Kansas State Wildcats Football
2025: Steady as She Goes
2025 Record: 8-4 (6-3 Big 12) | AP Ranking: #22 | Bowl: Liberty Bowl vs. Arkansas
Kansas State is the team that just wins and nobody notices. It’s been that way for 30 years. — Mike
They beat you 31-17 and you’re not sure what happened. That’s K-State. — Jake
Quick Facts
| Location | Manhattan, Kansas |
| Stadium | Bill Snyder Family Stadium (50,000) |
| Head Coach | Chris Klieman (7th season) |
| Colors | Purple & White |
| Mascot | Willie the Wildcat |
| Conference Titles | 2 Big 12 (2003, 2012) |
Traditions: The Wabash Cannonball (fans jumping in unison, genuinely terrifying for the stadium structure), Bill Snyder’s legacy everywhere, purple everything, Manhattan being a surprisingly great college town.
Mike & Jake’s Take
🛋️ Mike’s Take (Oklahoma State Fan)
Chris Klieman doesn’t get the credit he deserves. He took over from a literal legend (Bill Snyder built K-State from nothing) and hasn’t missed a beat.
Kansas State is physical. Every game. They run the ball, they stop the run, and they don’t beat themselves. It sounds simple because it is — but executing it consistently is incredibly hard.
The 2025 team was solid. Not spectacular, but solid. 8-4 with a brutal schedule — losses to Texas Tech, BYU, Iowa State, and Colorado are nothing to be ashamed of. All four of those teams are good.
Avery Johnson at quarterback is developing well. He’s got wheels, makes good decisions, and is going to be a problem for defenses next year when he has more experience. The offensive line is physical. The defense is fundamentally sound.
K-State is the program that never rebuilds. They just reload. Klieman has them exactly where they should be — consistently competitive, occasionally dangerous, never embarrassing.
Confidence Level: Top 25 team until further notice
🍺 Jake’s Take (Texas Tech Fan)
K-State is annoying.
Not annoying in a bad way. Annoying in a “they’re always good and I can never figure out why” way. They don’t have the best athletes. They don’t have the flashiest offense. They don’t make headlines.
But every time you play them, you’re in a fight. They run the ball down your throat, their defense doesn’t give up big plays, and suddenly it’s the fourth quarter and you’re sweating a game you should’ve won by two touchdowns.
Tech beat them 28-24 this year. It was harder than it needed to be. Their running game is brutal — like, physically brutal. My body hurt watching it.
Manhattan is also a sneaky-tough place to play. The stadium isn’t huge, but it’s loud. The fans know football. They’ve been watching Bill Snyder’s brand of ball-control offense for decades, and they appreciate when the team executes. New to watching the Big 12? Check our New Fan’s Guide for the full rundown.
8-4 is fine. They’ll be 9-4 or 10-3 next year with Johnson developing. Book it.
Confidence Level: Always competitive, never easy
2025 Betting Trends
| Stat | Record | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Against the Spread (ATS) | 6-6 | 50.0% |
| Over/Under | 5-7 U | 41.7% |
| Home ATS | 4-2 | 66.7% |
| Road ATS | 2-4 | 33.3% |
| As Favorite ATS | 4-4 | 50.0% |
| As Underdog ATS | 2-2 | 50.0% |
Mike’s Betting Notes: The home/road split tells the story. K-State is a different team in Manhattan — 4-2 ATS at home, 2-4 on the road. If you’re betting K-State, lean home, fade road.
Jake’s Betting Notes: The under trend (5-7) makes sense. K-State controls clock, runs the ball, and plays physical defense. Totals stay low. Default to under unless the opponent is explosive. Full breakdown in our Big 12 Betting Guide.
Key Players (2025)
Avery Johnson — QB
198-of-312 (63.5%) | 2,456 yards | 18 TD | 8 INT | 141.2 rating
78 carries | 487 yards | 6.2 YPC | 7 TD
The dual-threat sophomore is developing into a star. His legs are a weapon — 487 rushing yards from the quarterback position changes how defenses have to play.
DJ Giddens — RB
221 carries | 1,198 yards | 5.4 YPC | 10 TD
The workhorse. Giddens is physical, patient, and consistently moves the chains. First-team All-Big 12.
Austin Moore — LB
98 tackles | 9 TFL | 4 sacks | 1 INT
The defensive leader. Moore is everywhere — sideline to sideline, great in coverage, reliable tackler.
Rivals & Key Matchups
Iowa State — Farmageddon. The best fake rivalry name in sports. Both teams are physical, well-coached, and hate each other. K-State won 24-21.
Kansas — The Sunflower Showdown. In-state bragging rights. K-State has dominated historically but Kansas is improving.
Oklahoma State — Two physical, run-first programs. Games are usually ugly and close. K-State won 27-13 this year.
More
- Big 12 Betting Guide — Everything you need before placing a bet on any conference game
- The Recliner vs The Barstool — How we rate games (and why we never agree)
- New Fan’s Guide to Big 12 Football — Just getting into the conference? Start here
- Current Standings | This Week’s Schedule
- Our Predictions Archive — Full transparency on every pick we’ve made