Kansas State University Athletics
‘It’s Still the Next Game’
Oct 21, 2025 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Nine days after Chris Klieman, in a celebratory locker room after a 41-28 win over TCU, told his team that it's just scratching the surface and is "ascending to a really darn good team if we don't get complacent," the seventh-year Kansas State head coach in his weekly news conference indicated a heightened level of energy while was business as usual during the Wildcats' bye week.
"The energy was a lot better at practice, and I know it was in the weight room coming off a win," Klieman said. "You're sore, but maybe that soreness doesn't feel so bad."
Now K-State, 3-4 overall and 2-2 in the Big 12 Conference, continues preparations for its next opponent, Kansas, 4-3 and 2-2, in Saturday's 11:00 a.m. kickoff at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas.
Kansas comes off a bye week of its own after its worst game of the season — a 42-17 loss at then-No. 9 Texas Tech.
K-State and Kansas both coming off bye weeks? Two weeks to prepare?
This figures to be a gridiron chess match galore in Lawrence on Saturday.
"Obviously, you're going to see some different wrinkles offensively, defensively and on special teams from both of us," Klieman said. "It still goes back to what do you really well and you look at that over a period of seven games to say, 'Maybe we do this really well. What's a different way we can present it so we can disguise it a little bit?' Obviously, you're going to see a lot of different looks from them offensively because they're very, very creative offensively, and they have that ability to be that creative when you have a guy who's taken as many snaps as Jalon Daniels has. They'll have a lot of different formations. They always do but now you add in the bye week.
"Coach Matt Wells is going to have a lot of different presentations as well. It's just what you do this time of year, especially when you have seven games on each other. It's going to come down to winning the line of scrimmage and who wins the one-on-one matchups."
After starting the season with a 1-3 record, K-State has gone 2-1 with the loss a one-point defeat at Baylor. Five of K-State's games this season have been decided by one score as the Wildcats are one of only three Power 4 teams to already have five games decided by one possession. Two of their three wins this season have been by two scores — a 34-20 win against UCF and a 41-28 win over TCU.
K-State is 0-3 in games played away from Manhattan. Those three games were decided by a total of 10 points.
Although K-State has won 16 straight in the Kansas series — the longest winning streak all-time by either team — the last two meetings have been nailbiters.
K-State beat Kansas 31-27 in Lawrence in 2023 and then beat Kansas 29-27 last year in Manhattan.
Saturday's game might not be any different.
"You can take everything and throw it out when it comes to this game, especially when both teams have bye weeks," Klieman said. "You'll see some different looks, for sure."
As for K-State's remarkable winning streak in the Sunflower Showdown?
"The streak is going to have nothing to do with Saturday," Klieman said. "It's who can friggen' block, who can get off blocks, who can tackle, who can make plays on the ball, and who can do all the little things. In this game, those little things get magnified. You guys can see it across college football. Every game is a grind for people of how you can get into a position to be successful and have a chance to win in the fourth quarter. There are a lot more close games in college football now."
Klieman, who has the second-most wins in K-State history and has never lost to Kansas, understands the importance of the Sunflower Showdown. He tries to take it all in stride.
"I try not to think about the game until the week of the game," Klieman said. "I've tried to do a really good job at that for seven years because if you put all your chips in and talk about it in the offseason and in the summer then what's the value of all these other games that you have played or are going to play?
"But once the week starts, all you have to do is get with (longtime director of recruiting) Taylor Braet and you get the meaning of the game. He is Mr. K-State here, in my opinion, of how valuable the rivalry is. I know it's a big game, and I know it's a big game for the state, for former players, for the fan base and alumni, but it's still the next game, and our preparation has to be great Monday through Friday.
"Saturday will get here fast enough."
Nine days after Chris Klieman, in a celebratory locker room after a 41-28 win over TCU, told his team that it's just scratching the surface and is "ascending to a really darn good team if we don't get complacent," the seventh-year Kansas State head coach in his weekly news conference indicated a heightened level of energy while was business as usual during the Wildcats' bye week.
"The energy was a lot better at practice, and I know it was in the weight room coming off a win," Klieman said. "You're sore, but maybe that soreness doesn't feel so bad."
Now K-State, 3-4 overall and 2-2 in the Big 12 Conference, continues preparations for its next opponent, Kansas, 4-3 and 2-2, in Saturday's 11:00 a.m. kickoff at Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Kansas.
Kansas comes off a bye week of its own after its worst game of the season — a 42-17 loss at then-No. 9 Texas Tech.
K-State and Kansas both coming off bye weeks? Two weeks to prepare?
This figures to be a gridiron chess match galore in Lawrence on Saturday.
"Obviously, you're going to see some different wrinkles offensively, defensively and on special teams from both of us," Klieman said. "It still goes back to what do you really well and you look at that over a period of seven games to say, 'Maybe we do this really well. What's a different way we can present it so we can disguise it a little bit?' Obviously, you're going to see a lot of different looks from them offensively because they're very, very creative offensively, and they have that ability to be that creative when you have a guy who's taken as many snaps as Jalon Daniels has. They'll have a lot of different formations. They always do but now you add in the bye week.
"Coach Matt Wells is going to have a lot of different presentations as well. It's just what you do this time of year, especially when you have seven games on each other. It's going to come down to winning the line of scrimmage and who wins the one-on-one matchups."
After starting the season with a 1-3 record, K-State has gone 2-1 with the loss a one-point defeat at Baylor. Five of K-State's games this season have been decided by one score as the Wildcats are one of only three Power 4 teams to already have five games decided by one possession. Two of their three wins this season have been by two scores — a 34-20 win against UCF and a 41-28 win over TCU.
K-State is 0-3 in games played away from Manhattan. Those three games were decided by a total of 10 points.
Although K-State has won 16 straight in the Kansas series — the longest winning streak all-time by either team — the last two meetings have been nailbiters.
K-State beat Kansas 31-27 in Lawrence in 2023 and then beat Kansas 29-27 last year in Manhattan.
Saturday's game might not be any different.
"You can take everything and throw it out when it comes to this game, especially when both teams have bye weeks," Klieman said. "You'll see some different looks, for sure."
As for K-State's remarkable winning streak in the Sunflower Showdown?
"The streak is going to have nothing to do with Saturday," Klieman said. "It's who can friggen' block, who can get off blocks, who can tackle, who can make plays on the ball, and who can do all the little things. In this game, those little things get magnified. You guys can see it across college football. Every game is a grind for people of how you can get into a position to be successful and have a chance to win in the fourth quarter. There are a lot more close games in college football now."
Klieman, who has the second-most wins in K-State history and has never lost to Kansas, understands the importance of the Sunflower Showdown. He tries to take it all in stride.
"I try not to think about the game until the week of the game," Klieman said. "I've tried to do a really good job at that for seven years because if you put all your chips in and talk about it in the offseason and in the summer then what's the value of all these other games that you have played or are going to play?
"But once the week starts, all you have to do is get with (longtime director of recruiting) Taylor Braet and you get the meaning of the game. He is Mr. K-State here, in my opinion, of how valuable the rivalry is. I know it's a big game, and I know it's a big game for the state, for former players, for the fan base and alumni, but it's still the next game, and our preparation has to be great Monday through Friday.
"Saturday will get here fast enough."
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