Blog Article
Kansas State Football 2025 Season Preview: Wildcats Poised for Big 12 Championship Run
The Kansas State Wildcats aren’t just building a football program but constructing a dynasty.
Coming off their third consecutive 9-win season, the Wildcats have positioned themselves among the nation’s elite. Only Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, and Ole Miss can match K-State’s remarkable consistency over the last four years.
Let’s explain why 2025 could be the year the Wildcats finally break through to the College Football Playoff.
A Culture of Resilience That Few Programs Can Match
The defining moment of Kansas State’s 2024 season wasn’t a blowout win or a highlight-reel touchdown.
It was the greatest bowl comeback in school history—rallying from a 34-17 deficit to claim a 44-41 Rate Bowl victory that showcased the relentless culture Chris Klieman has built in Manhattan.
This is a program that refuses to flinch when facing adversity:
- Three straight seasons with at least 9 wins
- A run game that averaged a staggering 215.5 yards per game in 2024
- A defense that strangled opposing ground attacks, allowing just 118.7 rushing yards per contest
- A record-setting quarterback returning to lead an even more explosive offense
The foundation is rock solid. The ceiling? It might just be championship hardware.
Avery Johnson: The Next Great Dual-Threat QB Ready for Stardom
Remember when Collin Klein terrorized Big 12 defenses with his unique blend of power and precision?
Avery Johnson might be even better.
The junior quarterback enters 2025 coming off a sophomore campaign where he:
- Threw for 2,712 yards and a school-record 25 touchdowns
- Added 605 rushing yards and 7 scores on the ground
- Finished fourth in school history in pass attempts, fifth in completions, and passing yards
- Became one of only nine quarterbacks in the nation with at least 25 passing TDs and seven rushing TDs
“We’re in May and nobody knows what their roster is going to be for the season,” Klieman said recently. “But [we retain] a key cog in Johnson. The Wildcats are expected to be among the favorites to claim the Big 12 Conference title and should be ranked when they open the 2025 season against Iowa State in Dublin, Ireland.”
The scary part? Johnson is just scratching the surface of his potential.
The Backfield That Nobody Wants to Face
Good luck getting any sleep if you’re a defensive coordinator preparing for Kansas State.
The Wildcats’ backfield boasts three distinct running styles, each capable of exploiting defensive weaknesses.
- Dylan Edwards returns after a breakout 2024 season highlighted by his Rate Bowl heroics.
- Nebraska transfer Gabe Ervin Jr. (6’0″, 220 pounds) brings power and physicality as a complementary piece.
- Recently signed Antonio Martin Jr. adds yet another dimension to an already loaded room
In 2024, K-State became the only Power 4 team in the country with three players averaging at least 5.4 yards per carry (a minimum of 70 attempts).
Think about that for a second.
The 2025 version might be even more dangerous.
Transfer Portal Mastery That’s Changing the Program’s Ceiling
The old Kansas State was known for developing overlooked recruits into NFL players.
The new Kansas State? They’re still doing that but also winning big in the transfer portal.
The Wildcats signed a modern-era high of 14-15 transfers for 2025, addressing specific needs while maintaining the core of last year’s successful team:
- Boston College transfer Jerand Bradley (6’5″, 222 pounds) gives Johnson a massive target who has already proven himself in the Big 12 at Texas Tech
- Purdue transfer Jaron Tibbs and TCU transfer Caleb Medford transform a once-thin receiver room into a strength
- High-upside defensive additions like Alabama linebacker Jayshawn Ross and Ohio State linebacker Gabe Powers bring blue-blood pedigrees to Manhattan.
- Offensive line reinforcements arrived via JB Nelson (Penn State), Terrence Enos Jr. (Pittsburgh), and George Fitzpatrick (Ohio State)
The days of K-State being outmatched athletically are over. Now they’ve got the coaching AND the players to compete with anyone.
Not everything in Manhattan is perfect; ignoring these issues would be a mistake.
Two concerning statistical trends from 2024 could undermine K-State’s championship aspirations:
- The Wildcats averaged 5.5 penalties per game (45.7 yards), including a season-high 9 penalties for 96 yards against West Virginia
- Their turnover margin was perfectly neutral (16 committed, 15 forced), limiting momentum-changing opportunities in close games
These numbers point to fixable discipline issues that seem incongruent with what is otherwise one of the most stable coaching staffs in the Big 12.
For a team with slim championship margins, these self-inflicted wounds could be the difference between playing for a title in December and watching from home.
