Former K-State Coach Bill Snyder Rightfully Earns Spot On Prestigious List

Former Kansas State coach Bill Snyder has been included in a list of the top 25 college football coaches throughout the 2000s.

The ranking features notable figures such as Nick Saban (Alabama), Dabo Sweeney (Clemson) and Lincoln Riley (USC).

Snyder, the winningest coach in Wildcats history, was ranked at No. 23 on the list. During two stints in Manhattan, he won a pair of Big 12 titles and Fiesta Bowls and had two other top 10 seasons. Snyder had four 11-wins seasons. The Wildcats almost reached the national title game twice during the 1990s, which ultimately wasn't factored in the list.

The Athletic wrote: "But after the peak of one of the most amazing program turnarounds in college football history, Snyder’s 2000s record was still very strong, with two Big 12 titles/Fiesta Bowls and two other top-10 finishes. To come out of retirement in 2009 and show this job could still be a winner was a remarkable achievement. But Snyder posted just one Top 25 finish in his last six seasons, and his Wildcats had six seasons with six or fewer wins after 2000."

Snyder was named to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2015.

KLIEMAN MOVES UP A NOTCH

The Kansas State-Kansas rivalry is one of college football's greatest in-state matchups.

One CBS Sports article may light another fuse in the rivalry for next season.

College football writer Tom Fornelli pegs Kansas State's Chris Klieman and Kansas' Lance Leipold right next to each other in his Power Four coach rankings at No. 14 and No. 15, respectively.

The article wrote:

"Last year, Klieman and Leipold were separated by one spot in our rankings, which provided plenty of banter fodder for the people of the Sunflower State. This year, they remain separated by one spot but have swapped positions as Klieman climbs past Leipold. Last season was disappointing, as the Wildcats weren't in the conference title hunt as expected, but they still won nine games and finished above .500 in conference. Any time nine wins feel like a disappointment, you know you've built a strong program."

Klieman's evaluations this offseason have been mixed. The Wildcats' coach has been praised in some respects and slighted in others. As Kansas State projects to leap nationally, perhaps Klieman will finally reach the upper echelon of the greatest minds in college football.

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