The 2025 Big 12 title game? It might start in Ireland.
Kansas State and Iowa State, long-time rivals, open the season Aug. 23 in Dublin.
According to a poll of Big 12 coaches, they could meet again in December — with a conference championship on the line.
Big 12 coaches pick Kansas State & Iowa State to meet in Big 12 title game in a poll conducted by @On3sports. Seven of league’s 16 teams received votes & coaches could not vote for their own teamhttps://t.co/Tgncww9nNn pic.twitter.com/okwny6Gnbp
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) July 10, 2025
During Big 12 Media Days, On3 asked all 16 head coaches to anonymously predict the title game matchup. Coaches couldn’t vote for their own teams.
Kansas State received the most votes (8), followed by Iowa State (7). Arizona State picked up 6, and Texas Tech drew 5. TCU (3), Baylor (2), and Utah (1) also earned votes — seven teams total made the list.
The Wildcats were also the top pick to win the Big 12, with six coaches backing K-State to capture the title. Arizona State, the defending champ, was picked by four. Texas Tech (3), TCU (2), and Baylor (1) rounded out the championship picks.
Kansas State enters the season with momentum and national attention.
Budding star quarterback Avery Johnson returns after a breakout 2024 and leads an offense featuring dynamic playmakers Dylan Edwards, Joe Jackson, and Jayce Brown. On defense, veterans Austin Romaine and V.J. Payne anchor a unit with plenty of young talent.
National rankings reflect the buzz. Kansas State sits at No. 12 in USA Today’s Top 25, No. 16 in Joel Klatt’s post-spring rankings, and No. 21 in ESPN’s Football Power Index — the highest FPI rating among Big 12 programs.
K-State finished 9–4 last season, capping the year with a 44–41 bowl win over Rutgers.
The season opener — dubbed “Farmageddon” — will take the rivalry abroad. But the stakes may be even higher if the predictions hold true: a rematch with a championship on the line.