Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson (2) runs for yards during the second half against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks at Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

K-State's Avery Johnson Has Blunt Message After North Dakota Victory

Originally posted on Kansas State Wildcats on SI
By Jayden Armant | Last updated Aug 31, 2025 4:43 PM ET

A bounce-back victory after losing in Week 0 should be pretty satisfactory for Kansas State, right?

Well, not for quarterback Avery Johnson. The junior signal-caller expressed his disappointment in the team's performance on Saturday night, with his tone almost evoking defeat instead of victory. Johnson said the Wildcats "shouldn't be satisfied" with their effort against North Dakota.

"If we're gonna play like this every week, we're not gonna be the team that we want to be," Johnson said in his postgame presser. "I just went straight to the leaders on the offense and the defense, and we have to take accountability for the game we had tonight. It was way too close for comfort."

The sloppiness and poor execution were Kansas State's ultimate detriments. Penalties, drops, and turnovers nearly resulted in a second consecutive loss. While the fourth-quarter comeback was admirable, Kansas State kept the game too close for a team it was favored by 25 to beat.

"I think we just shot ourselves in the foot too many times," Johnson said. "I think we had five drives in the first and second half. The first one, we took the field goal, but we gotta find a way to get the ball in the end zone right there. Even on the third down on the first drive, just coming up a yard short."

Johnson ended the game with a career-high 318 passing yards and three touchdowns, rushing seven times for 40 yards. Running back DeVon Rice had seven rushes for 40 yards and two touchdowns, stepping up while Dylan Edwards remains injured.

The Wildcats play Army (0-1) Saturday night.

K-STATE CHRIS KLIEMAN ISN'T DOWNGRADING NORTH DAKOTA VICTORY

A three-point comeback victory over North Dakota probably didn't move a lot of Kansas State fans.

However, coach Chris Klieman doesn't want to downplay this victory. Instead of sacrificing the upset victory, the Wildcats orchestrated a fourth-quarter comeback drive to defeat the Fighting Hawks and walk out with a 1-1 record.

"In this new era of college football, nobody knows what teams have," Klieman said in his Saturday night presser. "Nobody knows how good teams are. I knew we were playing a good football team because they're from the Dakotas. Those four Dakota schools are really well coached, they're physical, and they're gonna play their tails off."

Still, Klieman did acknowledge the need to improve moving forward.

"We've gotta improve in all areas, but I've been in this business too long. You better enjoy every opportunity you have to get a victory," Klieman said.