Saturday, October 17
Manhattan, Kan.
11 a.m.
Kansas State University
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Kansas
K-State Hosts Rival Kansas in Morning Tilt
Oct 12, 2026 | Football
GAME 6
Kansas at K-State
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Kickoff: 11 a.m.
Location: Manhattan, Kan.
Stadium: Bill Snyder Family Stadium
Series: Kansas Leads, 64-54-5
TV: FS1 (watch)
Eric Collins (Play-by-Play)
Spencer Tillman (Analyst)
K-State Radio: K-State Sports Network; k-statesports.com (Listen)
Wyatt Thompson (Play-by-Play)
Stan Weber (Analyst)
Matt Walters (Sidelines)
SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ch. 173 or 237, and on the SiriusXM App
Big 12 Radio on TuneIn
X Updates: @KStateFB and @KStateStatsInfo
K-STATE HOSTS RIVAL KANSAS IN MORNING TILT
Coming off a tough 35-16 loss to No. 22 Houston, K-State looks to get back on track Saturday as it hosts in-state rival Kansas in an 11 a.m. contest inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game will be shown on FS1 with Eric Collins (play-by-play) and Spencer Tillman (analyst) on the call, while the K-State Sports Network begins its coverage at 9 a.m., with Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play), Stan Weber (analyst) and Matt Walters (sidelines) calling the action.
JOHNSON CLIMBING RECORD BOOKS
Avery Johnson continues to push his name toward the top of multiple records in K-State career history. Most recently, Johnson moved into second place in school history total offense (8,376) and completions (562), and third place in passing yards (6,668) and passing attempts (942). Johnson has his sights set on numerous other marks, including career touchdown responsibility where he is in second place with 82, just five shy of the mark held by current head coach Collin Klein.
PASS DEFENSE AMONG THE BEST
Kansas State has allowed only 133.4 passing yards per game this season, ranking third in the nation and tops in the Big 12 by 22.0 yards per game. One of the main reasons the Wildcats are stout against the pass is they rank third in the Big 12 with 2.40 sacks per game and 12th nationally with 7.6 tackles for loss per game. K-State has four players that have recorded multiple sacks, led by Wendell Gregory and Darien Whitaker Jr. with 2.5 sacks apiece.
SEVEN FOR SATURDAY
• This is the 117th-straight year of the series (1911), which ranks as the third-longest uninterrupted series in FBS history.
• Kansas State has won each of the last 17 meetings and 30 of the last 35 dating back to 1991.
• K-State ranks third in the country in fewest sacks allowed as it has two on the season.
• K-State ranks third in the country in fewest passing yards allowed, giving up 133.4 per game this season.
• The Wildcats are second nationally in fewest penalties and seventh in fewest penalty yards.
• K-State ranks second in the nation by converting on 61.6% (45-of-73) of its third-down attempts.
• The Cats rank 12th nationally and third in the Big 12 with 7.6 tackles for loss per game.
TEAM NOTES
RECENT RECAP
• Kansas State is coming off a 35-16 loss to No. 22 Houston and has dropped two games in a row following a 31-26 setback at Cincinnati to open Big 12 play.
• At Cincinnati, K-State had the ball down five points with 51 seconds remaining looking for a game-winning drive, but that came up empty.
• K-State is looking to get back to its play from when it had one of its best collective non-conference performances in the Big 12 era in wins over Nicholls (71-3), Washington State (34-7) and Tulane (31-20).
• K-State's 491.3 yards of total offense was its best mark in regular-season non-conference action in the Big 12 era (since 1996), while the Wildcats put together their fourth-best mark.
A LONG-STANDING RIVALRY
• This weekend's Dillons Sunflower Showdown marks the 116th-consecutive season that Kansas State and Kansas will meet on the gridiron, making it the third-longest active series in FBS history.
u Additionally, it is the 124th time overall the two teams will play, making it the ninth most-played rivalry overall in FBS history.
NEWCOMERS MAKING AN IMPACT
• Of the 110 available starts on offense and defense this season, just under 45.5% (50 of 110) are made up of transfers.
u The biggest area in which newcomers are making an difference is sacks and tackles for loss. Of the Wildcats' 12 sacks, 7.5 (62.5%) are from newcomers, while 48.7% (18.5) of their 38 tackles for loss are from those new to the program.
u Kansas State's 2026 roster features 59 newcomers, equating to 52.7% of its roster.
u The 59 newcomers on the roster rank seventh in program history. The school record for newcomers in a season is 72 in 2002.
LETTERWINNER TURNED COACH
• Collin Klein, the former Heisman Trophy finalist and starting quarterback of the 2012 Big 12 Championship team, is in his first season as head coach in 2026.
• He is the first former K-State letterwinner to serve as head football coach since Ellis Rainsberger from 1975 through 1977.
• In fact, Klein is one of only four former letterwinners to take the helm of the K-State program as he and Rainsberger are joined by Lud Fiser (1945) and Ralph Graham (1948-50).
FOUR-STRAIGHT WINNING BIG 12 SEASONS
• K-State has produced winning Big 12 records each of the last four seasons, its longest streak since doing so from 2011-14.
• The Wildcats are one of only two Big 12 teams with a current four-year streak of winning Big 12 records (Texas Tech).
THE BIG 12'S BEST
• Kansas State has totaled 149 Big 12 victories since the conference's formation in 1996, which stands as the most among active Big 12 programs.
• The Cats are 15 wins ahead of Oklahoma State (134) and 21 ahead of Texas Tech (128). The Wildcats, Cowboys and Red Raiders are the only three Big 12 teams with over 100 conference wins.
