Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman talks about explosive plays
Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman talks about the importance of creating explosive plays on offense and preventing them on defense.
K-State Athletics
MANHATTAN — While the Kansas State football team couldn’t match the magic of its 2022 Big 12 championship run from last year, it still won nine games in its fifth year under coach Chris Klieman. The 9-4 record included an impressive 28-19 victory over North Carolina State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
The difference in 2023 was the Wildcats’ inability to win close games. The biggest difference in their four losses was by eight points (29-21) at Oklahoma State. On the other hand, seven of the nine wins were by double digits, including two shutouts and a 41-3 loss to TCU.
The Wildcats are again ranked second in the Big 12, which now includes 16 teams, and are ranked in both national preseason polls for the second year in a row (17th by US LBM Coaches and 18th by Associated Press).
There isn’t a game on the schedule that can’t be won, and the Wildcats’ over-under line is 9.5 wins. But they’ve only reached double digits once under Klieman, so 9-3 seems like a more realistic mark for the regular season.
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Kansas State football game predictions
August 31: against Tennessee-Martin
Last season: Did not play. UT-Martin finished the game 8:3.
The buzz: UT-Martin has dominated the Big South/Ohio Valley Conference, winning the last three titles, but the FCS Skyhawks haven’t had much success against the big guys. Plus, given Klieman’s background at North Dakota State, he won’t let the Wildcats overlook UTM.
The selection: K-State wins 45-10.
September 7: at Tulane
Last season: Did not play. Tulane finished the season 11-3.
The buzz: Tulane has been a mid-major high-flyer the past two years, surprising K-State 17-10 in Manhattan in 2022. But with Willie Fritz taking the job in Houston, the Green Wave have a new coach in Joe Sumrall. Sumrall was very successful in his first head coaching job at Troy, going 23-5 in two seasons, but one of those losses was a 42-13 loss to K-State last year.
The selection: K-State wins 30-14.
September 13: against Arizona
Last season: Did not play. Arizona finished the season 10-3.
The buzz: Big 12 newcomer Arizona visits Manhattan on a Friday night for a non-league game. The teams had the non-conference game scheduled when Arizona was still in the Pac-12, and there was no time to find new opponents. This could be a shootout, pitting the more explosive K-State offense against an Arizona attack that features standout quarterback Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan.
The selection: K-State wins 42-35.
September 21: at BYU
Last season: Did not play. BYU finished the season 5-7.
The buzz: BYU had a rough start in the Big 12 last year, going 2-7 in the league. Even though the game will be played at altitude in Provo, Utah, don’t expect the Cougars to pose a serious threat.
The selection: K-State wins 38-13.
September 28: against Oklahoma State
Last season: Oklahoma State won 29-21. Oklahoma State finished 10-4.
The buzz: Oklahoma State, which was picked just behind K-State in the conference’s preseason poll, had the upper hand against Klieman, winning four of five. The Cowboys have one of the nation’s best running backs in Ollie Gordon, although K-State may have a strong offensive line of its own in DJ Giddens and Dylan Edwards. And the game is in Manhattan, where the Wildcats won 48-0 two years ago.
The selection: Oklahoma State wins 28-21.
October 12: in Colorado
Last season: Did not play. Colorado finished the season 4-8.
The buzz: Deion Sanders arrived as Colorado’s coach with much fanfare last year and the Buffaloes got off to a good start but limped home with a 4-8 record. The Buffaloes have some incredible talent on the front line, but do they have enough depth to keep up with K-State in reviving an old conference rivalry? The Wildcats will likely win by a narrow margin.
The selection: K-State wins 38-35.
October 19: in West Virginia
Last season: Did not play. West Virginia finished the season 9-4.
The buzz: West Virginia coach Neal Brown, who arrived in the Big 12 at the same time as Klieman, may have saved his job last year by posting nine wins and a league record of 6-3. K-State won the last two meetings before last year’s hiatus, but the Mountaineers are tough to beat in Morgantown and this could be a difficult game.
The selection: West Virginia wins 27-24.
October 26: against Kansas
Last season: K-State won 31-27. Kansas finished 9-4.
The buzz: K-State has won 15 straight Sunflower Showdowns, but the gap has narrowed significantly since Lance Leipold took over as coach at KU. The Wildcats were lucky to escape Lawrence with a 31-27 win. This should be KU’s most talented team since the winning streak began, but K-State will be highly motivated to extend it for another year, especially in Manhattan.
The selection: K-State wins 37-30.
November 2: in Houston
Last season: K-State won 41-0. Houston finished 4-8.
The buzz: Veteran coach Willie Fritz takes over a struggling Houston program after a great run at Tulane. Whether he can do the same for the Cougars remains to be seen, but it’s likely it won’t happen this year. K-State dominated play last year and should prevail on the road as well.
The selection: K-State wins 35-20.
November 16: against Arizona State
Last season: Did not play. Arizona State finished the season 3-9.
The buzz: This is the second of three consecutive K-State opponents picked at the bottom of the Big 12. The Sun Devils were at the bottom of that list and aren’t expected to fare any better after moving from the Big 12, especially at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
The selection: K-State wins 48-10.
November 23: against Cincinnati
Last season: Did not play. Cincinnati finished the season 3-9.
The buzz: If you thought Houston had a rough first year in the Big 12, you sure did, knowing Cincinnati won just one league game and is projected to finish 14th in year two. K-State should make quick work of the Bearcats on Senior Day in Manhattan.
The selection: K-State wins 42-13.
November 30: at Iowa State
Last season: Iowa State won 42-35. Iowa State finished 7-6.
The buzz: Much like Oklahoma State, Iowa State has been a tough nut to crack for Klieman, whose Wildcats have lost three of their last four games in the series. That includes a disappointing 42-35 loss last year in snowy Manhattan to an inconsistent Cyclone team that won just seven games but finished 6-3 in the Big 12. K-State’s only win in the last four meetings was a narrow 10-9 victory two years ago in Ames.
The selection: Iowa State wins 28-21.
Arne Green lives in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett Network. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter at @arnegreen.
