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Kansas State starts out the season with strong AP Top 25 ranking

Last season, all the pressure was on Kansas State to win the Big 12, and now, going into this season, things are looking a little different.
ByEricka Brockish|
Dec 26, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Kansas State Wildcats head coach Chris Klieman prior to the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Dec 26, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Kansas State Wildcats head coach Chris Klieman prior to the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In the 2024 season, all eyes were on Kansas State to start off the year as the Wildcats were predicted to be at the top of the Big 12 with Oklahoma and Texas gone, and they let the pressure get to them. Now heading into the 2025 season, Kansas State is still the team near the top, but they have another that is taking all the of the spotlight.

The AP finally released their preseason Top 25 rankings, and the defending Big 12 champions, Arizona State, are the highest-ranked Big 12 team at No. 11, with Kansas State coming up behind them at No. 17. The Wildcats are followed by Iowa State at No. 22 and Texas Tech at No. 23.

With Iowa State ranked, that means that K-State's first matchup of the season over in Ireland in less than two weeks will be a ranked matchup between them and the Cyclones. The No. 17 ranking seemed pretty fair for the Wildcats after having to have a comeback win against Rutgers in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl back in December, and losing some players to the transfer portal and the NFL.

Obviously, the biggest key to Kansas State's success this season is how junior quarterback adn second-year starter Avery Johnson will perform. Johnson received a lot of hype as a first-year starter, and while he performed well for being young and slightly inexperienced, he wasn't able to perform quite as well under the pressure of the big games.

Now with more experience under his belt, he is looking to come back stronger this season and lead Kansas State to the conference championship everyone thought he would, and in turn, the College Football Playoff. A No. 17 ranking gives Kansas State great motivation to move up the rankings and also get a stronger ranked win right at the start of the season if they beat the Cyclones.

The Wildcats have a big season ahead of them, and hopefully, some of the pressure is gone, but of course, they still have to perform in order to get where they want to go, and Johnson, as well as running back Dylan Edwards and the rest of the offense, are a big key to that success.

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