• K-State is also first among active Big 12 members in winning percentage since non-divisional play began in 2011 (minimum 50 games). The Wildcats sit at 58.4% (80-57), ahead of Oklahoma State (57.7%; 79-58) and TCU (54.7%; 70-58).
• During that stretch, the Wildcats are 45-24 (65.2%) at home and 35-33 (50.7%) on the road/neutral in Big 12 play.
VERY FEW PENALTIES
• Since 2022 – the year that current head coach Collin Klein took over as offensive coordinator – the Wildcats have averaged only 42.28 penalty yards per game (57 games) to rank ninth among Power 4 teams (min. 50 games).
• K-State enters the week ranked third nationally in fewest penalties per game (3.8) and 10th in fewest penalty yards per game (38.60) this season.
THE NATION'S LEADER IN NON-OFFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS
• K-State leads the country in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 28 seasons as it has 140 since 1999, seven more than the two teams in second place (Alabama and Utah – 133).
• K-State recorded five non-offensive scores in both 2024 and 2025, and they got on the board this year with a Brandon White punt return score against Nicholls.
A REGULAR IN THE POSTSEASON
• Kansas State has qualified for postseason play in 14 of the last 15 seasons (excluding COVID) as the Wildcats earned a 6-6 record in 2025 but opted to not participate in a bowl game due to the change in coaching staff.
• The Wildcats are one of only 15 Power 4 teams – and the only Big 12 program – to be eligible in 14 of the last 15 seasons, joining Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Iowa, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas A&M and Washington.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
• Prior to the opener, Kansas State announced six team captains for the 2026 season in defensive ends Jordan Allen and Travis Bates, running back Joe Jackson, quarterback Avery Johnson, tight end Garrett Oakley and linebacker Gabe Powers.
• Each of them were voted captains for the first time in their careers except for Johnson, who is now a captain for a third time. He is the ninth player in school history to be named a captain on three occasions and the third quarterback, joining current head coach Collin Klein (2010-12) and Skylar Thompson (2019-21).
OFFENSIVE NOTES
KLEIN'S HIGH-OCTANE OFFENSES
• K-State head coach Collin Klein has been one of the top offensive play callers in the nation the last four-plus seasons. He earned his first offensive coordinator post with the Wildcats in 2022 and 2023 before moving to Texas A&M for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
• During his four seasons as an offensive coordinator, Klein helped the Wildcats and Aggies to a combined 38-15 record, including a Big 12 Championship at K-State in 2022 and a berth into the College Football Playoff at Texas A&M in 2025.
• Since 2022, Klein's offenses have averaged 33.6 points per game, which would tie for 14th among Power 4 programs.
• Additionally, his last five offenses have combined for 431.5 yards per game (229.9 passing yards per game/199.9 rushing yards per game) which would rank 14th among Power 4 schools.
• His teams the last four-plus years have combined for 277 plays of at least 20 or more yards (191 pass/86 rush), good for an average of 4.8 per game.
HIGH POINT TOTAL vs. BIG 12
• When Collin Klein took over the K-State offense in 2022, it began a trend of averaging 32.3 points per game in conference contests, which ranks second in the league to Texas Tech (32.7). Additionally, the Wildcats rank 16th nationally and eighth among Power 4 teams in points per game in conference contests since 2022 (min. 30 games).
• The Cats have hit the 30-point mark in 23 of their 38 Big 12 games since the start of 2022, which includes nine times over the last two-plus seasons with current quarterback Avery Johnson running the offense.
• K-State had a four-game streak of scoring at least 30 points last year against UCF (34), Baylor (34), TCU (41) and Kansas (42), its longest streak in conference play since doing so in six-straight games during the 2003 season.
PAVING THE WAY
• Kansas State's offensive line has gotten off to a good start in 2026 as the Wildcats are ninth in rushing yards per carry (6.00), tied for 18th nationally in runs of 20 or more yards (11), and rank 24th in rushing yards per game (216.0).
PROTECTING THE PASSER
• Kansas State was the only FBS team to not allow a sack through four games, a streak that ended in its fifth game of the year against Houston.
• The Wildcats' two sacks allowed against the Cougars only netted three lost yards. K-State ranks second nationally to Duke (2) in yards lost from sacks. The Wildcats are one of three teams in the nation to not have double-digit lost yards from sacks (Notre Dame – 9).
THE FIRST TO 6,500/1,500
• Avery Johnson is the only player in school history to throw for at least 6,500 yards and rush for 1,500 yards, and he is one of only 10 quarterbacks in Big 12 history to reach those two career milestones, including the fourth since 2016.
• He is also one of just three active players to accomplish the feat, joining Auburn's Byrum Brown and Utah's Devon Dampier. However, Johnson is the only quarterback that is currently in his fourth year of college football as the other two are in their fifth seasons.
• Johnson enters the Kansas game ranked third in school history in career passing yards with 6,668 as he is only 332 passing yards shy of becoming the third player in school history with 7,000 in a career.
THIRD-YEAR STARTER
• Quarterback Avery Johnson returned for his third year of starting duties in 2026. He has now started each of the last 31 games, which is the second-most consecutive starts by a quarterback in school history behind Josh Freeman's 32-straight starts from 2006-08.
• Johnson has led the Wildcats to 19 wins as a starting quarterback, which ranks sixth in school history. Skylar Thompson (2017-21) holds the top mark with 24, followed by a tie for second with 22 wins by Ell Roberson (2001-03), Michael Bishop (1997-98) and Collin Klein (2010-12), while Johnathan Beasley (1999-2000) led the Wildcats to 21 wins.
• Johnson is one of only two quarterbacks in the Big 12 in 2026 to have started for multiple years at the same school. The other is Noah Fifita, who has made 39 starts over the last three-plus seasons at Arizona.
