Kansas State and Iowa State played a spirited game in Ireland to open the College Football season. Iowa State won a hard-fought game 24-21. Kansas State played a good game but came up just short, losing the game. They will now have an uphill battle for the rest of the season, after suffering an early-season loss like that. Kansas State can still recover and be in contention for the Big 12 Title, but it will be tough going forward.
Final pic.twitter.com/2BivYu0IjU
— K-State Football (@KStateFB) August 23, 2025
Kansas State must play 10 Big 12 Conference Games this year because the Arizona game was originally scheduled as a non-conference game. So that game will be played as a non-conference game and won’t count as a Big 12 game for standings. Still, that is the 10th opponent that they must face in their schedule from a power conference. Arizona struggled last year under 1st first-year head coach Brent Brennan but could still be an improved team this year.
Kansas State's away schedule in the Big 12 isn't easy as well. They must play at Baylor, Kansas, Oklahoma State, and Utah. Baylor was an underrated team last year, which finished last season on a 6-game winning streak and brought back talented quarterback Sawyer Robinson this season. Kansas, Oklahoma State, and Utah are all expected to be better teams this season after all 3 teams struggled last year.
The good thing for Kansas State is that they have one of the best coaches in the Big 12 in Chris Klieman. Klieman has gone 48-29 since he arrived at Kansas State, including winning the Big 12 in 2022. He also has a winning record in the Big 12 for four of his six seasons in the Big 12. They are constantly one of the best programs in the Big 12.
IT'S A SECOND-HALF SLUGFEST IN DUBLIN 🥊@KStateFB swings right back as Avery Johnson zips it to Jerand Bradley for the 65-yard score.#Big12FB | 📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/D7ELyv1fhv
— Big 12 Conference (@Big12Conference) August 23, 2025
They also have starting quarterback Avery Johnson, who is one of the better quarterbacks in the conference. He played a solid game against Iowa State, when he was 21/30 for 273 yards and 2 touchdowns. He has a chance to play even better and help propel Kansas State the rest of the season. He is that talented a player.
Kansas State is not out of the Big 12 Title race, but its margin for error got tougher with this loss. I expect them to rebound and play well and make a run for a Big 12 race. It won't be easy, but they have the coach and the quarterback to play better the rest of the season.
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