Kansas State was the Big 12 football champion in a surprise in 2022 but not quite as good last year and then lost long-time starting quarterback Will Howard in the transfer market.
What to expect from the Wildcats in the new-look Big 12 in 2024? They are among the favorites on the college football odds to win the conference.
| Expert Prediction: Over 8 wins as the Wildcats finish 9-3 – they have a realistic chance of reaching the Big 12 title game. |
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To reach Playoff: No -340 / Yes +260 To win Big 12: +370 Regular-season win total: 9.5 Odds to Win National Title: +7000 |
Last Season
Kansas State finished 9-4 last year – all four losses by single digits — after knocking off No. 18 NC State 28-19 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Avery Johnson, in his first collegiate start, threw for 178 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score, and DJ Giddens had 152 rushing yards and one score as well.
Kansas State Quarterback
Johnson, a 19-year-old phenom from Wichita, Kansas, arrived at K-State prior to last season as the No. 1-rated dual-threat quarterback in the nation. He replaced Will Howard, who threw a school-record 48 career touchdown passes before entering the transfer portal. Johnson became the first true freshman quarterback in school history to win a bowl game.
He was the fifth true freshman starting quarterback in school history and the second to start a bowl game (Josh Freeman, 2006 Texas Bowl). Johnson finished the season with seven rushing touchdowns to tie the true freshman record (Deuce Vaughn, 2020) and tie for second among all freshmen. Johnson is one of the most dynamic returning players in the Big 12.
K-State has won at least nine games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2011 (10) and 2012 (11). When taking into account the eight-win 2021 campaign, Kansas State is the only Big 12 team and one of 11 Power 5 programs with at least eight wins in each of the last three seasons.
^Chris Kleiman
Kleiman is truly one of college football’s best coaches. The Cats enter 2024 having scored at least 30 points in – Consecutive games the Wildcats have scored at least 30 points in eight straight games, the second-longest active streak in the country.
K-State was fourth in the Big 12 in scoring last with 34.8 points per game and sixth in total offense with a 445-yard average, but where they stood out was in the red zone. Once inside an opponent’s 20-yard line, their conversion rate was 89.2%, which ranked second in the conference. Even more impressive was the fact that of the 58 scores in 65 opportunities, 51 went for touchdowns. Where the Wildcats hope to take a step forward this season under new offensive coordinator Conor Riley and quarterbacks coach/co-coordinator Matt Wells is in explosive plays.
“We’ve got to throw the ball a little more so that the offense or the running game does open up,” Kleiman said.
^Offensive of the Wildcats
The Wildcats return six starters on offense and eight on defense in 2024 but must replace four offensive linemen. Gone are tight end Ben Sinnott, a second-round NFL Draft pick by the Washington Commanders, and All-America guard Cooper Beebe, who went in the third round to the Dallas Cowboys.
^Defensive of the Wildcats
The defense should again be one of the Big 12’s best with all those starters back. Kansas State ranked second in the Big 12 in scoring defense at 21 points per game and third in total defense, allowing an average 372.5 yards. K-State also was third in red zone defense, limiting opponents to a 78.8% success rate with only 13 of 26 scores resulting in touchdowns.
“Defensive line and secondary are our strength in numbers and experience,” Klieman said. “We’re going to rotate seven or eight guys in the defensive line, and we have a lot of depth there. In the secondary we’ve got both of our returning corners back, and then all of our safeties return. We’ve just got to continue to develop the depth at linebacker.”
The preseason Coaches Top 25 poll came out last week and Kansas State was ranked 17th, one of five Big 12 teams named in the initial rankings. Utah is the top conference team at No. 13, with Oklahoma State at No. 18, Arizona at No. 21 and Kansas at No. 24.
K-State should run the table in its non-conference schedule and opens Big 12 play at BYU on Sept. 21. The Cats’ conference road games are at Colorado, West Virginia, Houston and Iowa State. Not too bad. They avoid preseason favorite Utah in the regular season.
^Kansas State Football Schedule 2024
- Aug. 31 vs UT Martin Skyhawks
- Sept. 7 at Tulane Green Wave
- Sept. 13 vs Arizona Wildcats
- Sept. 21 at BYU Cougars
- Sept. 28 vs Oklahoma State Cowboys
- Oct. 5 OFF
- Oct. 12 at Colorado Buffaloes
- Oct. 19 at West Virginia Mountaineers
- Oct. 26 vs 22 Kansas Jayhawks
- Nov. 2 at Houston Cougars
- Nov. 9 OFF
- Nov. 16 vs Arizona State Sun Devils
- Nov. 23 vs Cincinnati Bearcats
- Nov. 30 at Iowa State Cyclones
- Dec. 7 Big 12 Championship
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Everyday hustle ⚒️ pic.twitter.com/Cy8HSVsHXv
— K-State Football (@KStateFB) August 8, 2024
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2023 Kansas State
Quick, which team was the Big 12 champion in college football last season? You might think TCU because the Frogs reached the College Football Playoff, but it was Kansas State. Are the Wildcats capable of repeating this year? Let’s break them down.
