The annual Week 0 game in Dublin, Ireland, always seems to deliver early madness. On Saturday, it brought out the best in its new victim, Kansas State.
On the national stage, at a neutral site, some 3 thousand miles from the States, one team’s statement game was another team’s misery. Kansas State had the chances, but too many misfires cost a gut-wrenching 24-21 loss to Iowa State.
Not only does this loss set the Wildcats behind the entire college football pool, but it also sets the team in last place in the Big 12. The harsh reality is that K-State lost to an in-conference rival, which diminishes its contending status and ultimately jeopardizes K-State as a true threat in the Big 12. It is a consequence that strikes immediately and effectively.
Here are my key takeaways…
A major opportunity was missed
Playing in Dublin, Ireland, automatically puts you on the global stage. However, with all eyes on a conference rivalry with two ranked teams, the Wildcats had the opportunity to silence the hype surrounding the Cyclones.
These are two teams that retained many notable pieces from last season. More specifically, the quarterbacks, with Avery Johnson and Rocco Becht. After a brutal first half of football, the game was locked at 7-a-piece. I thought this would’ve certainly favored the Wildcats with the backbone of a very solid offense.
Frankly, not many were willing to step up and answer the call. Avery Johnson completed 21 of 30 passing attempts, throwing for 273 yards and 2 touchdowns. Those touchdowns were completed on long balls to Jayce Brown and Jerand Bradley. Although early miscues came back to haunt the Wildcats, who went 1-4 on fourth down attempts.
Ultimately, Iowa State made it happen down the stretch. With about 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter, down 17-14, K-State failed to convert on a fourth-and-one quarterback sneak from their own 30-yard line. The Cyclones went on to convert on a 4th-and-3 attempt with just 2 minutes left to seal the game.
The absence of Dylan Edwards
The loss of Dylan Edwards was devastating and extremely costly. Not only did Edwards miss practically the entire game, but he failed to register a single carry, and his availability is now unknown.
We saw a snippet of what Edwards could be last season after transferring out of Colorado. Edwards accounted for 679 all-purpose yards with 7 touchdowns while playing behind DJ Giddens, who tallied 1601 scrimmage yards. The hype around Edwards in his junior season was real. However, those strides have yet to be seen, and might not be seen for a little while.
After an early muffed punt, Edwards walked off the field appearing fine. Later, his status would be ruled out for the rest of the game. That would become a crucial blow for K-State, who gave Joe Jackson the nod the rest of the way. Jackson finished with just 51 yards on 12 carries. Kansas State rushed for 110 yards as a team.
A tough road ahead
The most daunting fact is that the road is even more rocky ahead. Kansas State has lost a focal point in its offense, has shown legitimate flaws on both ends, and has serious problems when it comes to executing in crunch time. None of this is good news.
Another thought: in recent years, no team that has lost in Dublin has been able to come back from their week 0 loss. It’s a miserable losing track record. In 2022, Nebraska lost to Northwestern, and the Huskers finished out its season with a 3-9 record. In 2023, Navy lost to Notre Dame and finished its season with a 5-7 record. And do I even have to say anything about Florida State from last season?
Yeah, certainly not amusing for a Kansas State fan. As we glance further into the Wildcats’ schedule, there isn’t much light. This is a team that is already playing in a weaker conference, and starting behind makes the path much more difficult.
The Wildcats will have a handful of favorable matchups before having to face Arizona on the road, followed by UCF, Baylor, TCU, Kansas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Utah, and Colorado. Texas Tech is the only remaining ranked opponent, who K-State will face at home.
Sure, that might not look like an SEC schedule, but it is no doozy. I believe Iowa State, along with Arizona State, are the two clear-cut favorites to meet in the Big 12 Championship, at this time. With that being said, K-State is not out of the mix, just not exactly in it right now. And isn’t great considering the high expectations.
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