Kansas State football: 2017 season preview, predictions
Kansas State football had a better-than-expected nine-win season in 2016 and the expectations are high again in 2017. Can they rise to the occasion?
This will be Bill Snyder’s ninth year of his second stint in Manhattan, Kansas. He has 26 years in the books with the Wildcats all together.
Last season, the Wildcats played a multitude of underclassmen with limited previous playing time. That, plus the fact that the program returns 14 starters, bodes well for the 2017 team. The last time this many players returned to the program was in 2012 when the team finished the season with an invite to the Fiesta Bowl and an overall record of 11-2.
Because of the lack of experience and a less-than-stellar 2015 season, expectations were low entering 2016. As always, Snyder managed to far exceed expectations and guide the team to the Texas Bowl, where the Wildcats beat a talented Texas A&M team.
Snyder originally took over a program at the bottom of the Big 12. They’ve been contenders for the conference crown in most of the years since that time.
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If Kansas State is going to compete for the Big 12 title this season, the team needs to overpower several high-octane offenses. The Wildcats managed to contain 10 offenses last season but couldn’t against Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. The program notched a close win against the Red Raiders, suffered a close loss against the Cowboys and a blowout against Oklahoma. This season, Snyder must outwit offensive masterminds Lincoln Riley, Mike Gundy and Tom Herman to win the conference, a tall order by any measure.
That said, Snyder will return eight starters from an offense that averaged 32.2 points per game. The defense showed major strides, too, allowing 22.3 points per game. Of course, the program is always one of the best in special teams.
So, will the Wildcats be just another bowl team, or will they compete for the Big 12 title? Let’s take a look.