Kansas State lost star running back Dylan Edwards on the first punt return against Iowa State on Saturday, a punt he also muffed for a turnover. Edwards went down with an ankle injury, and although he tried getting taped and moving around on the sideline, he was ultimately ruled out for the rest of the game.
Head coach Chris Klieman had an update earlier this week saying that while Edwards' return was unknown, it didn't look like anything was broken, and ultimately, things were trending in a positive direction. On3's Pete Nakos was the first to confirm a report saying Edwards would be out for the Wildcats' upcoming Week 1 matchup against North Dakota and doubtful for the Week 3 matchup against Army.
While this is not the news fans were hoping for, this could also be looked at as a good thing. While of course every team can be dangerous, the hope is that Kansas State shouldn't have trouble dealing with North Dakota and Army, so giving Edwards this rest before the game against Arizona and then the rest of Big 12 play could be incredibly beneficial.
Source: Kansas State star running back Dylan Edwards will miss the game against North Dakota this week and is expected to be “doubtful” for the game with Army in Week 3. Edwards appeared to injure his left ankle early in the game against Iowa State. pic.twitter.com/ON5tZeq1Fc
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 27, 2025
There is no need to rush Edwards back to the field right now. This is the very reason you have backups that can take over at a moment's notice. Backup running back Joe Jackson took over for Edwards, and even in the tough running conditions, he had 12 carries for 51 yards. However, with Kansas State playing from behind, they had to abandon the run game and resort to just the passing game.
With this new injury designation, it means things didn't quite go as hoped in practice, as after sharing that X-rays were negative, Klieman said they would see how things went on the field. This is a big loss, though no matter how you look at it, for Kansas State, and getting Edwards back healthy and on the field will be crucial for the offense.
Edwards was set to take over the running game for Kansas State this season after the departure of DJ Giddens, who was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts this past offseason.