Kansas State still has a fan in ESPN.
Despite the rollercoaster over the last few months for the football program, the Wildcats still have a lot to be optimistic about, according to the popular media site. ESPN did power index rankings for all FBS teams, breaking down the explanations for each conference. It lauded Kansas State in the Big 12, saying the team is just as likely as Arizona or TCU to contend among its peers.
The article wrote:
"Schlabach ranked four Big 12 teams in his Top 25, and with eight teams projected 37th or better in SP+, that number appears about right. But BYU, TCU, and ASU are all projected at least seven spots lower in SP+ than where Schlabach has them, and you could make the case that Kansas State, Arizona, or Houston are just as likely as TCU or ASU to contend. Regardless, it's Tech, then BYU, then a big mass of potential contenders."
In addition to a relatively favorable schedule, the return of program legend Collin Klein as the head coach is likely the biggest factor in Kansas State's success. The two-time Big 12 champion (2012 as quarterback, 2022 as offensive coordinator) is expected to shift the program's recent direction and get it back to a conference juggernaut.
"The way my mindset has been - and our entire staff and players - is just that attack mindset," Klein said in his Wednesday afternoon press conference. "We’re gonna log it away and fix it next time, but at the end of the day, we’re moving forward. We’re not wasting any time, and I think the whole staff has done a really good job with that."
He wants to start the year off strong so his players and staff are intentional and lead with initiative before returning for the fall. That's already started to show in spring football thus far.
"We’re gonna start fast and finish faster," Klein said in his KCSN interview. "In today’s world of college football, you have one year to develop this team. We're gonna maximize every opportunity to the fullest, and we’re going to attack it right from the jump. The only way that you get better at playing football is by playing football. We’re gonna utilize every inch of capacity."
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