(RB DJ Gibbens – Kansas State Athletics Media Relations/Getty Images)
Key Players Returning:
QB Avery Johnson, RB DJ Giddens, WR Jayce Brown, OG Hadley Panzer, DE Brendan Mott, LB Austin Moore, LB Beau Palmer, LB Desmond Purnell, CB Keenan Garber, CB Jacob Parrish, FS Marques Sigle, SS VJ Payne, and PK Chris Tennant.
Key Players Departing:
QB Will Howard (Ohio State transfer), RB/KR Treshaun Ward (Boston College transfer), WR/RS Phillip Brooks, TE Ben Sinnott (Commanders R2), OC Hayden Gillum, OG Cooper Beebe (Cowboys R3), OT Christian Duffie, OT KT Leveston (Rams R7), DE Khalid Duke, DE Nate Matlock (PITT transfer), SS Kobe Savage (Oregon transfer), and PT Jack Blumer.
(RB Dylan Edwards – Getty Images)
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: RB Dylan Edwards (Colorado transfer), OL Gus Hawkins (Shawnee, Kansas), OT Easton Kilty (North Dakota transfer), WR Trae Davis (Troup, Texas), and OT Kaedin Massey (Lyson, Kansas).
3 Star Recruits: WR Dante Cephes (Penn State transfer), WR Jacques Spradley-Demps (Pflugerville, Texas), DS Callen Barta (Topeka, Kansas), RB John Price (Stilwell, Kansas), and DT Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder (El Dorado, Kansas).
2023 Results:
G01 SE MISSOURI STATE W 45-0
G02 TROY W 42-13
G03 @ Missouri L 27-30
G04 UCF W 44-31
G05 @ Oklahoma State L 21-29
G06 @ Texas Tech W 38-21
G07 TCU W 41-3
G08 HOUSTON W 41-0
G09 @ #7 Texas L (OT) 30-33
G10 BAYLOR W 59-25
G11 @ #25 Kansas W 31-27
G12 IOWA STATE L 35-42
BOWL vs. #18 NC State W 28-19
Team Info:
2023 Record: 9-4 (5th in Big XII)
Home: 6-1
Away: 2-3
Neutral: 1-0
B12: 6-3
Non-B10: 3-1
Head Coach: Chris Klieman
Kansas State: 39-24
Career: 111-37
Bowls: 2-2
(LB Austin Moore – Kansas State Athletics Media Relations)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Avery Johnson (37-66, 479 yards, 56.1%, 7.3 avg., 5 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: DJ Giddens (223 car., 1226 yards, 5.5 avg., 10 TD)
Receiving: DJ Giddens (29 rec., 323 yards, 11.1 avg., 3 TD)
TDs Scored: DJ Giddens (13)
Sacks: Cody Stufflebean (2)
Tackles: Austin Moore/Marques Sigle (63)
Tackles For Loss: Austin Moore (12.5)
Interceptions: Jacob Parrish (4)
Pass Deflections: Jacob Parrish/Marques Sigle (9)
Forced Fumbles: Desmond Purnell (3)
Kick Returns: Keagan Johnson (1 ret., 19 yards, 19.0 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: None
Kicking: Chris Tennant (11-14 fg/fga., 79%, 56-57 xp/xpa., 89 pts.)
Punting: None
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 5 Avery Johnson (SO)
RB: 31 DJ Giddens (RS JR)
WR: 10 Keagan Johnson (RS JR/TR)
WR: 14 Dante Cephas (RS SR/TR)
WR: 1 Jayce Brown (SO)
TE: 86 Garrett Oakley (RS SO)
LT: 71 Easton Kilty (SR/TR)
LG: 54 Hadley Panzer (SR)
OC: 75 Sam Hecht (RS JR)
RG: 69 Taylor Poitier (RS SR)
RT: 77 Carver Willis (RS SR)
KR: 10 Keagan Johnson (RS JR/TR)
PK: 17 Chris Tennant (SR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 47 Cody Stufflebean (RS SR)
NT: 99 Uso Seumalo (SR/TR)
DE: 38 Brendan Mott (RS SR)
LB: 41 Austin Moore (GR)
LB: 20 Alec Marenco (SR/TR)
LB: 32 Desmond Purnell (RS JR)
CB: 10 Jacob Parrish (JR)
CB: 1 Keenan Garber (RS SR)
FS: 21 Marques Sigle (SR/TR)
JS: 6 Jordan Riley (SR/TR)
SS: 19 VJ Payne (JR)
PR: 6 Sterling Lockett (RS SO)
PT: 35 Simon McClannan (RS FR)
(FS Marques Sigle – Getty Images)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: C
Running Backs: A
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: A
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/31 UT-MARTIN SKYHAWKS | First meeting between schools.
09/07 @ Tulane Green Wave | Kansas State trails the series 0-2. The Wildcats lost (10-17) the last meeting between schools in 2022, and they lost (16-20) the inaugural meeting in 1988.
09/13 ARIZONA WILDCATS | Kansas State trails the series 1-5-1. The Wildcats lost (0-31) the last meeting between schools in 1978.
09/21 @ BYU Cougars | The series is tied 4-4. The Wildcats lost (15-19) the last meeting between schools in 1997.
09/28 OKLAHOMA STATE COWBOYS | Kansas State trails the series 27-43. The Wildcats are 4-6 since 2014, and their last series win (48-0) was in 2022.
10/12 @ Colorado Buffaloes | Kansas State trails the series 20-45-1. The Wildcats lost (36-44) the last meeting between schools in 2010.
10/19 @ West Virginia Mountaineers | Kansas State leads the series 7-6. The Wildcats won (48-31) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
10/26 KANSAS JAYHAWKS | Kansas State trails the series 51-65-5. The Wildcats are 10-0 since 2014, and their last series loss (21-52) dates back to 2008.
11/02 @ Houston Cougars | Last season’s 41-0 win was the first meeting between schools.
11/16 ARIZONA STATE SUN DEVILS | Kansas State trails the series 1-5. The Wildcats won (34-27) the last meeting between schools in 2022.
11/23 CINCINNATI BEARCATS | Kansas State trails the series 2-4. The Wildcats won (35-0) the last meeting between schools in 1996.
11/30 @ Iowa State Cyclones | Kansas State trails the series 50-53-4. The Wildcats are 6-4 since 2014, and their last series win (10-9) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 3-3
Road: 0-6
Neutral: 0-0
B12: 2-7
Non-B12: 1-2
Overall: 3-9 (14th in Big XII)
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