IN A CLUB ALL BY HIMSELF
• Avery Johnson had a historic effort against Tulane as he threw for 227 yards and rushed for 152 yards with two touchdowns.
• He became the first player in school history and just the 14th in Big 12 history to throw for at least 200 yards and rush for at least 150 yards in a single game.
• It was the first time a Big 12 player had accomplished the feat since West Virginia's Garrett Greene against Cincinnati in 2023.
• Johnson's 379 yards of total offense against the Green Wave tied for the 15th most in school history, while his 152 rushing yards were the 10th most ever by a K-State quarterback.
• A native of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson enters the week ranked 19th in the nation and fourth in the Big 12 with 284.4 yards of total offense per game. That mark would rank third in school history.
THE SCHOOL'S ALL-TIME LEADER
• Avery Johnson's seven-yard touchdown pass to Jaron Tibbs in the first quarter against Nicholls carried significant weight as he broke the school's career record. Since then, Johnson has thrown eight more to bring his total to 57.
• Johnson, who entered 2026 tied with Will Howard (2020-23), became the first K-State quarterback with more than 50 touchdown strikes in a career.
• A product of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson ranks in the top 10 in program history in 14 career categories (see pages 55-56).
OAKLEY ALSO AFTER RECORDS
• Senior Garrett Oakley is also looking to put his name in the top 10 of several records as he tries to lay claim as the best tight end in school history.
• The career record holder for touchdown catches by a tight end with 14, Oakley is tied for first among all active tight ends in the country in career receiving scores.
• Oakley is also looking to hold the school's positional records for catches and receiving yards, needing 19 catches and 390 yards to hold those marks as well.
• After producing 129 yards over the last two games – including a career-high 80 yards at Cincinnati – Oakley is now only 25 yards shy of becoming the fifth tight end in school history to go over 1,000 career receiving yards.
RUNNING IN WIDE OPEN FIELDS
• Junior transfer Rodney Fields Jr. opened his K-State career with a pair of 100-yard rushing games, going for 101 yards against Nicholls and 105 yards against Washington State.
• A native of Wright City, Oklahoma, Fields Jr. was the first K-State player to rush for 100-yard games in his first two games as a Wildcat since James Gilbert in 2019 against Nicholls (115 yards) and Bowling Green (103 yards).
• During the Houston game, Fields Jr. went over 1,000 rushing yards in his career, a mark that now stands at 1,033 yards.
TIBBS REACHES MILESTONE IN CAREER GAME
• Senior Jaron Tibbs went over the 1,000-yard receiving mark in his career in grand fashion against Tulane as he hauled in nine catches for 114 yards.
• The former Purdue transfer surged past his previous career high in receiving yards, which was 80 last year at Baylor, while he eclipsed his previous career high in catches of eight last year against UCF.
SEEING DOUBLE
• Seeing significant playing time due to injury, Derrick Salley Jr. broke out with a seven-catch, 140-yard performance at Cincinnati.
• Teaming with Jaron Tibbs' 114-yard effort the week prior against Tulane, it marked the first time two different Wildcats had 100-yard receiving games in consecutive contests since Tyler Lockett (158 yards vs. Kansas) and Curry Sexton (104 yards vs. UCLA in the Alamo Bowl) in 2014.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
TOP-TIER PASS DEFENSE
• Kansas State enters the Kansas game owning the nation's third-ranked pass defense, allowing only 133.4 yards per game.
• K-State allowed only 30 passing yards against Nicholls to open the season, the fewest since the 2016 Missouri State game (24 yards) and the fewest in a full game since the 2000 Ball State contest (5).
• K-State followed that up by limiting Washington State to only 65 passing yards, marking the first time since the 2000 Ball State and North Texas games the Cats allowed less than 100 passing yards in consecutive games.
BEHIND THE LINE
• The Cats have opened the 2026 season as one of the nation's best teams in terms of tackles for loss, ranking 12th in the country and third in the Big 12 with 7.6 TFLs per game (38 total).
• This is the second time in the last four seasons the Wildcats have recorded at least 38 tackles for loss in the first five games of the season (43 in 2023).
• Defensive end Wendell Gregory, ranks seventh with 8.5 tackles for loss. Others with at least 3.0 TFLs this season include defensive end Darien Whitaker Jr. (4.5), linebackers Rex Van Wyhe (4.0) and Gabe Powers (3.5), as well as defensive ends Jordan Allen (3.0) and Jayden Bryant (3.0).
LIMITED POINTS PER GAME
• Since the 2021 season (70 games), the Cats are allowing 22.5 points per game, which ranks third among current Big 12 teams and 20th among Power 4 teams (minimum 40 games).
• Since 2019, the Wildcats have held 51 of their 64 Big 12 opponents under their season average at the time it faces the Wildcats (excluding 2025 season opener against Iowa State).
CREATING TURNOVERS
• Over the last four-plus seasons, K-State has done an excellent job in forcing opponent turnovers. Since 2022, the Wildcats have been on the receiving end of 91 turnovers, which is tied for 21st in the nation, 10th among Power 4 teams and ranks third among active Big 12 teams.
• Of the 91 turnovers, 52 have been via interception to rank fourth among active Big 12 programs.
SCOOP IT UP
• The K-State defense had a propensity of falling on fumbles last season as it tied for third nationally with 13 recoveries.
• The 13 fumble recoveries last season were the most by a K-State team since the 2012 squad also had 13 recoveries over 13 games. In 2024, the Wildcats only had five fumble recoveries.
• The Wildcats have continued the trend in 2026 by recovering three fumbles in five games this season.
