2026 K-State Football Early Opponent Preview, Game 1: Nicholls

K-State saw its 2025 season get off to a slow start last year in Ireland, as the Wildcats lost 24-21 to the Iowa State Cyclones. The loss set the tone for the year, as K-State could never get things going and went 6-6. Before that, the Wildcats had won their previous four season-openers by 131 total points. Under first-year coach Collin Klein, K-State will look to get the 2026 season on the right track when it hosts Nicholls on Sept.5. This will be the second matchup all-time, as K-State won 49-14 in 2019.

Nicholls finished last year with a record of 4-8 while competing at the FCS level. The Colonels played two games last year against FBS-level opponents, losing to Troy 38-20 and Texas State 35-3. The last year Nicholls posted a winning record was in 2023, when the Colonels finished 6-5.

K-State has a very good chance to get the 2026 season off to a fast start, as none of its three non-conference games are against a Power-4 team. However, the Wildcats can't start to look ahead, as it was in 2020 when Klein was the quarterbacks coach that they lost 35-31 to Arkansas State in the opener.

Here's what is in store for K-State in Week 1.

Offense

Tommy Rybacki will be entering his second season as the head coach of the Colonels, but he has been with the program since 2015. He started as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, and he helped build a dominating defense. However, it was the offense at the end of last season that has the second-year coach excited for the 2026 campaign.

The Colonels were 1-6 last year before Ean Rodrigue became the full-time starter. He helped lead the team to a 3-2 finish down the stretch, and he earned the job outright. During a spring practice in April, Ryback made it clear to reporters that Rodrigue would be the guy.

“You love the way he plays the game. It rallies the team and galvanizes the team when he is in there,” Rybacki said. “He plays with an edge. That’s the type of player that will be successful here at Nicholls, and Ean represents that every single day.”

Former Western Kentucky QBs coach Matt Giampa was brought in this offseason to call plays, and the Colonels figure to play a faster tempo this upcoming season. One guy that benefited playing alongside Rodrigue late in the year is sophomore running back Shane Lee.

Lee rushed for 636 yards and eight touchdowns as a freshman, with six of those touchdowns coming in the final three games. At 5-foot-9, 225 pounds, he is a physically imposing running back who is going to be a focal point of the offense. He led all Southland Conference running backs by averaging 4.54 yards after contact.

Most yards after contact, PER attempt, Southland RBs, 2025:

Shane Lee, Nicholls: 4.54
Deantre Jackson, SE Louisiana: 3.95
Coleby Hamm, McNeese State: 3.72
Calvin Smith Jr., SE Louisiana: 3.68
Tre'Vonte Citizen, McNeese State: 3.6
Miequle Brock, Nicholls: 3.51
Xai'Shaun Edwards,… pic.twitter.com/YJuubOCxtq
— Cam Mellor (@CamMellor) December 27, 2025

Generally, early in the year, the defenses are ahead of the offenses. However, the Colonels will have already played one game before the matchup against the Wildcats, and may have some things figured out on offense.

Defense

Defense is the calling card for coach Rybacki, as he was a linebacker during his playing days at Jacksonville State. His defenses are known for being ultra-aggressive, and they do a great job of forcing turnovers.

Last season, the Colonels had 15 interceptions, which was tied for 7th in the FCS. When they won the conference championship in 2023, they forced 29 total turnovers and had 19 interceptions. Much of that secondary has either graduated or transferred. One of their best players last year was a freshman defensive back Anthony Rogers, who the Wildcats will see in Week 3 after he transferred to Tulane.

There will be many new pieces on defense for the Colonels, but Rybacki's teams have shown over the past few years that they are going to cause some havoc and create turnovers.

Schedule

K-State has been very good in season-openers over the past few years, but the loss to Iowa State last year still stings. Many K-State fans believe if they knock off their conference rival in Week 1, and the 2025 season could have went a much different way.

This will be Nicholls' second game of the year, as the Colonels take on Mississippi Valley State in a Week 0 matchup on Aug. 27. The matchup against K-State figures to be the toughest on the schedule, so a win against the Delta Devils could help the team bring some confidence into Manhattan.

Outlook

K-State will be looking to get off to a fast start in the Klein-era, and a matchup against a below average FCS team is a good game to do that.

Quarterback Avery Johnson, with one passing touchdown in this game, will become the all-time leader in passing touchdowns. What better way to do it than in his first game with his old offensive coordinator back, now as his head coach.

Game Info

Date: Saturday, September 5
Time: 6 p.m.
TV: ESPN+
Location: Bill Snyder Family Stadium
Series history: Second meeting all-time, K-State won only meeting, 49-14, in 2019

Add us as a preferred source on Google