K-State Among Disappointing 2025 Football Teams on ESPN List

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Kansas State football was included on an ESPN list you never want to be part of.

ESPN’s Bill Connelly ranked college football disappointments from the 2025 season in eight categories.

Kansas State was among three teams, and two honorable mentions, for teams with “Playoff expectations,” that Connelly considered disappointing.

The first category was teams with “National title expectations.” That category was, in order (with records):

1. Clemson: 7-6
2. Penn State: 7-6
3. LSU: 7-6
4. Texas: 10-3

Kansas State’s “Playoff expectations” category had two other teams.

5. South Carolina: 4-8
6. Florida: 4-8
7. Kansas State: 6-6

Arizona State (8-5) and Michigan (9-4) were honorable mentions.

What ESPN said about K-State

Connelly wrote about Kansas State:

“Whoever loses in Ireland is evidently doomed. (You’ve been warned, TCU and North Carolina.) Unlike Florida State in 2024 and Nebraska in 2022, Kansas State only briefly collapsed following its loss to Iowa State in Dublin, but by the time the Wildcats found their footing they were 2-4 and just hoping for a .500 finish. They got there, but an exhausted team passed on a bowl bid, and coach Chris Klieman retired.”

Connelly also wrote about the category in which he placed Kansas State: “It wasn't just top-10 teams falling short of hype. Five more teams began the year ranked between 11th and 17th and, for a variety of reasons, came nowhere close to sniffing the CFP bids they were hoping for.

Preseason expectations for Wildcats

Kansas State was ranked No. 17 in the AP Preseason Top 25 Poll. Coming off a 9-4 season in 2024 that ended with a 44-41 victory over Rutgers in the Rate Bowl, the Wildcats were poised for a bigger season in 2025. K-State rallied from a 17-point deficit to knock off the Scarlet Knights at Chase Field in Phoenix.

K-State had four consecutive winning seasons coming into 2025.

The Wildcats’ premise was promising. Experienced, dual-threat quarterback Avery Johnson was back along with several talented skill-position players. The Dublin game in Week Zero would have all of the college football world watching. Facing off with a worthy opponent in Iowa State, Kansas State had an opportunity to enhance its preseason polling position and set a tone for the season.

But, the Wildcats lost, 24-21, despite Johnson’s 273 passing yards and a 10-yard touchdown run.

K-State’s best laid plans were waylaid. The Wildcats lost three of their first four games and spent the rest of the season swimming upstream — the best highlight a 42-17 win at rival Kansas.

The Wildcats became bowl eligible with a 24-14 win over Colorado in the regular-season finale to improve their record to 6-6. But with Klieman’s retirement, there was too much uncertainty around the program and the Wildcats announced they would not accept a bowl invitation.

After Klieman retired, K-State hired legendary Wildcats quarterback Collin Klein as its next head coach. And Johnson announced he would return to Manhattan for the 2026 season.

Other ESPN categories

The category below K-State’s is “A post-2024 funk.” Four teams made this list:

* Colorado: 3-9
* Boise State: 9-5
* Tennessee: 8-5
* SMU: 9-4

The next category was “Major expectations? No, but yikes.” Five teams made this list, with four honorable mentions:

* Arkansas: 2-10
* Wisconsin: 4-8
* Virginia Tech: 3-9
* North Carolina: 4-8
* Auburn: 5-7

Baylor (5-7), Liberty (4-8), Louisiana (6-7) and Rutgers (5-7) made honorable mention.

ESPN’s next category: “We weren’t expecting much, but damn,” and of the five teams that made the list, four head coaches were fired.

* Oklahoma State: 1-11
* Georgia State: 2-10
* UCLA: 3-9
* Michigan State: 4-8
* Oregon State: 2-10

“Rebound season? Psych!” was ESPN’s next category and three teams made the list.

* Florida State: 5-7
* Maryland: 4-8
* Kansas: 5-7

The next category is “2024 was a mirage,” and the four teams that made the list finished a combined 10-38.

* Syracuse: 3-9
* Boston College: 2-10
* Colorado State: 2-10
* Northern Illinois: 3-9

San Jose State (3-9) and South Alabama (4-8) were honorable mentions.

The final category was “First year face-plants,” and three teams made the list. These three teams were a combined 3-33.

* Massachusetts: 0-12
* Sam Houston: 2-10
* Charlotte: 1-11

Middle Tennessee (3-9) and West Virginia (4-8) were honorable mentions.

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