Kansas State’s Willie the Wildcat has gone from sideline mascot to full-blown internet attraction, and now he’s got the hardware to match.
After Willie went viral for cranking out 394 push-ups during Kansas State’s 71-3 win over Nicholls at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, the spotlight hasn’t let up. The latest sign of his new fame came when the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum rolled out a bobblehead in his honor.
The moment that turned Willie into a sensation was simple and absurd in the best possible way: video of the final push-ups hit social media and took off immediately. From there, the mascot became one of the most talked-about figures around the program, even with football coach Collin Klein and quarterback Avery Johnson usually drawing the biggest headlines.
It helps that Kansas State gave fans plenty else to celebrate in that opener. The Wildcats posted the second-highest scoring game in school history and put together what was arguably the most impressive win of the first full weekend of college football.
Kansas State piled up 559 yards, scored 10 touchdowns and added one two-point conversion. Johnson threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, six different players found the end zone on the ground, and Brandon White chipped in a punt return touchdown.
Now the question hanging over Willie’s viral workout is whether he’ll be asked to do it all again.
Kansas State is back at home Saturday against Washington State, and a repeat of last week’s offensive explosion seems unlikely against a Cougars team that opened its season with a loss to the rival Washington Huskies. Even so, the opener gave the Wildcats a boost of attention after they were picked eighth in the Big 12 by the conference media and were unranked in the preseason polls.
A win over Washington State would give Kansas State some momentum before it faces Tulane on Sept. 19 and then opens Big 12 play the following week on the road against Cincinnati.
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