Kansas State Football’s Strengths, Weaknesses, & 1Thing That Could Upset Houston

Houston football will take on the Kansas State Wildcats for the second time since joining the Big 12 Conference.

Kansas State's Avery Johnson (2) throw a pass in the second half of the college football game between Oklahoma State University and the Kansas State Wildcats at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday Nov. 15, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Houston football will take on the Kansas State Wildcats on Saturday, October 10, inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

The Wildcats look to get their revenge on Houston after suffering a 24-19 upset loss in the 2024 season.

Now, Kansas State has very similar strengths and weaknesses as last season, and there is one way in which the Wildcats can upset Houston.

Houston Football vs. Kansas State Preview

Kansas State new head football coach Collin Klein holds a jersey given by athletic director Gene Taylor during his introduction ceremony at Morgan Family Arena on Dec. 5, 2025. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Strengths

With the hiring of former Texas A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein as Kansas State’s new head coach, the main strength of the Wildcats will be the offense.

Last season with the Aggies, Klein lead one of the best passing offenses in the SEC, ranking No. 6 with 260 passing yards per game.

Now, he joins a Kansas State team known for its offensive ability, and senior quarterback Avery Johnson will be the leader of the attack.

Last season, he passed for 2,385 yards and 18 touchdowns, all while throwing just six interceptions.

Kansas State added to its passing attack by landing transfers Jerand Bradley and Jaron Tibbs from the transfer portal, who create a mismatch with just about any corner in the Big 12 Conference.

To add to that attack, the Wildcats also return star running back Joe Jackson, who rushed for 911 yards and eight touchdowns in his sophomore campaign.

Weaknesses

The immediate weakness that stands out is the defense, which needed a lot of improvement from last season.

While Kansas State has a strong core of defensive players, the Wildcats allowed an average of 26.7 points per game, finishing No. 11 overall in the conference.

The Wildcats’ defense is still a concern in 2026; however, they did add several impact transfers who could help.

The first guy that comes to mind is former Oklahoma State defensive lineman Wendell Gregory, which gives Kansas State an edge rusher who could potentially have double-digit sacks on the season.

They also added to their secondary with two safety transfers in Ja’Son Prevard and Koy Beasley, which adds valuable experience in the secondary.

While a load of transfers can help the issue, the defense will still be the weakness of this Kansas State squad moving forward.

1 Thing That Could Upset Houston

With three former players in the secondary heading to NFL camp, Houston has had a lot of experience leave the secondary.

Unfortunately for Houston, Kansas State loves the deep passing game, especially with two new transfers who can catch virtually everything.

One way Kansas State could upset Houston is by taking advantage of the lack of experience in the secondary and have the air-raid offense become too much for the Cougars.