(Photo Credit: Kansas State Athletics Media Relations/USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Avery Johnson, RB Dylan Edwards, WR Jayce Brown, TE Garrett Oakley, OC Sam Hecht, OG Andrew Leingang, OG Taylor Poitier, DE Travis Bates, DE Chiddi Obiazor, DE Tobi Osunsanmi, DE Cody Stufflebean, NT Damian Ilalio, LB Austin Romaine, LB Desmond Purnell, LB Rex Van Wyhe, SS VJ Payne, KR/PR Dylan Edwards, and PT Simon McClannan.
Key Players Departing:
RB DJ Giddens, WR Keagan Johnson, OG Hadley Panzer, OT Easton Kilty, DE Brendan Mott, LB Austin Moore, CB Keenan Garber, CB Jacob Parrish, FS Marques Sigle, JS Jordan Riley-Scott, and PK Chris Tennant.
Top 10 Recruits:
Blue Chip Recruits: TE Linkon Cure (Goodland, Kansas).
4 Star Recruits: DS Noah King (Hamilton, Ohio).
3 Star Recruits: EDGE Jayshawn Ross (Alabama transfer), LB Weston Polk (Coppell, Texas), OL JB Nelson (Penn State transfer), DS Logan Bartley (Naples, Florida), CB Amarion Fortenberry (South Alabama transfer), OL Brock Heath (Overland Park, Kansas), LB Darien Whitaker Jr. (Boys Town, Nebraska), and DL Patrick Tackle (Raymond, Mississippi).
2024 Results:
G01 UT-MARTIN W 41-6
G02 @ Tulane W 34-27
G03 #20 ARIZONA W 31-7
G04 @ BYU L 9-38
G05 #20 OKLAHOMA STATE W 42-20
G06 @ Colorado W 31-28
G07 @ West Virginia W 45-18
G08 KANSAS W 29-27
G09 @ Houston L 19-24
G10 ARIZONA STATE L 14-24
G11 CINCINNATI W 41-15
G12 @ #18 Iowa State L 21-29
BOWL vs. Rutgers W 44-41
Team Info:
2024 Record: 9-4 (5th in Big XII)
Home: 5-1
Away: 3-3
Neutral: 1-0
B12: 5-4
Non-B10: 4-0
Head Coach: Chris Klieman
Kansas State: 48-28
Bowls: 3-2
Career: 120-41
(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Avery Johnson (217-372, 2712 yards, 58.3%, 7.3 avg., 25 TD, 10 INT)
Rushing: Avery Johnson (113 car., 605 yards, 5.4 avg., 7 TD)
Receiving: Jayce Brown (47 rec., 823 yards, 17.5 avg., 5 TD)
TDs Scored: Dylan Edwards (8)
Sacks: Desmond Purnell (4)
Tackles: Austin Romaine (96)
Tackles For Loss: Desmond Purnell (10)
Interceptions: VJ Payne (2)
Pass Deflections: VJ Payne (4)
Forced Fumbles: Austin Romaine (3)
Kick Returns: Dylan Edwards (15 ret., 298 yards, 19.9 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Dylan Edwards (10 ret., 140 yards, 14.0 avg., 1 TD)
Kicking: None
Punting: Simon McClannan (47 punts, 1990 yards, 42.3 avg., 15 in 20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 2 Avery Johnson (JR)
RB: 3 Dylan Edwards (JR/TR)
WR: 12 Jaron Tibbs (JR/TR)
WR: 5 Jerand Bradley (RS SR/TR)
WR: 1 Jayce Brown (JR)
TE: 86 Garrett Oakley (RS JR)
LT: 58 Brandon Sneh (SR/TR)
LG: 77 Amos Talalele (RS SO/TR)
OC: 75 Sam Hecht (RS SR)
RG: 69 Taylor Poitier (RS SR)
RT: 59 George Fitzpatrick (RS JR/TR)
KR: 3 Dylan Edwards (JR/TR)
PK: 96 Leyton Simmering (RS JR)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 8 Chiddi Obiazor (RS SO)
NT: 56 Damian Ilalio (RS SR)
DE: 47 Cody Stufflebean (RS SR)
LB: 35 Gabe Powers (RS JR/TR)
LB: 45 Austin Romaine (JR)
LB: 32 Desmond Purnell (RS SR)
CB: 5 Justice James (SR/TR)
CB: 0 Amarion Fortenberry (SO/TR)
FS: 3 Gunner Maldonado (RS SR/TR)
JS: 2 Colby McCalister (RS JR)
SS: 19 VJ Payne (SR)
PR: 2 Dylan Edwards (JR/TR)
PT: 35 Simon McClannan (RS SO)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: B
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: A
Kickers: C
Punters: B
Schedule:
08/23 vs. Iowa State Cyclones | Kansas State trails the series 50-54-4. The Wildcats are 5-5 since 2015, and their last series win (10-9) was in 2022.
08/30 NORTH DAKOTA FIGHTING HAWKS | First meeting.
09/06 ARMY BLACK KNIGHTS | Kansas State trails the series 0-2. The Wildcats lost (14-41) the last meeting in 1987, and they lost (6-21) the inaugural meeting in 1966.
09/12 @ Arizona Wildcats | Kansas State trails the series 2-5-1. The Wildcats won (31-7) last season’s meeting, and they lost (0-31) the prior meeting in 1978.
09/27 UCF KNIGHTS | Kansas State leads the series 2-0. The Wildcats won (44-31) the last meeting in 2023, and they won (17-13) the inaugural meeting in 2010.
10/04 @ Baylor Bears | Kansas State leads the series 11-10. The Wildcats are 4-5 since 2015, and they won (59-25) the last meeting in 2023.
10/11 TCU HORNED FROGS | Kansas State leads the series 10-8. The Wildcats are 6-4 since 2015, and they won (41-3) the last meeting in 2023.
10/25 @ Kansas Jayhawks | Kansas State trails the series 52-65-5. The Wildcats are 10-0 since 2015, and their last series loss (21-52) was in 2008.
11/01 TEXAS TECH RED RAIDERS | Kansas State leads the series 15-9. The Wildcats are 8-1 since 2015, and they won (38-21) the last meeting in 2023.
11/15 @ Oklahoma State Cowboys | Kansas State trails the series 28-43. The Wildcats are 4-6 since 2015, and their last series loss (21-29) was in 2023.
11/22 @ Utah Utes | First meeting.
11/29 COLORADO BUFFALO | Kansas State trails the series 21-45-1. The Wildcats won (31-28) last season’s meeting, and they lost (36-44) the prior meeting in 2010.
Predictions:
Home: 5-1
Road: 1-4
Neutral: 0-0
B12: 4-5
Non-B12: 2-1
Overall: 6-6 (11th in Big XII – Bowl Eligible)
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