The Big 12 preseason picture is in, and Kansas is once again being viewed as a serious contender while Kansas State is being projected toward the bottom of the league.
The conference’s coaches slotted the Jayhawks at No. 3 in Thursday’s preseason poll, while the Wildcats landed at No. 14.
Arizona claimed the top spot after collecting 12 first-place votes, with Houston right behind it after earning four first-place votes. Kansas finished ahead of Iowa State and Texas Tech.
Kansas State ended up tied with Colorado. Both of those teams were projected above No. 16 Utah.
The honors list also kept Kansas in the spotlight. Tyran Stokes was named the Big 12 preseason Freshman of the Year, giving KU that distinction for the second straight season. Arizona’s Motiejus Krivas was chosen as preseason Player of the Year, and Arizona State’s Paulius Murauskas was picked as Newcomer of the Year.
The full preseason poll placed Arizona at No. 1 with 220 points and Houston at No. 2 with 214. Kansas followed at 186, then Iowa State at 181 and Texas Tech at 180.
BYU checked in sixth, TCU seventh, and Cincinnati and West Virginia shared eighth. Baylor was 10th, Oklahoma State 11th, Arizona State 12th and UCF 13th before the tie at 14 between Colorado and Kansas State.
The preseason team featured Stokes along with Arizona’s Ivan Kharchenkov and Krivas, Arizona State’s Murauskas, BYU’s Robert Wright III, Houston’s Dedan Thomas Jr. and Joseph Tugler, Iowa State’s Tamin Lipsey, TCU’s Xavier Edmonds and Texas Tech’s JT Toppin.
In Other News...
Kansas States Rivalry Win Raised One Big Question About This Team
Kansas State kept its grip on the Sunflower Showdown with another win over Kansas, rolling to a 35-24 victory at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and stretching the streak to 18 straight in the rivalry. The Wildcats leaned on a ground attack that piled up more than 300 rushing yards, while the defense delivered the kind of timely stops that usually decide these games, including a key interception by Logan Bartley. Joe Jackson emerged as the game MVP, giving the Wildcats a performance that fit the physical, old-school feel of the rivalry.
Still, the bigger takeaway for Kansas State is not just that it handled Kansas again, but what the game may say about the rest of the season. The offense showed it can control a game on the ground, the defense made enough disruptive plays to matter, and special teams and coaching each played a part in a performance that deserved a full set of grades. The question now is whether this was simply a rivalry statement, or a more useful snapshot of what the Wildcats can be when everything lines up. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Just Tightened Its Grip On This Rivalry Again
Kansas State was staring at an early 10-point hole in its annual Sunflower Sundown matchup, but the Wildcats settled in and turned the rivalry back their way again. Avery Johnson helped steady the offense with a strong two-way effort, throwing for 209 yards and a touchdown while adding 132 yards on the ground, and Joe Jackson gave the run game the kind of volume and finishing power that can change a game like this.
The rally pushed Kansas State to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in Big 12 play, while also extending its remarkable winning streak in the series to 19 straight. In a rivalry that tends to expose every weakness, the Wildcats found enough answers after the rough opening quarter to keep control of a matchup they have owned for years. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Key Availability Concern Before Kickoff
Garrett Oakleys status is one of the main things to watch as Kansas State heads into its rivalry game against Kansas. The starting tight end is officially listed as out, which adds a notable wrinkle for the Wildcats as they get ready for a matchup that already has plenty of attention around it. For a team trying to settle in before kickoff, losing a key piece of the offense changes the feel of the buildup.
Oakleys absence leaves Kansas State with another question to answer in a game that comes with all the usual extra layers, from predictions and betting angles to weather and broadcast details. In a rivalry setting like this, availability can matter just as much as anything else, and the Wildcats now have one more thing to sort through before the opener. [Read more 🡒]