IMPACT ON THE EDGE
• Defensive end Wendell Gregory has had an outstanding beginning of his K-State career as he ranks seventh in the nation and third in the Big 12 with 1.70 tackles for loss per game (8.5 total TFLs).
• Gregory held a three-game streak of at least 2.0 TFLs over the Washington State, Tulane and Cincinnati contests, which was the longest by a Wildcat since Brandon Harold in 2008 against Montana State (3.0), Louisville (2.0) and Louisiana (3.0).
• A native of Marietta, Georgia, Gregory recorded 3.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks against Washington State before posting another 3.0 TFLs and a half sack against Tulane.
• It marked the first time a Wildcat had at least 3.0 tackles for loss in consecutive games since Chris Johnson in 2000 against Kansas (7.0) and Oklahoma (3.0).
• The 2025 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, Gregory has recorded 1.08 TFLs per game over his 18-game career to rank third nationally among active players. Colorado's Gideon Lampron (1.35) ranks first, while Texas' Colin Simons (1.22) is second.
A SUCCESSFUL POSITION CHANGE
• Sophomore Darien Whitaker Jr. made the switch from linebacker to defensive end during preseason camp, and the move has paid off as he opened the season with a strip-sack and fumble recovery against Nicholls. He came back with another fumble recovery against Washington State, posted 1.5 sacks against Tulane and had another tackle for loss at Cincinnati.
• Whitaker Jr. enters the week tied for second nationally in fumble recoveries (2).
A STEADY PRESENCE
• Linebacker Gabe Powers has recorded 24 tackles this season to rank second on the team, posting at least four tops in every game except for the Houston contest when he came out of the game due to injury.
• His total through five games – which includes a career-high nine tackles at Cincinnati – is already three more than his previous high in his four years of college football at Ohio State (2022-24) and K-State (2025).
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
SCORING IN THE THIRD PHASE
• A big part of K-State's non-offensive touchdown success comes from special teams as the Wildcats continue to lead the nation in total kickoff- and punt-return touchdowns since 2005 with 64.
• That mark is 24 more than the second-best team in Alabama (40) and 30 more than the closest Big 12 programs, Oklahoma State and TCU (34).
• Of the 64 total returns, a nation-leading 32 are on kickoff returns, which are nine more than the second-best team (San Diego State).
DEFENSE ON KICK RETURNS
• K-State has not allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown since September 7, 2013, going the last 168 games and 470 returns defended without allowing its opponent to find paydirt.
• The streak is the longest among the active Big 12 teams, more than double the second-best team (Arizona State – 209).
• From the 2013 through the 2025 seasons, the 138 FBS programs have combined to allow 4.5 kickoff return touchdowns since the start of the 2013 season, while the Wildcats have allowed just the one.
• Since K-State allowed its last kickoff-return touchdown, the Wildcats have scored 15 of their own.
19 AND COUNTING
• Kansas State has blocked at least one punt or field goal/extra point every year since 2008, which includes the 2026 season after Jordan Allen blocked a Washington State field goal attempt.
• The Wildcats were one of five FBS teams entering 2026 to have blocked at least one punt, field goal or extra point every year since 2008, joining Boise State, Indiana, Marshall and Texas A&M. K-State, Boise State and Marshall have each extended its streaks this season.
EIGHT STRAIGHT
• The Wildcats entered the 2026 season having blocked at least one punt in eight-straight seasons, which is the longest streak in the nation and the longest by K-State since at least the 1970s.
• New special teams coordinator Stanton Weber held the same title the last three seasons at Toledo. Under his leadership, the Rockets tied for fifth nationally with two blocked punts last year and also had one in 2024.
• Toledo and Michigan are second on the list by blocking a punt each of the last six years, which includes 2026. South Carolina is at five-straight years, a program in which Weber was a special teams analyst in 2021 and 2022.
TO THE HOUSE
• All fifth-year player Brandon White did on his first-career punt return attempt is take it 65 yards for a touchdown in the 2026 season opener against Nicholls.
• It was Kansas State's first punt-return touchdown since September 13, 2024, against Arizona, while it was the first non-blocked return touchdown in a season opener since the 2018 South Dakota game.
• A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, White followed that performance up with a 62-yard return in the second quarter against Washington State that was nearly returned for a touchdown but set up a 21-yard score two plays later.
• White, who also added a nine-yard receiving touchdown to close out the game's scoring against the Cougars, enters the week ranked fifth in punt-return touchdowns and 15th in punt-return average (14.7).
HITTING THE MARK
• Junior place kicker Luis Rodriguez currently holds the top spot in school history with a 90.5% (19-of-21) conversion rate on field goals. He is just ahead of Matthew McCrane, who held an 86.4% (57-of-66) mark from 2014-17.
• One of his two career misses was blocked a 56-yard attempt at the end of last year's Baylor game, meaning he has been true on 19-of-20 (95.0%) field goal attempts that have gone past the line of scrimmage.
• Among active kickers who have attempted at least 20 career attempts, Rodriguez ranks third in the country in career field goal percentage.
McCLANNAN'S HIGH AVERAGE
• Punter Simon McClannan has had a great start to the 2026 season, adding to an already impressive career.
• A native of Omaha, Nebraska, McClannan enters the week ranked third in program history and 17th nationally among active players with a 43.24-yard average over his 112 career punts.
• McClannan holds a 47.8-yard average over his 17 punts this season, a mark that would rank sixth in the nation if he had one more attempt to qualify.
• McClannan is tied for the Big 12 lead with nine punts that have landed inside the opponent's 20-yard line, while his eight punts of 50 or more yards this season are tied for fourth in the conference. His career high in punts of 50 or more yards was 13 last season.