Let’s break down Kansas State this year. Here’s the preview for your college football betting lines to win the NCAA National Championship.
Kansas State Wildcats 2023 Season Betting Guide | MyBookie College Betting Preview
Kansas State Wildcats | Big 12 Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season
School: Kansas State University
Head coach: Joe Klanderman | 4th season
Home field: Martin Stadium | 32,952
Kansas State Odds to Win Championship: +12000
Kansas State Wildcats’ Season
Kansas State upset No. 3 TCU in the Big 12 title game last year, 31-28 in overtime, to earn a New Year’s Six Bowl berth. Ty Zentner kicked a 31-yard field goal for the win. The Wildcats set up the winning field goal after TCU had the opening possession of overtime and Kendre Miller was stopped short on consecutive plays from inside the 1.
The Wildcats captured their first Big 12 title since 2012 and their first victory in a Big 12 Championship Game since 2003. Despite that loss, TCU still made the playoff. K-State was sent to the Sugar Bowl and lost 45-20 to Alabama to finish 10-4. Will Howard threw for 210 yards and two interceptions, and Deuce Vaughn had 22 carries for 133 yards and one touchdown.
Vaughn put a stamp on a stellar junior season in which he earned consensus All-American for a second straight season. Vaughn finished with 1,558 rushing yards to rank third in school history and his nine 100-yard rushing performances tied for second most in school history. His 1,936 all-purpose yards finished fifth in school history. He’s now in the NFL.
Kansas State Wildcats Offense
The 2022 Wildcat offense ended as one of the best in school history. K-State finished with 5,863 total offensive yards to rank second in school history behind the 6,615 yards put up by the 2003 team. The Wildcats averaged 418.8 yards per game to rank fifth in school history. K-State scored 452 points in 2022 to rank seventh in school history. K-State’s 2,916 rushing yards this season ranked fourth in school history, while its 2,947 passing yards ranked sixth.
While Vaughn is gone, the QB Howard is back. He played in seven games with six starts over the second half of the 2022 season, including the Big 12 Championship victory over TCU and in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama. Howard threw for 1,633 yards and 15 touchdowns with just four interceptions on 119-of-199 passing, while he rushed for three touchdowns.
Had he been in the lineup for enough snaps, Howard would have finished 10th in Total QBR nationally. K-State averaged 5.7 yards per play and 28.4 points per game without him, then ramped up to 6.1 and 36.1, respectively, with him. He ranked eighth in school history in passing efficiency at 149.6 and recorded multiple touchdown passes in six-straight games, the longest streak ever by a Wildcat in a single season and the longest overall since Josh Freeman did so in seven games (final three games of 2007, first four games of 2008).
While Vaughn leaves big shoes to fill at tailback, but the Wildcats are excited to see what DJ Giddens can do with increased playing time. Treshaun Ward, a transfer from Florida State, should also make big plays. Blocking shouldn’t be a problem. K-State returns its entire offensive line, including star guard Cooper Beebe.
Kansas State Wildcats Defense
The defense is led by linebacker Daniel Green, who many expected to turn pro. The 6-3, 245-pound defender is one of the best linebackers in the conference when healthy. Green has made 219 career tackles with the Wildcats. Linebacker will be a position of strength with Austin Moore also returning after making a team-high 87 tackles last season. The linebacker unit loses only one rotational piece in Nick Allen.
The K-State defense switched from a four-man front to a 3-3-5 alignment in 2021, and the change has paid off. In the 27 games since the defensive switch, the Cats are allowing just 21.4 points per game, which ranks second in the Big 12 and 23rd in the nation. The Wildcats have surrendered just 21.0 points per game in 2021 and 21.9 points per game last year. It marked the first time K-State allowed less than 22.0 points per game in consecutive seasons since going 13-straight years from 1991 to 2003. K-State held all of its Big 12 opponents last season under their season averages coming into the game.
Kansas State opens the season against FCS school SE Missouri State and will win that game as well as Week 2 vs. Troy, but the final non-conference game at Missouri on Sept. 16 will be a challenge. In Big 12 play, K-State plays new members UCF and Houston but not Cincinnati or BYU. The Wildcats also avoid Oklahoma, which is a nice break. The Cats could run the table at home but probably lose on the road at least at Oklahoma State, Texas Tech and Texas.
Kansas State Season Prediction
The Wildcats have seven home games and will have several ranked opponents to take on during the road. Kansas State’s offense should be able to move forward effectivelywith the 4th seaon with their experienced Joe Klanderman. While there are several potential pratfalls, the Wildcats should be able to find enough offense to get way over the win total.
NCAAF pick: Wildcats finish 9-3, no Big 12 title game
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