TCU Football Opponent Preview: Kansas State Wildcats

Kansas State heads into the 2025 football season as the Big 12 favorite. But is that title deserved? Let's break down the Wildcats and their conference title chances.

Nov 23, 2024; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson (2) waits for the snap during the third quarter against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images / Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

463. 0-0. 466. . Kansas State TCU Matchup Graphic 2025. 0-0. Oct. 11, 2025. .

This season, the Kansas State Wildcats are favored to win a wide-open Big 12 Conference. They have the QB talent to do so, with Avery Johnson being the feature there, and proven coaching success under Chris Klieman (he's 48-28 as head coach here). But Kansas State also faces some turnover that may hamper its ability to run the table. Last year's team was close to clinching a spot in the Big 12 Championship, but those dreams faded down the stretch.

This year, the TCU Horned Frogs travel to Manhattan to play Kansas State in Week 6. If you're deciding whether or not to travel with the Frogs, we strongly recommend you do! Once game day is closer, we'll compare TCU and Kansas State and preview the game. For now, let's dive deep into Kansas State in 2025 and how they fare in the Big 12 Conference landscape.

To count down until kickoff, tune in every week with TCU On SI for an extensive preview on every foe the Horned Frogs face this fall.

2025 Kansas State Football At A Glance

• Name: Kansas State Wildcats
• Stadium: Bill Snyder Family Stadium, Manhattan, KS (capacity: 50,000)
• Head coach: Chris Klieman (7th season)
• Offensive coordinator: Matt Wells
• Defensive coordinator: Joe Klanderman
• 2024 record: 9-4 (5-4 Big 12)

Kansas State Football In 2024: The Highs And Lows

Nov 23, 2024; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats running back DJ Giddens (31) carries the ball during the fourth quarter against the Cincinnati Bearcats at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images / Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

Heading in to Week 10, Kansas State sat at 8-1, inside the national top-16, and in the driver's seat for a spot in the Big 12 Championship. But its toughest stretch laid ahead – a home game with Arizona State just two weeks later and the season finale with rival Iowa State would surely determine the championship game matchup and K-State controlled its own destiny.

And then they lost to 3-5 Houston as 12-point favorites, scoring just 19 points.

The Wildcats would lose three of their final four Big 12 games but did recover in their bowl game against Rutgers (surrendering 41 points in the process). It was a season of almosts and QB Avery Johnson soared to heights as great as the pits he also fell to. The offense sputtered in its four losses–is scored 9, 14, 19, and 21 in those–but so did the defense, allowing 38 to BYU and 41 to Rutgers. When things came together, they really came together; K-State pummeled West Virginia, 45-18 on the road, and Cincinnati, 41-15.

It's just a matter of whether things do come together. When Johnson took care of the ball, the Wildcats were one of the best teams in the league. But with a -8 turnover margin in those four losses, it's clear that taking care of the ball wasn't always a given.

Kansas State Wildcats Offense Preview

Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson (2) scores a touchdown against Rutgers during first half of the Rate Bowl at Chase Field on Dec. 26, 2024, in Phoenix. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Johnson begins his junior season in 2025. In theory, this is where he cuts down on turnovers and starts making more veteran plays. This season is also his second as the full-time starter in Manhattan. He's as dangerous with his legs as anyone in the nation–Johnson burst onto the scene in 2023 with five rushing touchdowns against Texas Tech–and he did pretty well when asked to throw more than he had (he attempted 30+ passes five times).

RB Dylan Edwards rises as the top rusher but must replace over 1,300 vacated rushing yards from NFL-bound D.J. Giddens. The shifty Edwards picked up 7.4 yards per carry on 74 attempts and could be one of the Big 12's best this season. Leading receiver Jayce Brown (823 yards) returns and inbound WR Jerand Bradley is a nice No. 2 piece (though he fell out of favor at Boston College, starting just one game).

Up front, once again, is where Kansas State needs to replace some significant production. Last year's unit played whole the entire season (with just two missed starts!). Sam Hecht is a rock-solid All-Big 12 center returning. But two all-conference selections depart and three starting roles need replacing. To remedy, Klieman brings in J.B. Nelson from Penn State (played in all 16 games) and Terrene Enos from Pitt (four starts).

QBs coach Matt Wells rises as the new offensive coordinator after Conor Riley left for the Cowboys. Wells is a dynamite QB coach and should continue to help Johnson develop as a passer. This is Klieman's system and there won't be any major changes. Expect another strong run game behind five road pavers with the threat of playmaking in the throw game.