Kansas at K-State
Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
Kickoff: 11 a.m.
Location: Manhattan, Kan.
Stadium: Bill Snyder Family Stadium
Series: Kansas Leads, 64-54-5
TV: FS1 (watch)
Eric Collins (Play-by-Play)
Spencer Tillman (Analyst)
K-State Radio: K-State Sports Network; k-statesports.com (Listen)
Wyatt Thompson (Play-by-Play)
Stan Weber (Analyst)
Matt Walters (Sidelines)
SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ch. 173 or 237, and on the SiriusXM App
Big 12 Radio on TuneIn
X Updates: @KStateFB and @KStateStatsInfo
K-STATE HOSTS RIVAL KANSAS IN MORNING TILT
Coming off a tough 35-16 loss to No. 22 Houston, K-State looks to get back on track Saturday as it hosts in-state rival Kansas in an 11 a.m. contest inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game will be shown on FS1 with Eric Collins (play-by-play) and Spencer Tillman (analyst) on the call, while the K-State Sports Network begins its coverage at 9 a.m., with Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play), Stan Weber (analyst) and Matt Walters (sidelines) calling the action.
JOHNSON CLIMBING RECORD BOOKS
Avery Johnson continues to push his name toward the top of multiple records in K-State career history. Most recently, Johnson moved into second place in school history total offense (8,376) and completions (562), and third place in passing yards (6,668) and passing attempts (942). Johnson has his sights set on numerous other marks, including career touchdown responsibility where he is in second place with 82, just five shy of the mark held by current head coach Collin Klein.
PASS DEFENSE AMONG THE BEST
Kansas State has allowed only 133.4 passing yards per game this season, ranking third in the nation and tops in the Big 12 by 22.0 yards per game. One of the main reasons the Wildcats are stout against the pass is they rank third in the Big 12 with 2.40 sacks per game and 12th nationally with 7.6 tackles for loss per game. K-State has four players that have recorded multiple sacks, led by Wendell Gregory and Darien Whitaker Jr. with 2.5 sacks apiece.
SEVEN FOR SATURDAY
• This is the 117th-straight year of the series (1911), which ranks as the third-longest uninterrupted series in FBS history.
• Kansas State has won each of the last 17 meetings and 30 of the last 35 dating back to 1991.
• K-State ranks third in the country in fewest sacks allowed as it has two on the season.
• K-State ranks third in the country in fewest passing yards allowed, giving up 133.4 per game this season.
• The Wildcats are second nationally in fewest penalties and seventh in fewest penalty yards.
• K-State ranks second in the nation by converting on 61.6% (45-of-73) of its third-down attempts.
• The Cats rank 12th nationally and third in the Big 12 with 7.6 tackles for loss per game.
TEAM NOTES
RECENT RECAP
• Kansas State is coming off a 35-16 loss to No. 22 Houston and has dropped two games in a row following a 31-26 setback at Cincinnati to open Big 12 play.
• At Cincinnati, K-State had the ball down five points with 51 seconds remaining looking for a game-winning drive, but that came up empty.
• K-State is looking to get back to its play from when it had one of its best collective non-conference performances in the Big 12 era in wins over Nicholls (71-3), Washington State (34-7) and Tulane (31-20).
• K-State's 491.3 yards of total offense was its best mark in regular-season non-conference action in the Big 12 era (since 1996), while the Wildcats put together their fourth-best mark.
A LONG-STANDING RIVALRY
• This weekend's Dillons Sunflower Showdown marks the 116th-consecutive season that Kansas State and Kansas will meet on the gridiron, making it the third-longest active series in FBS history.
u Additionally, it is the 124th time overall the two teams will play, making it the ninth most-played rivalry overall in FBS history.
NEWCOMERS MAKING AN IMPACT
• Of the 110 available starts on offense and defense this season, just under 45.5% (50 of 110) are made up of transfers.
u The biggest area in which newcomers are making an difference is sacks and tackles for loss. Of the Wildcats' 12 sacks, 7.5 (62.5%) are from newcomers, while 48.7% (18.5) of their 38 tackles for loss are from those new to the program.
u Kansas State's 2026 roster features 59 newcomers, equating to 52.7% of its roster.
u The 59 newcomers on the roster rank seventh in program history. The school record for newcomers in a season is 72 in 2002.
LETTERWINNER TURNED COACH
• Collin Klein, the former Heisman Trophy finalist and starting quarterback of the 2012 Big 12 Championship team, is in his first season as head coach in 2026.
• He is the first former K-State letterwinner to serve as head football coach since Ellis Rainsberger from 1975 through 1977.
• In fact, Klein is one of only four former letterwinners to take the helm of the K-State program as he and Rainsberger are joined by Lud Fiser (1945) and Ralph Graham (1948-50).
FOUR-STRAIGHT WINNING BIG 12 SEASONS
• K-State has produced winning Big 12 records each of the last four seasons, its longest streak since doing so from 2011-14.
• The Wildcats are one of only two Big 12 teams with a current four-year streak of winning Big 12 records (Texas Tech).
THE BIG 12'S BEST
• Kansas State has totaled 149 Big 12 victories since the conference's formation in 1996, which stands as the most among active Big 12 programs.
• The Cats are 15 wins ahead of Oklahoma State (134) and 21 ahead of Texas Tech (128). The Wildcats, Cowboys and Red Raiders are the only three Big 12 teams with over 100 conference wins.
• K-State is also first among active Big 12 members in winning percentage since non-divisional play began in 2011 (minimum 50 games). The Wildcats sit at 58.4% (80-57), ahead of Oklahoma State (57.7%; 79-58) and TCU (54.7%; 70-58).
