Kansas State football: Will Year 2 of Chris Klieman bring Big 12 title contention?

How will Kansas State football fare in 2020?

The Wildcats will have a complex season ahead of them as they prepare for Big 12 play and two additional games. They will have to focus on winning key matchups every play and drive instead of relying on their key talent.

Here is the breakdown of the schedule for the Wildcats in 2020:

• Game 1: vs. Arkansas State (W) – The Wildcats start their 2020 season with an easy win against a Group of Five program.
• Game 2: at Oklahoma (L) – Kansas State was lucky to get the upset on the Sooners last season but they will look for revenge this season.
• Game 3: vs. Texas Tech (W) – The Wildcats recover from two tough road games against a struggling Red Raiders.
• Game 4: at TCU (W) – The Horned Frogs will face the Wildcats in between their games against two crucial games against the Longhorns and the Sooners.
• Game 5: vs. Kansas (W) – The Wildcats get back on track by defeating a Jayhawks team still years away from Big 12 title contention.
• Game 6: at West Virginia (L) – The Wildcats start their conference with a difficult loss to the Mountaineers, who are looking to be more stable on defense.
• Game 7: vs. Oklahoma State (L) – In a potential shootout, the Cowboys have more of a dynamic offense than the Wildcats.
• Game 8: at Iowa State (L) – Kansas State will have to take another road trip against a Cyclones team that is well-balanced on offense and defense.
• Game 9: at Baylor (W) – The Wildcats finish the season on a high note against a completely rebuilding but talented Bears team.
• Game 10: vs. Texas (L) – Like the Mountaineers, the Longhorns look to have a more efficient defense that will make scoring difficult.

Final record: 5-5, 4-5 Big 12

The Wildcats will likely the season near the middle of the pack in the Big 12. The pandemic stalled the development of the team on both sides of the ball. It has already canceled a matchup against the Vanderbilt Commodores when the SEC decided to play conference-only games.

Kansas State losing in matchups against West Virginia, Texas and Oklahoma State will be tough. They will be talented enough to beat TCU and Baylor, who are still looking to develop their young teams.

Having to rely on several new starters on the offensive side of the ball will also play a factor. While the running backs and the offensive line will need to access their starters, they will rely on some key skill positions to lead the way. The impact and experience of Skylar Thompson will be significant enough to help the Wildcats in conference title contention.

Defensively, the Wildcats will return several key contributors in the linebacker corps and the secondary. The defensive line will need some help in the remaining offseason to help account for more productivity. Defensive end Wyatt Hubert will be the main leader of the line to help pick up the slack.

The secondary will be better this season against more established passing offenses in the conference. It will be the rushing game that the Wildcats to need defend against in 2020.