Kansas State's not-so-perfect odds of making a 24-team playoff push

The College Football Playoff has expanded from four teams in 2023, and recently 12 contenders in 2025. Now entering 2026, the same format applies, but there are talks of a potential expansion to a field of 24. After last season, a playoff spot may still feel like a long shot for Kansas State, but the Wildcats may be further than they appear.

Kansas State football's not-so-favorable 24-team playoff odds

There’s plenty of takeaways from the mess that was last season’s nonconference schedule. The Wildcats stumbled to a 6-6 finish, opening with a loss to Iowa State Cyclones in Dublin before surviving a pair of far-too-close matchups against North Dakota and Army.

The latter of those two, a 24-21 loss to the Army Black Knights, came at home inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. And while the rest of the season briefly suggested things were turning around, too many of those wins came with warning signs attached.

It didn’t take long for another loss to follow, either, as the Wildcats dropped their conference opener to Arizona by a single score. Down the stretch, though, things at least appeared to get better.

Home wins over the TCU Horned Frogs and another victory in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown helped steady things late in the year, even seeing running back Joe Jackson set the program’s single-game rushing record at Utah in November. But by that point, the playoff conversation had already faded, and expanding the field to 24 teams wouldn’t slate them in contention anyways.

Wildcats still making a push for the College Football Playoff

If there's a playoff berth in sight following the 2026 regular season, the biggest thing that needs to change are the inconsistencies. Playing one score games against FCS opponents, even losing at home during the nonconference schedule are killers when the committee starts making decisions.

And it's worth noting, we're talking about making a 12-team playoff. No official plans or contracts are in place expanding the picture to 24, but with a little more consistency and getting over the hump, there's a likely push in the near future.

That also brings up the conversation about last year's game against the Utes. Kansas State led the majroity of that game, only to give it up in the final stages. Even after Jackson's impressive record, all the Wildcats earned was a handshake and a long plane ride home.

But that's in the past. What matters is ahead, and the season hasn't started yet. Over in Manhattan, there's new leadership with first-year head coach Collin Klein, and plenty of other exciting position battles worth getting excited over.

Erase the mistakes, win the close games, and the Wildcats are in good shape. And in order to make a playoff push, there isn't room for error.

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