• During that stretch, the Wildcats are 45-24 (65.2%) at home and 35-33 (50.7%) on the road/neutral in Big 12 play.
VERY FEW PENALTIES
• Since 2022 – the year that current head coach Collin Klein took over as offensive coordinator – the Wildcats have averaged only 42.28 penalty yards per game (57 games) to rank ninth among Power 4 teams (min. 50 games).
• K-State enters the week ranked third nationally in fewest penalties per game (3.8) and 10th in fewest penalty yards per game (38.60) this season.
THE NATION'S LEADER IN NON-OFFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS
• K-State leads the country in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 28 seasons as it has 140 since 1999, seven more than the two teams in second place (Alabama and Utah – 133).
• K-State recorded five non-offensive scores in both 2024 and 2025, and they got on the board this year with a Brandon White punt return score against Nicholls.
A REGULAR IN THE POSTSEASON
• Kansas State has qualified for postseason play in 14 of the last 15 seasons (excluding COVID) as the Wildcats earned a 6-6 record in 2025 but opted to not participate in a bowl game due to the change in coaching staff.
• The Wildcats are one of only 15 Power 4 teams – and the only Big 12 program – to be eligible in 14 of the last 15 seasons, joining Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Iowa, Louisville, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas A&M and Washington.
O CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!
• Prior to the opener, Kansas State announced six team captains for the 2026 season in defensive ends Jordan Allen and Travis Bates, running back Joe Jackson, quarterback Avery Johnson, tight end Garrett Oakley and linebacker Gabe Powers.
• Each of them were voted captains for the first time in their careers except for Johnson, who is now a captain for a third time. He is the ninth player in school history to be named a captain on three occasions and the third quarterback, joining current head coach Collin Klein (2010-12) and Skylar Thompson (2019-21).
OFFENSIVE NOTES
KLEIN'S HIGH-OCTANE OFFENSES
• K-State head coach Collin Klein has been one of the top offensive play callers in the nation the last four-plus seasons. He earned his first offensive coordinator post with the Wildcats in 2022 and 2023 before moving to Texas A&M for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
• During his four seasons as an offensive coordinator, Klein helped the Wildcats and Aggies to a combined 38-15 record, including a Big 12 Championship at K-State in 2022 and a berth into the College Football Playoff at Texas A&M in 2025.
• Since 2022, Klein's offenses have averaged 33.6 points per game, which would tie for 14th among Power 4 programs.
• Additionally, his last five offenses have combined for 431.5 yards per game (229.9 passing yards per game/199.9 rushing yards per game) which would rank 14th among Power 4 schools.
• His teams the last four-plus years have combined for 277 plays of at least 20 or more yards (191 pass/86 rush), good for an average of 4.8 per game.
HIGH POINT TOTAL vs. BIG 12
• When Collin Klein took over the K-State offense in 2022, it began a trend of averaging 32.3 points per game in conference contests, which ranks second in the league to Texas Tech (32.7). Additionally, the Wildcats rank 16th nationally and eighth among Power 4 teams in points per game in conference contests since 2022 (min. 30 games).
• The Cats have hit the 30-point mark in 23 of their 38 Big 12 games since the start of 2022, which includes nine times over the last two-plus seasons with current quarterback Avery Johnson running the offense.
• K-State had a four-game streak of scoring at least 30 points last year against UCF (34), Baylor (34), TCU (41) and Kansas (42), its longest streak in conference play since doing so in six-straight games during the 2003 season.
PAVING THE WAY
• Kansas State's offensive line has gotten off to a good start in 2026 as the Wildcats are ninth in rushing yards per carry (6.00), tied for 18th nationally in runs of 20 or more yards (11), and rank 24th in rushing yards per game (216.0).
PROTECTING THE PASSER
• Kansas State was the only FBS team to not allow a sack through four games, a streak that ended in its fifth game of the year against Houston.
• The Wildcats' two sacks allowed against the Cougars only netted three lost yards. K-State ranks second nationally to Duke (2) in yards lost from sacks. The Wildcats are one of three teams in the nation to not have double-digit lost yards from sacks (Notre Dame – 9).
THE FIRST TO 6,500/1,500
• Avery Johnson is the only player in school history to throw for at least 6,500 yards and rush for 1,500 yards, and he is one of only 10 quarterbacks in Big 12 history to reach those two career milestones, including the fourth since 2016.
• He is also one of just three active players to accomplish the feat, joining Auburn's Byrum Brown and Utah's Devon Dampier. However, Johnson is the only quarterback that is currently in his fourth year of college football as the other two are in their fifth seasons.
• Johnson enters the Kansas game ranked third in school history in career passing yards with 6,668 as he is only 332 passing yards shy of becoming the third player in school history with 7,000 in a career.
THIRD-YEAR STARTER
• Quarterback Avery Johnson returned for his third year of starting duties in 2026. He has now started each of the last 31 games, which is the second-most consecutive starts by a quarterback in school history behind Josh Freeman's 32-straight starts from 2006-08.
• Johnson has led the Wildcats to 19 wins as a starting quarterback, which ranks sixth in school history. Skylar Thompson (2017-21) holds the top mark with 24, followed by a tie for second with 22 wins by Ell Roberson (2001-03), Michael Bishop (1997-98) and Collin Klein (2010-12), while Johnathan Beasley (1999-2000) led the Wildcats to 21 wins.
• Johnson is one of only two quarterbacks in the Big 12 in 2026 to have started for multiple years at the same school. The other is Noah Fifita, who has made 39 starts over the last three-plus seasons at Arizona.
IN A CLUB ALL BY HIMSELF
• Avery Johnson had a historic effort against Tulane as he threw for 227 yards and rushed for 152 yards with two touchdowns.
