Every game. Every opponent. Kansas State is favored. The Wildcats are building serious buzz as the team to beat in the Big 12 next season, according to the latest KFord projections.
The latest KFord rankings give K-State at least a 53% chance to win every matchup, with the toughest tests coming on the road against Utah (53%) and Baylor (56%).
(20) KANSAS STATE v1 pic.twitter.com/trJoIhEYQp
— Kelley Ford (@KFordRatings) June 11, 2025
The Sunflower Showdown against Kansas sits at a 59% win probability, while the season opener in Ireland against Iowa State comes in at 65%.
At home, the Wildcats have a solid edge: Texas Tech (71%), TCU (72%), and the Big 12 home opener against UCF (85%). Road trips to Oklahoma State (76%) and Arizona (79%) look winnable, and late-season games against Colorado (84%), Army (93%), and North Dakota (99%) round out what looks like a strong schedule.
KFord also ranks Kansas State No. 1 nationally for beating the Vegas spread at home, highlighting the Wildcats’ formidable home-field advantage among Power 4 teams.
Momentum is high for Kansas State heading into the fall.
Junior QB Avery Johnson returns after a breakout year, supported by playmakers Dylan Edwards, Joe Jackson, and Jayce Brown. Defensively, experienced leaders Austin Romaine and V.J. Payne anchor a veteran unit.
Kansas State bolstered its offensive line with transfers Terrence Enos (Pitt) and J.B. Nelson (Penn State), expected to make an immediate impact.
The Wildcats are earning respect in national preseason polls—No. 12 in USA Today’s Top 25, No. 16 in Joel Klatt’s FOX Sports rankings, and No. 21 in ESPN’s Football Power Index, which ranks K-State highest in the Big 12.
After finishing 9–4 in 2024 (5–4 Big 12) and capping the season with a thrilling 44–41 bowl win over Rutgers, Kansas State is ready to compete at the highest level and make a serious run at the Big 12 title—and a spot in the College Football Playoff—next season.