Kansas State is writing a $500,000 check to get its 2026 season started.
The Wildcats will pay FCS Nicholls that guaranteed amount for a 6 p.m. opener on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, according to a contract obtained by the Capital-Journal.
That kind of payout is part of the college football business when a team agrees to a one-off road-or-home date without a return game on the other school’s field. Nicholls leans on those guarantees as a major piece of its athletic budget, which was nearly $11 million in Fiscal Year 2022.
Kansas State has already seen how those games can go sideways. Last year, the Wildcats paid Army $1.175 million and lost 24-21. A week earlier, K-State had paid North Dakota $475,000, and the Fighting Hawks pushed the Wildcats late before Avery Johnson led the game-winning drive to keep things from turning into a stunner.
For Week 1 of the 2026 college football season, Ohio State’s $1.9 million payment to Ball State is the biggest guarantee on the board.
Kansas State had originally been set to play Missouri State on Saturday for $450,000, but that matchup fell apart when the Bears paid the Wildcats about $50,000 to get out of the game and chase a bigger payout after moving from the FCS to the FBS. Missouri State then landed a $1.2 million guarantee to play at Texas A&M this weekend.
The Wildcats won’t have to pay Washington State for their Week 2 game, since that series already includes a future trip to Pullman in 2029. They also won’t owe Tulane for the Week 3 matchup, which was part of a two-for-one arrangement completed in 2022 and 2024.
Kansas State’s future nonconference slate includes South Dakota and Georgia Southern in 2027, Texas State in 2028, Washington State and Sam Houston in 2029, Oregon State in 2030, a return trip to Oregon State in 2031, and NC State in 2032.
In Other News...
K-States 2026 QB Depth Picture Suddenly Looks More Interesting
Blake Barnetts path at Kansas State has already taken a few turns, and each one has made him a more interesting name in the Wildcats quarterback room. The former four-star from Erie High School in Colorado got on campus in time for 2024 spring practices, used that first year to redshirt and learn the offense, then moved into the role of primary backup in 2025 while also giving the staff a gadget option in four games.
For a program that always has to think ahead at quarterback, Barnett now sits in a spot where development and readiness matter just as much as recruiting pedigree. Coaches have spoken well of him, and his high school rsum was built on state records and championships, so the next stretch will be about whether that early promise keeps turning into a real push for bigger snaps in Manhattan. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Klein Has A New Kansas State Battle To Manage Early
Kansas States early preseason chatter has centered on a couple of familiar names, but the picture at running back and tight end is getting more crowded by the day. Joe Jackson and Garrett Oakley both showed enough last season to enter camp with momentum, yet the Wildcats have added transfers and recruits who are pushing hard for reps, giving first-year coach Collin Klein more options to sort through before the opener against Nicholls.
Jay Harris and Rodney Fields are in the mix at running back, while Will Anciaux and Linkon Cure add to the competition at tight end, creating the kind of depth Klein said he wanted to see this time of year. It is a healthy problem for a staff trying to build out its rotation, though it also means the next few weeks will matter for anyone hoping to carve out a role before the season gets underway. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas States Biggest Strengths And Concerns Are Already Taking Shape
Kansas States preseason picture is coming into focus just as the opener against Nicholls approaches, and Ryan Gilbert of GoPowercat has mapped out where the roster looks strongest and where the early concerns still linger. His position-by-position ranking puts the running backs at the top, with special teams, cornerbacks and quarterback following behind, while the linebackers land near the bottom of the list.
The ordering is useful because it reflects more than just talent, it reflects where the Wildcats appear to have certainty and where they still need answers. The backfield and special teams give the team a foundation heading into the first game, but the defensive second level stands out as the area that could shape a lot of the seasons early conversation if it does not settle quickly. [Read more 🡒]