• He became the first player in school history and just the 14th in Big 12 history to throw for at least 200 yards and rush for at least 150 yards in a single game.
• It was the first time a Big 12 player had accomplished the feat since West Virginia's Garrett Greene against Cincinnati in 2023.
• Johnson's 379 yards of total offense against the Green Wave tied for the 15th most in school history, while his 152 rushing yards were the 10th most ever by a K-State quarterback.
• A native of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson enters the week ranked 19th in the nation and fourth in the Big 12 with 284.4 yards of total offense per game. That mark would rank third in school history.
THE SCHOOL'S ALL-TIME LEADER
• Avery Johnson's seven-yard touchdown pass to Jaron Tibbs in the first quarter against Nicholls carried significant weight as he broke the school's career record. Since then, Johnson has thrown eight more to bring his total to 57.
• Johnson, who entered 2026 tied with Will Howard (2020-23), became the first K-State quarterback with more than 50 touchdown strikes in a career.
• A product of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson ranks in the top 10 in program history in 14 career categories (see pages 55-56).
OAKLEY ALSO AFTER RECORDS
• Senior Garrett Oakley is also looking to put his name in the top 10 of several records as he tries to lay claim as the best tight end in school history.
• The career record holder for touchdown catches by a tight end with 14, Oakley is tied for first among all active tight ends in the country in career receiving scores.
• Oakley is also looking to hold the school's positional records for catches and receiving yards, needing 19 catches and 390 yards to hold those marks as well.
• After producing 129 yards over the last two games – including a career-high 80 yards at Cincinnati – Oakley is now only 25 yards shy of becoming the fifth tight end in school history to go over 1,000 career receiving yards.
RUNNING IN WIDE OPEN FIELDS
• Junior transfer Rodney Fields Jr. opened his K-State career with a pair of 100-yard rushing games, going for 101 yards against Nicholls and 105 yards against Washington State.
• A native of Wright City, Oklahoma, Fields Jr. was the first K-State player to rush for 100-yard games in his first two games as a Wildcat since James Gilbert in 2019 against Nicholls (115 yards) and Bowling Green (103 yards).
• During the Houston game, Fields Jr. went over 1,000 rushing yards in his career, a mark that now stands at 1,033 yards.
TIBBS REACHES MILESTONE IN CAREER GAME
• Senior Jaron Tibbs went over the 1,000-yard receiving mark in his career in grand fashion against Tulane as he hauled in nine catches for 114 yards.
• The former Purdue transfer surged past his previous career high in receiving yards, which was 80 last year at Baylor, while he eclipsed his previous career high in catches of eight last year against UCF.
SEEING DOUBLE
• Seeing significant playing time due to injury, Derrick Salley Jr. broke out with a seven-catch, 140-yard performance at Cincinnati.
• Teaming with Jaron Tibbs' 114-yard effort the week prior against Tulane, it marked the first time two different Wildcats had 100-yard receiving games in consecutive contests since Tyler Lockett (158 yards vs. Kansas) and Curry Sexton (104 yards vs. UCLA in the Alamo Bowl) in 2014.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
TOP-TIER PASS DEFENSE
• Kansas State enters the Kansas game owning the nation's third-ranked pass defense, allowing only 133.4 yards per game.
• K-State allowed only 30 passing yards against Nicholls to open the season, the fewest since the 2016 Missouri State game (24 yards) and the fewest in a full game since the 2000 Ball State contest (5).
• K-State followed that up by limiting Washington State to only 65 passing yards, marking the first time since the 2000 Ball State and North Texas games the Cats allowed less than 100 passing yards in consecutive games.
BEHIND THE LINE
• The Cats have opened the 2026 season as one of the nation's best teams in terms of tackles for loss, ranking 12th in the country and third in the Big 12 with 7.6 TFLs per game (38 total).
• This is the second time in the last four seasons the Wildcats have recorded at least 38 tackles for loss in the first five games of the season (43 in 2023).
• Defensive end Wendell Gregory, ranks seventh with 8.5 tackles for loss. Others with at least 3.0 TFLs this season include defensive end Darien Whitaker Jr. (4.5), linebackers Rex Van Wyhe (4.0) and Gabe Powers (3.5), as well as defensive ends Jordan Allen (3.0) and Jayden Bryant (3.0).
LIMITED POINTS PER GAME
• Since the 2021 season (70 games), the Cats are allowing 22.5 points per game, which ranks third among current Big 12 teams and 20th among Power 4 teams (minimum 40 games).
• Since 2019, the Wildcats have held 51 of their 64 Big 12 opponents under their season average at the time it faces the Wildcats (excluding 2025 season opener against Iowa State).
CREATING TURNOVERS
• Over the last four-plus seasons, K-State has done an excellent job in forcing opponent turnovers. Since 2022, the Wildcats have been on the receiving end of 91 turnovers, which is tied for 21st in the nation, 10th among Power 4 teams and ranks third among active Big 12 teams.
• Of the 91 turnovers, 52 have been via interception to rank fourth among active Big 12 programs.
SCOOP IT UP
• The K-State defense had a propensity of falling on fumbles last season as it tied for third nationally with 13 recoveries.
• The 13 fumble recoveries last season were the most by a K-State team since the 2012 squad also had 13 recoveries over 13 games. In 2024, the Wildcats only had five fumble recoveries.
• The Wildcats have continued the trend in 2026 by recovering three fumbles in five games this season.
IMPACT ON THE EDGE
• Defensive end Wendell Gregory has had an outstanding beginning of his K-State career as he ranks seventh in the nation and third in the Big 12 with 1.70 tackles for loss per game (8.5 total TFLs).
