Nov 30, 2024; Ames, Iowa, USA; Kansas State Wildcats head coach Chris Klieman watches his team play the Iowa State Cyclones in the first quarter at at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

College Football Legend Has Tough Stance On K-State's Season Opener

Originally posted on Kansas State Wildcats on SI
By Seth Kunz | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 8:36 AM ET

On Saturday, the eyes in the college football world will be on Dublin, Ireland, as Kansas State and Iowa State usher in the 156th season.

From a fan's perspective, it doesn't get much better than a ranked Big 12 showdown to start the year, but a CFB legend actually disagrees. Former Florida and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer says opening the season with a conference game is "awful."

"I've done it a couple times and it's actually awful," Meyer said on the Triple Option podcast. "Just the intensity level picks up, and whether you're opening with a conference game or like Ohio State playing Texas, you have to stop pounding on them two weeks before that game."

Meyer also believes a shot at the College Football Playoffs could be on the line.

"If you're opening up with a three-game easy slate, it's a much different attitude," Meyer said. "But as you get ready for a conference game, those two teams, that's must win already. Those are two really good programs, but reality is for them to make the playoff, they've got to win this game."

While Meyer believes this matchup is make-or-break for the two programs, Kansas State coach Chris Klieman talked about taking the season one week at a time.

"I keep talking about it and cautioning everybody, this is not a one-game season, this is a 12-game season," Klieman said in his Monday press conference. "This is a really important game for the conference race; it's a really important game for both programs. I've been cautioned about teams that have won and played poor ly coming back, and about teams that lost and haven't been able to regroup."

To Klieman's point, since the game returned in 2022, teams that have won the game have a combined record of 18-20. Half of those wins came for Notre Dame (2023), who posted a record of 10-3. On the other hand, teams that have lost the game posted a combined record of 11-25. If Kansas State wins on Saturday, it will hope to avoid the fate of 2022 Northwestern, which dropped its next 11 games.

The meeting between Kansas State and Iowa State will be the fourth conference matchup in the last five games held in Ireland.