‘Let’s Cut it Loose’
Nov 18, 2025 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
It wasn't always pretty, but it was significant, how Kansas State left Stillwater with a 14-6 win over Oklahoma State, giving the Wildcats just their third victory at Boone Pickens Stadium in 27 years, and setting the stage for a run to postseason play.
A lot of thoughts went through the mind of seventh-year K-State head coach Chris Klieman this past Saturday as he stood on the football field as the Wildcats improved to 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the Big 12 Conference.
For one moment, at least, Klieman thought about the many ways that the win was special.
"It was special for me and a number of our staff members because I remember 2019, we went to Mississippi State and not very many people thought we'd compete with Mississippi State because they drilled us the year before, and we went and beat those guys in a really good football game," Klieman said at his weekly news conference on Monday. "Low and behold, we open the conference season at Stillwater at 3-0 and thinking we're pretty good and they got after us. The score may not have indicated it, but they got after us. Then 2021, coming off that COVID year, I thought we had a good football team, and they got after us again, the score didn't indicate it, but they did. Then we beat them handily in 2022 and in 2023 we go down there and it's the same thing.
"It's just a tough place for us to play. I still think that environment, that impact for our players, you look at stuff and Taylor Poitier and Will Swanson and Andrew Leingang and guys who've been here a long time — that win meant the world to those kids, as it did myself."
K-State scored just two touchdowns and amassed just 284 total yards but used a season-high five takeaways to hand the Cowboys their ninth straight loss this season.
"We willed our way to that victory not playing our best football," Klieman said, "which told me an awful lot about the character of our guys."
Now K-State prepares to travel to No. 13 Utah 8-2 and 5-2, in Saturday's 3:00 p.m. kickoff at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. It will be Senior Day for a Utes squad that has gone 10-4, 8-5 and 5-7 in the three seasons prior to this season, which could become one of the greatest seasons in school history.
The first-ever meeting between K-State and Utah on the football field comes affixed with a message from Klieman to his players: "Let's cut it loose."
"We went to KU, and this is the year we were supposed to lose to them and it's 16 straight and that's a lot of pressure," Klieman said. "I thought that was as much pressure or more pressure going to Oklahoma State. Our kids played a little bit of 'We can't lose,' rather than, 'Let's play really good football and try to win.' That's the message.
"We haven't seen the guys yet (today). They were in good spirits in the weight room. The message is, 'Let's cut it loose,' and go have fun in a really good environment. It's the last road trip for this crew for the regular season."
With a win on Saturday, K-State would clinch bowl eligibility for a fifth-straight season and for the 14th time in the last 16 years. With a loss, K-State must beat Colorado on Senior Day at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in order to become bowl eligible.
There's a plethora of things to consider this week.
There's this: Utah is outscoring opponents by an average of 25.5 points. It ranks No. 2 in the FBS with 278.4 rushing yards, No. 6 with 41.1 points, and No. 10 with 477.8 total yards of offense. It also ranks No. 10 in allowing just 15.6 points per contest.
And there's this: Utah has eight wins by at least 25 points, which are the most in the FBS and the most by a Big 12 team since Baylor in 2013.
And there's this: Utah has won three consecutive games after Saturday's 55-28 road win at Baylor and has won five of its last six contests overall.
Kyle Whittingham is the winningest leader in Utah history with a 175-88 record in his 21 seasons as head coach.
"Kyle is one of the icons of the game and one of the best coaches in the country," Klieman said. "They struggled last season, but they weren't going to struggle two years in a row, not with that coach and that tradition of what Utah football is. They're rolling right now."
Utah has lost one game at home this season — a 34-10 setback to then-No. 17 Texas Tech in the Big 12 opener on September 20 — but Rice-Eccles Stadium, at an elevation of 4,637 feet above sea level and 400 feet above downtown Salt Lake City, features a 51,000-seat capacity, and is regarded as one of the toughest venues in the Big 12. Utah is 124-42 (.747) at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
"It's one of the best, if not the best, environment in the Big 12," Klieman said. "What a great challenge for our guys to have to play in that and get the opportunity to play them. They're a top 12-13 team and right on the cusp of the CFP. It's going to be a big challenge, but I look forward to it.
"Maybe this is a challenge that comes at the right time after coming off a disappointing performance offensively but winning the game, that maybe we can go in carefree and play really good football."
It wasn't always pretty, but it was significant, how Kansas State left Stillwater with a 14-6 win over Oklahoma State, giving the Wildcats just their third victory at Boone Pickens Stadium in 27 years, and setting the stage for a run to postseason play.