• Gregory held a three-game streak of at least 2.0 TFLs over the Washington State, Tulane and Cincinnati contests, which was the longest by a Wildcat since Brandon Harold in 2008 against Montana State (3.0), Louisville (2.0) and Louisiana (3.0).
• A native of Marietta, Georgia, Gregory recorded 3.0 TFLs and 2.0 sacks against Washington State before posting another 3.0 TFLs and a half sack against Tulane.
• It marked the first time a Wildcat had at least 3.0 tackles for loss in consecutive games since Chris Johnson in 2000 against Kansas (7.0) and Oklahoma (3.0).
• The 2025 Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year, Gregory has recorded 1.08 TFLs per game over his 18-game career to rank third nationally among active players. Colorado's Gideon Lampron (1.35) ranks first, while Texas' Colin Simons (1.22) is second.
A SUCCESSFUL POSITION CHANGE
• Sophomore Darien Whitaker Jr. made the switch from linebacker to defensive end during preseason camp, and the move has paid off as he opened the season with a strip-sack and fumble recovery against Nicholls. He came back with another fumble recovery against Washington State, posted 1.5 sacks against Tulane and had another tackle for loss at Cincinnati.
• Whitaker Jr. enters the week tied for second nationally in fumble recoveries (2).
A STEADY PRESENCE
• Linebacker Gabe Powers has recorded 24 tackles this season to rank second on the team, posting at least four tops in every game except for the Houston contest when he came out of the game due to injury.
• His total through five games – which includes a career-high nine tackles at Cincinnati – is already three more than his previous high in his four years of college football at Ohio State (2022-24) and K-State (2025).
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
SCORING IN THE THIRD PHASE
• A big part of K-State's non-offensive touchdown success comes from special teams as the Wildcats continue to lead the nation in total kickoff- and punt-return touchdowns since 2005 with 64.
• That mark is 24 more than the second-best team in Alabama (40) and 30 more than the closest Big 12 programs, Oklahoma State and TCU (34).
• Of the 64 total returns, a nation-leading 32 are on kickoff returns, which are nine more than the second-best team (San Diego State).
DEFENSE ON KICK RETURNS
• K-State has not allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown since September 7, 2013, going the last 168 games and 470 returns defended without allowing its opponent to find paydirt.
• The streak is the longest among the active Big 12 teams, more than double the second-best team (Arizona State – 209).
• From the 2013 through the 2025 seasons, the 138 FBS programs have combined to allow 4.5 kickoff return touchdowns since the start of the 2013 season, while the Wildcats have allowed just the one.
• Since K-State allowed its last kickoff-return touchdown, the Wildcats have scored 15 of their own.
19 AND COUNTING
• Kansas State has blocked at least one punt or field goal/extra point every year since 2008, which includes the 2026 season after Jordan Allen blocked a Washington State field goal attempt.
• The Wildcats were one of five FBS teams entering 2026 to have blocked at least one punt, field goal or extra point every year since 2008, joining Boise State, Indiana, Marshall and Texas A&M. K-State, Boise State and Marshall have each extended its streaks this season.
EIGHT STRAIGHT
• The Wildcats entered the 2026 season having blocked at least one punt in eight-straight seasons, which is the longest streak in the nation and the longest by K-State since at least the 1970s.
• New special teams coordinator Stanton Weber held the same title the last three seasons at Toledo. Under his leadership, the Rockets tied for fifth nationally with two blocked punts last year and also had one in 2024.
• Toledo and Michigan are second on the list by blocking a punt each of the last six years, which includes 2026. South Carolina is at five-straight years, a program in which Weber was a special teams analyst in 2021 and 2022.
TO THE HOUSE
• All fifth-year player Brandon White did on his first-career punt return attempt is take it 65 yards for a touchdown in the 2026 season opener against Nicholls.
• It was Kansas State's first punt-return touchdown since September 13, 2024, against Arizona, while it was the first non-blocked return touchdown in a season opener since the 2018 South Dakota game.
• A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, White followed that performance up with a 62-yard return in the second quarter against Washington State that was nearly returned for a touchdown but set up a 21-yard score two plays later.
• White, who also added a nine-yard receiving touchdown to close out the game's scoring against the Cougars, enters the week ranked fifth in punt-return touchdowns and 15th in punt-return average (14.7).
HITTING THE MARK
• Junior place kicker Luis Rodriguez currently holds the top spot in school history with a 90.5% (19-of-21) conversion rate on field goals. He is just ahead of Matthew McCrane, who held an 86.4% (57-of-66) mark from 2014-17.
• One of his two career misses was blocked a 56-yard attempt at the end of last year's Baylor game, meaning he has been true on 19-of-20 (95.0%) field goal attempts that have gone past the line of scrimmage.
• Among active kickers who have attempted at least 20 career attempts, Rodriguez ranks third in the country in career field goal percentage.
McCLANNAN'S HIGH AVERAGE
• Punter Simon McClannan has had a great start to the 2026 season, adding to an already impressive career.
• A native of Omaha, Nebraska, McClannan enters the week ranked third in program history and 17th nationally among active players with a 43.24-yard average over his 112 career punts.
• McClannan holds a 47.8-yard average over his 17 punts this season, a mark that would rank sixth in the nation if he had one more attempt to qualify.
• McClannan is tied for the Big 12 lead with nine punts that have landed inside the opponent's 20-yard line, while his eight punts of 50 or more yards this season are tied for fourth in the conference. His career high in punts of 50 or more yards was 13 last season.
– k-statesports.com –
How to follow the Cats: For complete information on K-State Football, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
How to follow the Cats: For complete information on K-State Football, visit www.kstatesports.com and follow the team's social media channels on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook.
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