Kansas State Wildcats Defense Preview

Oct 26, 2024; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks quarterback Jalon Daniels (6) fumbles the ball after being hit by Kansas State Wildcats linebacker Austin Romaine (45) during the fourth quarter at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images / Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

For the most part, Kansas State's defense was pretty good. It was strong against the run but did give up big plays in the passing game. Heading into 2025, that pass defense is a real concern. Three starters from the secondary depart, including NFL talent Jacob Parrish. Both projected starters at corner, Zashon Rich and Donovan McIntosh, are true sophomores and had limited play as freshmen. If either (or both) rise as viable shutdown corners, K-State should be fine.

Up front, there's a lot more experience and reason for optimism. The defensive line will be one of the Big 12's best – keep an eye on DE Chiddi Obiazor, who logged 3.5 sacks as a true freshman, to be a breakout impact player on this defense. At 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds, he moves exceptionally well. Two of the three linebackers return, headlined by all-conference selection Austin Romaine. His 96 tackles led K-State last year.

Part of the cause for the big pass plays last year was perhaps an over-reliance on Parrish and the talented secondary. This year, with a far-less experienced group, expect K-State to play more zone. This should cut down on the long pass plays surrendered, but will also create more opportunity for opposing quarterbacks to accumulate yardage.

Kansas State plays a tricky slate of offenses. Iowa State, Baylor, TCU, and Texas Tech are all viable top-25 offenses nationally; Kansas and Utah could wind up in the top-40, as well. There's little time for this secondary to get its act together as it's tested by Rocco Becht and Iowa State in Week 0.

Best Case Scenario For Kansas State

Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards (3) celebrates the go-ahead touchdown against Rutgers during the second half of the Rate Bowl at Chase Field on Dec. 26, 2024, in Phoenix. / Patrick Breen/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This offense, in theory, should be more consistently good. The offensive line remains a strength and Johnson is one of the country's best playmakers. If the Wildcats can rush for over 200 a game again, its opponents are in trouble. Edwards may not be a 200-touch back, but relief pitchers in Joe Jackson (5.8 yards per carry) and Johnson himself should create lots of opportunity for an explosive 2025.

Wells has a long track record of successful offenses. He peaked with the No. 2 scoring offense in 2018 with Utah State and, with K-State's talent this year, a top-25 finish isn't out of the question. Against this cast of Big 12 offenses–coupled with some inexperience on defense–the Wildcats might need a top-25 finish to contend for the Big 12 title.

Kansas State is a preseason odds favorite to win the conference for a reason. That's the peak: winning 10 or 11 games, hoisting the trophy in Arlington, and punching a ticket to the College Football Playoff.

Consistency is all it takes. The talent and ceiling are already there.

Worst Case Scenario For Kansas State

Oct 12, 2024; Boulder, Colorado, USA; Kansas State Wildcats head coach Chris Klieman celebrates after a touchdown during the first half against the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images / Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

That said, perhaps Johnson is what he is – an explosive rusher and capable playmaker through the air that makes mistakes and occasionally disappears against top-flight competition. It may be the reality that K-State drops games in which it scores 14 points.

This schedule is tough, too. After opening the season against Iowa State–Farmageddon, as it's called–the Wildcats don't have a rest week before hosting North Dakota. Then they turn right around to host Army (notoriously difficult to play) before heading to Tuscon for a non-conference game against Arizona. (Like last year, this year's contest doesn't count toward the Big 12 standings as it was planned long before Arizona left the Pac-12.)

Kansas State plays six of the top seven and seven of the top nine Big 12 teams, according to preseason odds. Four of those games come away from Manhattan. And, as mentioned, lots of those opponents project to field top-25 offenses this season.

My preseason numbers project 8.5 wins for Kansas State. Six times do I project Kansas State to play in a one-score game with two true tossups (at Utah, at Baylor). So while the Wildcats are never more than a single point underdog, there's lot of games that could go either way. One or two offensive disappearing acts, particularly against Utah's and Texas Tech's defenses, could turn this year into another 8-4 finish.

Anything worse than that would be a real shock.

2025 Kansas State Wildcats Schedule

Date	Opponent
Aug. 23	vs. Iowa State*
Aug. 30	North Dakota (FCS)
Sept. 6	Army
Sept. 12 (FRI)	at Arizona*
Sept. 20	BYE
Sept. 27	UCF
Oct. 4	at Baylor
Oct. 11	TCU
Oct. 18	BYE
Oct. 25	at Kansas
Nov. 1	Texas Tech
Nov. 8	BYE
Nov. 15	at Oklahoma State
Nov. 22	at Utah
Nov. 29	Colorado

*Week 0 vs. Iowa State played in Dublin, Ireland
*Week 3 at Arizona counts as a non-conference game, as scheduled by the schools

TCU Opponent Previews

• Week One - North Carolina
• Week Four - SMU
• Week Five - Arizona State
• Week Six - Colorado

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