Kansas State: Reloading for a Run at the Big 12 Title
I have the Kansas State Wildcats at No. 16 in my preseason Top 25. In a testament to the high standard head coach Chris Klieman has set, their 9-4 campaign in 2024 felt like a disappointment. After a dominant 7-1 start, a November collapse derailed what looked like a sure-fire run to the Big 12 Championship. Now, after aggressively reloading through the transfer portal, the Wildcats are poised to turn that frustration into fuel. With a dynamic quarterback returning and a revamped roster, they are just a few one-score decisions away from a trip to Dallas.
2024: A Season of What Could Have Been
The season started with Kansas State looking like the class of the Big 12. They stormed out to a 7-1 record, and the Wabash Cannonball was rolling. But then it all went off the rails. The offense went cold in November, plagued by turnovers, botched snaps, and an inability to convert yardage into points.
A furious fourth-quarter rally in the bowl game salvaged a nine-win season, but the feeling of a missed opportunity lingered. Under Klieman, eight wins has become the baseline; the goal now is to raise the ceiling and win championships.
Offense: New Weapons for a Rising Star
The offense is built around the electric talent of quarterback Avery Johnson. As a sophomore, Johnson flashed the dual-threat ability that makes him one of the most exciting players in the country, breaking the school record for passing touchdowns. With a second-year starter bonus, he is expected to cut down on the freshman mistakes that crippled the offense at times last year and take a major leap forward.
The supporting cast has been completely retooled. The Wildcats lost two all-league offensive linemen and their top receivers, but coordinator Matt Wells hit the transfer portal hard. The new-look offensive line is bigger and more talented, featuring starters from Ohio State and Penn State. The backfield is explosive, with Dylan Edwards and Joe Jackson sharing the load. The biggest upgrade is at tight end, where All-Big 12 performer Garrett Oakley is joined by Linkon Cure, the No. 1 tight end recruit in the nation and the school’s first-ever five-star signee.
Defense: A Dominant Front Seven
The biggest question mark last season was the pass defense, and the secondary is once again the focus of a rebuild. The strength of this unit is unquestionably the front seven. The defensive end room is loaded with talent, led by the one-two punch of Chiddi Obiazor and Tobi Osunsanmi.
The linebacker corps is elite. Austin Romaine returns after earning second-team All-Big 12 honors and is joined by former top-100 recruit Gabe Powers from Ohio State. This group has the talent and physicality to dominate the line of scrimmage. The secondary is being rebuilt through the portal, headlined by Arizona’s all-league safety Gunner Maldonado. If that new group can gel quickly, this defense will be one of the best in the Big 12.
The Schedule and the Path
The Big 12 remains a crowded and competitive conference. While some of last year’s top teams are trending down, others like Baylor and Texas Tech are on the rise, creating a logjam at the top. Kansas State’s path to the championship will require them to win the close games that they let slip away last November.
Why I’m So Confident
Here’s why Kansas State is a legitimate Top 20 team:
- A dynamic, returning star quarterback in Avery Johnson.
- The best tight end room in the nation, led by an All-Big 12 performer and a five-star freshman.
- A powerful, reloaded front seven on defense.
- The proven consistency and high floor of a Chris Klieman-coached team.
- An aggressive and successful offseason in the transfer portal.
This program has a proven identity of toughness and consistency. At No. 16 in my preseason rankings, Kansas State has the talent and coaching to turn last year’s disappointment into a Big 12 Championship run.
