College Football Tour visits Kansas State and Bill Snyder Family Stadium

As TCU ventures to Manhattan, College Football Tour shares the Wildcat experience as part of the journey to document gameday at all 136 FBS stadiums.

Bill Snyder Family Stadium at Kansas State | Andrew Bauhs - College Football Tour

Editor's Note: Are you headed to Manhattan for TCU's game against the Wildcats? Here's what to expect from a game day experience at Kansas State's Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Andrew Bauhs of College Football Tour is a college football superfan. He is on a journey to attend a game at all 136 FBS stadiums. He desires to have an immersive experience so he can tell the stories of the traditions, rivalries, mascots, bands, and fans that make each venue unique.

Just about a two-hour drive west of Kansas City lies Manhattan, Kansas. Playfully nicknamed The Little Apple, this vibrant college town is home to the Kansas State Wildcats. The epicenter of the athletic facilities is Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Named after the coach who resurrected K-State football into relevancy, “The Bill” is a rambunctious venue that explodes in purple. 

Kansas State helmet inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium | Andrew Bauhs - College Football Tour

In the earliest years of Kansas State athletics, they were known as the Aggies. Since then, the university switched to Wildcats, but their original nickname still lives on in the name of Manhattan’s entertainment district known as Aggieville. Packed with bars and restaurants, the area is alive both pregame and postgame. A Saturday gameday starts on Friday night. The Pub Crawl Band features a group of Kansas State Marching Band members who play in Aggieville and various hotspots in Manhattan. These mini pep rallies at local establishments inject enthusiasm and anticipation into Wildcat fans for the next day’s battle.

The entrance to Aggieville in Manhattan, Kansas | College Football Tour

Pregame action in Aggieville in Manhattan, Kansas | Andrew Bauhs - College Football Tour

Tailgating outside "The Bill" at Kansas State | Andrew Bauhs - College Football Tour

The stadium is both intimate and imposing. Purple Pride audibly pours from the stands washing passion down from the highest bleacher. This is most notable during the Wabash Cannonball, the spirited anthem with an interesting history. In 1968, the music department at Kansas State experienced a damaging fire that destroyed everything from sheet music to instruments. But, one item survived  - the sheet music to "Wabash Cannonball." The marching band director had taken it home that day, and it became the only music the band had left to play. So, it grew into an iconic part of K-State school spirit, and they emphasize it on gamedays during pregame and kickoffs with clapping and dancing in synchronized motions.

Willie the Wildcat at Kansas State | College Football Tour

Touchdowns are followed by the playing of “Wildcat Victory” and the beloved mascot, Willie the Wildcat, muscling up for push-ups that equal the point total. He then directs the crowd to holler and repeat “K! S! U! Wildcats” as he forms the letters with his arms and legs. It’s a classic collegiate cheer that rocks the stadium. The raucous atmosphere inside "The Bill" extends far beyond the borders of small town Manhattan. Gamedays offer a surge of Wildcat pride that reach all corners of the Sunflower State. The power of purple makes Kansas State gamedays a standout amongst the wide plains of college football experiences.

Willie the Wildcat animates the crowd at Kansas State | Andrew Bauhs - College Football Tour

Follow College Football Tour

Follow my travels as I go coast-to-coast and places in between this season. You can follow me at:

• Instagram - @collegefootballtour
• X - @college_fb_tour
• YouTube - @collegefootballtour
• Website - collegefootballtour.com