K-State’s Season of Disappointment Turns a Corner with Win over Kansas
BY Cole Deutschendorf | 365 Sports
There is no doubt about it. The 2025 season has had its fair share of disappointment for the Kansas State Wildcats. They came into the season with aspirations of Arlington for the Big 12 Championship in early December, but instead started 2-4 overall and 1-2 in Big 12 play. But there is also no doubt that last Saturday’s 42-17 win over the Kansas Jayhawks was highly gratifying to the Wildcats as they moved ot 4-4 on the season and now 3-2 in the conference.
It was a game that started with disaster as Bryce Noernberg fumbled the opening kickoff, and the Jayhawks would capitalize, albeit controversially, thanks to insufficient evidence to overturn an apparent Jalon Daniels fumble at the goal line. But after that, it was smooth sailing for K-State, as they would cruise down the field to tie the game, block a punt and return it for a touchdown, and add one more score to lead 21-7 as the two teams headed into the second quarter.
Kansas would put together an 18-play, 85-yard touchdown drive just before half that spanned over 8 minutes of game time, but that was as close as they would get. A Daniels interception would be turned into a Devon Rice rushing touchdown. After a KU field goal made it 28-17, the Wildcats would shut the door with a beautiful rainbow pass from Avery Johnson to wide receiver Jayce Brown for a 78-yard connection.
It was pure bliss for coaches, players, and fans alike as the clock continued to tick in the fourth quarter, getting closer and closer to an unprecedented win. Seventeen consecutive wins, in fact, is the longest winning streak in an uninterrupted series in the FBS, one more win than Georgia has over Kentucky. This win continues a recent trend for the Wildcats: playing good football. It was foreign to the team in August and September, but familiar over the last four games. Since September 27, K-State has outscored Big 12 opponents 151-100, with its only loss in that span coming by one point on the road to Baylor.
The Wildcats will certainly need things to fall their way as they get closer to the conclusion of the regular season to earn a spot in the Big 12 Championship. That could start this weekend, as they welcome one of the four teams currently ahead of them in the standings, Texas Tech. They will need many things to fall their way over the coming month, to be sure. The good news for K-State? They are playing with a palpable confidence, a dangerous thing for opposing teams when you look at the talent on the Wildcat roster.