A lot of thoughts went through the mind of seventh-year K-State head coach Chris Klieman this past Saturday as he stood on the football field as the Wildcats improved to 5-5 overall and 4-3 in the Big 12 Conference.
For one moment, at least, Klieman thought about the many ways that the win was special.
"It was special for me and a number of our staff members because I remember 2019, we went to Mississippi State and not very many people thought we'd compete with Mississippi State because they drilled us the year before, and we went and beat those guys in a really good football game," Klieman said at his weekly news conference on Monday. "Low and behold, we open the conference season at Stillwater at 3-0 and thinking we're pretty good and they got after us. The score may not have indicated it, but they got after us. Then 2021, coming off that COVID year, I thought we had a good football team, and they got after us again, the score didn't indicate it, but they did. Then we beat them handily in 2022 and in 2023 we go down there and it's the same thing.
"It's just a tough place for us to play. I still think that environment, that impact for our players, you look at stuff and Taylor Poitier and Will Swanson and Andrew Leingang and guys who've been here a long time — that win meant the world to those kids, as it did myself."
K-State scored just two touchdowns and amassed just 284 total yards but used a season-high five takeaways to hand the Cowboys their ninth straight loss this season.
"We willed our way to that victory not playing our best football," Klieman said, "which told me an awful lot about the character of our guys."
Now K-State prepares to travel to No. 13 Utah 8-2 and 5-2, in Saturday's 3:00 p.m. kickoff at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. It will be Senior Day for a Utes squad that has gone 10-4, 8-5 and 5-7 in the three seasons prior to this season, which could become one of the greatest seasons in school history.
The first-ever meeting between K-State and Utah on the football field comes affixed with a message from Klieman to his players: "Let's cut it loose."
"We went to KU, and this is the year we were supposed to lose to them and it's 16 straight and that's a lot of pressure," Klieman said. "I thought that was as much pressure or more pressure going to Oklahoma State. Our kids played a little bit of 'We can't lose,' rather than, 'Let's play really good football and try to win.' That's the message.
"We haven't seen the guys yet (today). They were in good spirits in the weight room. The message is, 'Let's cut it loose,' and go have fun in a really good environment. It's the last road trip for this crew for the regular season."
With a win on Saturday, K-State would clinch bowl eligibility for a fifth-straight season and for the 14th time in the last 16 years. With a loss, K-State must beat Colorado on Senior Day at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in order to become bowl eligible.
There's a plethora of things to consider this week.
There's this: Utah is outscoring opponents by an average of 25.5 points. It ranks No. 2 in the FBS with 278.4 rushing yards, No. 6 with 41.1 points, and No. 10 with 477.8 total yards of offense. It also ranks No. 10 in allowing just 15.6 points per contest.
And there's this: Utah has eight wins by at least 25 points, which are the most in the FBS and the most by a Big 12 team since Baylor in 2013.
And there's this: Utah has won three consecutive games after Saturday's 55-28 road win at Baylor and has won five of its last six contests overall.
Kyle Whittingham is the winningest leader in Utah history with a 175-88 record in his 21 seasons as head coach.
"Kyle is one of the icons of the game and one of the best coaches in the country," Klieman said. "They struggled last season, but they weren't going to struggle two years in a row, not with that coach and that tradition of what Utah football is. They're rolling right now."
Utah has lost one game at home this season — a 34-10 setback to then-No. 17 Texas Tech in the Big 12 opener on September 20 — but Rice-Eccles Stadium, at an elevation of 4,637 feet above sea level and 400 feet above downtown Salt Lake City, features a 51,000-seat capacity, and is regarded as one of the toughest venues in the Big 12. Utah is 124-42 (.747) at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
"It's one of the best, if not the best, environment in the Big 12," Klieman said. "What a great challenge for our guys to have to play in that and get the opportunity to play them. They're a top 12-13 team and right on the cusp of the CFP. It's going to be a big challenge, but I look forward to it.
"Maybe this is a challenge that comes at the right time after coming off a disappointing performance offensively but winning the game, that maybe we can go in carefree and play really good football."
Players Mentioned
K-State Volleyball | Spring Scrimmage vs Oklahoma Recap
Wednesday, April 01
K-State Rowing | Regan Ahlers Senior Video
Friday, March 27
K-State Rowing | Kennedy Loyd Senior Video
Thursday, March 26
K-State Football | Collin Klein Spring Press Conference - March 25, 2026
Wednesday, March 25
