The Kansas State Wildcats open Big 12 conference play Saturday against the Cincinnati Bearcats
During the preseason, the Big 12 conference was pegged as a three-team race.
There were the Utah Utes, BYU Cougars and the defending champion Texas Tech Red Raiders. But it seems there could be more teams that emerge as legitimate contenders in this tough league.
The Kansas State Wildcats are among six teams in the conference that remain undefeated. The Wildcats open Big 12 play on the road Saturday against one of those teams, the Cincinnati Bearcats.
After cruising the non-conference schedule, first-year coach Collin Klein is expecting the degree of difficulty to increase this weekend and throughout the rest of the season.
"It will be extremely competitive," Klein said. "The margins are thin, and whichever teams do the little things well and consistently, are going to win a lot of games just because the margins are so thin. I think that's across the board, not just in the Big 12."
Here's a look at the undefeated teams so far:
Utah Utes: They are among the favorites to win the conference. The Utes have rolled past Idaho, Arkansas and Utah State. They have only allowed 24 points this season.
BYU Cougars: The Cougars are just one of three teams that already have a conference victory. They defeated the Arizona Wildcats in Week Two. They also have wins over Utah Tech and Colorado State.
Texas Tech Red Raiders: They have probably had the toughest schedule so far. After opening against Abilene Christian, they had difficult wins against Oregon State and Houston. The fact they are already battle-tested should help.
Cincinnati Bearcats:
The Bearcats opened with an impressive win against the Boston College Eagles and followed that with a 62-10 blowout of Western Carolina. Some questions, however, were raised after a close call last week against Miami of Ohio.
West Virginia Mountaineers:
The Mountaineers are the surprise addition to this list. Many thought they would fall to No. 25 Virginia but WVU pulled off the upset. It could serve as a momentum-builder for the rest of the season.
`CATS LAND BIG 2028 COMMITMENT
The Wildcats and Klein landed their first commitment of the 2028 recruiting class. Linebacker Taylen Washington, who is 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds, of Derby High School announced his decision earlier this week on social media.
MORE KANSAS STATE NEWS
How can the Wildcats get the tight ends more involved on offense?
What do the Wildcats need to do to stop Cincinnati Bearcats quarterback?
After starting strong at home, K-State now must prove it can win on the road
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
Don't miss out on our ROUNDTABLE community and the latest news!
It's completely free to join, simply by clicking the yellow button at the top of the homepage. Share your thoughts, engage with our Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow members.
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of KStateRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected]
