Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson (2) passes the ball against Iowa State during the first quarter in the NCAA football at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

ESPN Predicts Kansas State To Face Biggest Obstacle Sooner Than Later

Originally posted on Kansas State Wildcats on SI
By Shandel Richardson | Last updated Jul 16, 2025 10:50 AM ET

Kansas State is getting a stiff test to start the season by playing Iowa State in Week 0 in Dublin, Ireland. While these early games are common, ESPN is already calling it a make or break moment for the Wildcats. If they win, they are off to a strong start toward making the Big 12 title game. If not, they are playing catch-up the rest of the year.

Here's what ESPN's Bill Connelly wrote:

"As mentioned above, it's all about the season opener against Iowa State. It will be the first opportunity for quarterback Avery Johnson and K-State to prove that last year's all-or-nothing offense has matured a bit. The Wildcats averaged 37.6 points in wins and only 15.8 in losses. They scored TDs on 75% of red zone drives in wins and 42% in losses. They committed more turnovers in the four losses (nine) than in the nine wins (seven). You could almost say that this means K-State's biggest archrival is K-State."

Many have pegged the Wildcats as the favorites in the conference behind Johnson and running back Dylan Edwards. The key to their first College Football Playoff berth is perhaps handling business in the opener.

"Regardless, Week 0 is enormous," Connelly said. "Turnovers and later-down failures cost it dearly against Iowa State last season, and it gets an immediate opportunity to right one of 2024's wrongs."