of growth since he got on campus. For a receiver room still taking shape, the question now is whether those early flashes are the beginning of a much larger role. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Week 1 Problem Up Front
Kansas States offensive line picture has gotten a lot murkier at exactly the wrong time, with injuries forcing the staff to reshuffle the left side before the season opener. John Pastore and Oliver Miller are among the players dealing with health issues, and that has pushed junior Ryan Howard into the expected starting role at left tackle, with Tyler Johnson next in line if needed.
The questions do not stop there, either. Left guard could also be in flux if Tanner Morley is unavailable, which would leave Charlie Adams as a candidate to step in and keep the front five intact. Collin Klein has already acknowledged the adjustments and praised the way the group has handled the changes, but for Kansas State the real test comes when the lights come on and the opener finally arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Has A New Defensive Contender Fans Should Watch Closely
Kansas States secondary has a new name worth tracking as fall camp unfolds in Manhattan. Micheal Graham Jr., a JUCO defensive back from Hutch Community College, arrives with three years of eligibility left and the kind of background that tends to catch coaches attention, especially after earning multiple junior college accolades and drawing interest from several programs before choosing the Wildcats. He is in the mix for the versatile JACK safety-nickelback-STAR role, a spot that asks for range, toughness and enough football IQ to handle plenty of different assignments.
Collin Klein has already pointed to Grahams progress, saying the defensive back has made strides in coverage and communication as he pushes for playing time. That combination matters in a defense where the JACK spot can become a key chess piece, and Kansas State will keep watching to see whether Grahams JUCO reputation translates quickly enough to the Big 12 level. For now, hes one of the more intriguing competition stories on the roster, and the kind of player whose role could grow faster than expected if the early signs keep holding up. [Read more 🡒]