Additional Challenges That Bear Watching
Beyond the statistical concerns, several roster questions need answering:
The depth of quarterbacks behind Johnson is uncertain, which could be significant considering the physical demands of his playing style.
- The offensive line must build cohesion quickly after losing several veteran starters.
- Defensive depth, particularly in the front seven, was strained during spring practice due to injuries.
- The new NCAA 105-man roster cap hits developmental programs like K-State especially har.d
None of these issues are insurmountable, but they can make the difference between a good and great team.
A Schedule Designed for National Attention
The 2025 campaign starts with the kind of spotlight few K-State teams have ever experienced.
The Aer Lingus College Football Classic against Iowa State on August 23 in Dublin, Ireland, marks just the second international game in program history. The winner immediately positions itself as an early Big 12 frontrunner.
Other key schedule highlights include:
- Non-conference tests against North Dakota (Aug. 30) and Army (Sept. 6) before a fascinating “non-conference” Big 12 matchup at Arizona (Sept. 13)
- Home games against UCF (Sept. 27), TCU (Oct. 11), Texas Tech (Nov. 1), and Colorado (Nov. 29)
- Challenging road tests at Baylor (Oct. 4), Kansas (Oct. 25), Oklahoma State (Nov. 15), and first-time opponent Utah (Nov. 22)
The November stretch will define the season, with three of their final four games on the road before closing at home against Colorado.
Big 12 and CFP Outlook: The Window Is Now
Vegas oddsmakers have K-State’s over/under at 8.5 wins, but that number feels conservative.
The Wildcats are co-favorites (+550) to win the Big 12 alongside Arizona State, and for good reason.
What separates Kansas State in the expanded College Football Playoff era is its complete package:
- Elite quarterback play from a true dual-threat talent
- Explosive backfield with multiple rushing styles
- Improved receiving corps with size and speed
- Traditionally strong defense built to stop the run
- Coaching continuity in a conference full of turnover
“The Wildcats are a perennial Big 12 contender, and the program should return to form after an inconsistent first year for quarterback Avery Johnson,” noted one analysis from CBS Sports. “To help, KSU brought in plenty of receiver help next to Jayce Brown, including Jerand Bradley and Caleb Medford. The defense has been consistent under Chris Klieman.”
The Big 12 has recently lacked a dominant national contender. Kansas State has the perfect opportunity to fill that void.
Coaching Staff Built for Modern College Football
As Klieman enters his seventh season, he’s assembled a staff designed for the new realities of college football.
The restructured coaching team includes:
- Nate Kaczor as special teams coordinator, bringing 16 years of NFL experience
- Matt Kardulis (assistant safeties coach) and David Orloff (outside linebackers coach) are providing specialized position coaching
- Sean Maguire, promoted to assistant quarterbacks coach, continues to mentor Avery Johnson
The offensive approach under Matt Wells will leverage multiple personnel groupings and creative substitution patterns to maximize K-State’s depth at skill positions.
Defensively, coordinator Joe Klanderman’s unit has been a model of consistency, particularly against the run. The challenge will be maintaining that standard despite roster turnover and the 105-player limit.
The Bottom Line: Championship Window Is Wide Open
Kansas State football has never been better positioned for national relevance.
Combining an elite quarterback-running back tandem, strategic transfer portal additions, and a proven coaching staff creates a foundation for Big 12 title contention and potentially the program’s first College Football Playoff appearance.
The challenges are real—quarterback depth, offensive line cohesion, and cleaning up penalties and turnovers all bear watching—but the Wildcats’ track record suggests they’ll be in the thick of the conference race deep into November.
With a dramatic Ireland opener against Iowa State looming, K-State’s path to championship contention begins immediately.
If Avery Johnson takes the expected next step in his development and the transfer additions integrate smoothly, the Wildcats won’t just be playing for a conference title.
They could be playing for a whole lot more.
The Next Billion Dollar Game
College football isn’t just a sport anymore—it’s a high-stakes market where information asymmetry separates winners from losers. While the average fan sees only what happens between the sidelines, real insiders trade on the hidden dynamics reshaping programs from the inside out.
Our team has embedded with the power brokers who run this game. The coaching carousel, NIL deals, transfer portal strategies, we’ve mapped the entire ecosystem with the kind of obsessive detail that would make a hedge fund analyst blush.
Why subscribe? Because in markets this inefficient, information creates alpha. Our subscribers knew which coaches were dead men walking months before the mainstream media caught on. They understood which programs were quietly transforming their recruiting apparatuses while competitors slept.
The smart money is already positioning for 2025. Are you?
Click below—it’s free—and join the small group of people who understand the real value of college football’s new economy.
