LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas redshirt senior Jalon Daniels is one of 67 nominees for the ninth annual Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year, the organization announced on Tuesday, awarded to honor exemplary leadership by a college player.

The members of the watch list have all demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.

Daniels is a four-time team captain for the Jayhawks, becoming the first four-time captain in program history. Daniels, a native of Lawndale, California, is now in his sixth season at Kansas and is the only Power 4 quarterback to start at least one game in all six seasons.

Daniels has gotten off to a hot start to the 2025 season, completing 85-of-127 passes for 1,262 yards and 16 touchdowns. Daniels’ 16 passing touchdowns are the second most in all of college football this season. Last week against Cincinnati, Daniels threw for 445 yards and rushed for 55, totaling 500 yards of total offense, the most in a single game in the country this season.

Daniels is one of Kansas football’s most productive quarterbacks in school history, ranking second in Kansas football history in career passing yards (8,013), career completions (621), and career passing touchdowns (61). Daniels has the 8th-most career passing yards amongst all FBS quarterbacks and is one of three Power 4 quarterbacks with 55+ passing touchdowns and at least 7,000 passing yards at one school.

As impressive as Daniels is on the field, he is as equally impressive off the field. Daniels was recently named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy – awarded the top college football player with the best combination of academics, leadership, and on-field performance. Prior to the 2025 season, Daniels was named to the Walter Camp Award Preseason Watch List and Johnny Unitas&nbsp;Golden Arm Watch List entering the 2025 season. In 2022, Daniels was named an Academic All-American.

Daniels is also very involved in the community, serving as an offseason captain and leading teammates to participate in community service initiatives within the Lawrence community. Daniels has also started the "Mom2JD6" Foundation committed to supporting single mothers raising athletic children by providing financial aid, mentorship, sports training, and community resources.

Twenty semifinalists will be selected by a by a subset of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Selection Committee and announced on Tues., October 14. Three finalists will then be named for the award on Monday, December 15. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony at The Star in Frisco, Texas, on April 16, 2026.

Last year, J.J. Weaver of Kentucky won the eighth annual award. The first seven Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year awards were presented to Shaquem Griffin of UCF in 2017, D’Cota&nbsp;Dixon of Wisconsin in 2018, Trey Smith of Tennessee in 2019, Sam Ehlinger&nbsp;of Texas in 2020, Joshua Paschal of Kentucky in 2021, Deslin&nbsp;Alexandre of Pittsburgh in 2022 and Mike Hollins of Virginia in 2023.

&nbsp;The award, presented by Albertsons and Tom Thumb, is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player’s leadership, both on and off the field. Leadership is a term synonymous with Jason Witten, who, in addition to becoming one of the best tight ends in the history of the sport, served as one of football’s most prominent role models during his 16-year pro career. In addition to winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2012, Witten also received the Bart Starr Award, Pro Football Weekly’s Humanitarian of the Year Award, Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP and the Bob Lilly Award, among many others. All of those honors have recognized his work in the community, achievements on the field and dedication to his teammates and family.

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;Kansas redshirt senior Jalon Daniels is one of 67 nominees for the ninth annual Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year, the organization announced on Tuesday, awarded to honor exemplary leadership by a college player.The members of the watch list have all demonstrated a record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity and sportsmanship both on and off the field.Daniels is a four-time team captain for the Jayhawks, becoming the first four-time captain in program history. Daniels, a native of Lawndale, California, is now in his sixth season at Kansas and is the only Power 4 quarterback to start at least one game in all six seasons.Daniels has gotten off to a hot start to the 2025 season, completing 85-of-127 passes for 1,262 yards and 16 touchdowns. Daniels’ 16 passing touchdowns are the second most in all of college football this season. Last week against Cincinnati, Daniels threw for 445 yards and rushed for 55, totaling 500 yards of total offense, the most in a single game in the country this season.Daniels is one of Kansas football’s most productive quarterbacks in school history, ranking second in Kansas football history in career passing yards (8,013), career completions (621), and career passing touchdowns (61). Daniels has the 8th-most career passing yards amongst all FBS quarterbacks and is one of three Power 4 quarterbacks with 55+ passing touchdowns and at least 7,000 passing yards at one school.As impressive as Daniels is on the field, he is as equally impressive off the field. Daniels was recently named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy – awarded the top college football player with the best combination of academics, leadership, and on-field performance. Prior to the 2025 season, Daniels was named to the Walter Camp Award Preseason Watch List and Johnny Unitas&nbsp;Golden Arm Watch List entering the 2025 season. In 2022, Daniels was named an Academic All-American.Daniels is also very involved in the community, serving as an offseason captain and leading teammates to participate in community service initiatives within the Lawrence community. Daniels has also started the "Mom2JD6" Foundation committed to supporting single mothers raising athletic children by providing financial aid, mentorship, sports training, and community resources.Twenty semifinalists will be selected by a by a subset of the Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Selection Committee and announced on Tues., October 14. Three finalists will then be named for the award on Monday, December 15. The winner will be announced at the award ceremony at The Star in Frisco, Texas, on April 16, 2026.Last year, J.J. Weaver of Kentucky won the eighth annual award. The first seven Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year awards were presented to Shaquem Griffin of UCF in 2017, D’Cota&nbsp;Dixon of Wisconsin in 2018, Trey Smith of Tennessee in 2019, Sam Ehlinger&nbsp;of Texas in 2020, Joshua Paschal of Kentucky in 2021, Deslin&nbsp;Alexandre of Pittsburgh in 2022 and Mike Hollins of Virginia in 2023.&nbsp;The award, presented by Albertsons and Tom Thumb, is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player’s leadership, both on and off the field. Leadership is a term synonymous with Jason Witten, who, in addition to becoming one of the best tight ends in the history of the sport, served as one of football’s most prominent role models during his 16-year pro career. In addition to winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2012, Witten also received the Bart Starr Award, Pro Football Weekly’s Humanitarian of the Year Award, Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP and the Bob Lilly Award, among many others. All of those honors have recognized his work in the community, achievements on the field and dedication to his teammates and family.

Jalon Daniels Named to Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Watch List

Date:&nbsp;Saturday, October 4, 2025

Stadium:&nbsp;McLane Stadium (45,140)

TV:&nbsp;ESPN+ (<a href="https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/e04f9db9-2184-4dab-8df7-7e5aca5d8f68" target="_blank">Watch</a>)

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THE TOP 51)&nbsp;Coming off a big 34-20 home win over UCF, Kansas State will head back on the road when the Wildcats travel to take on Baylor on Saturday inside McLane Stadium. The game kicks off at 11 a.m., and will be shown on ESPN+ with Pete Sousa (play-by-play), Legar Douzable (analyst) and Tori Petry (sidelines) on the call.

2)&nbsp;Each of Kansas State’s first four games this season were decided by one score as the first three games were by a margin of a field goal, while its game at Arizona was decided by six points. K-State is the only team in the nation to already have four games decided by one possession. The Wildcats were 4-2 last season when the final margin was eight or less points.

3)&nbsp;Quarterback Avery Johnson is set to make his 20th-career start under center having thrown for 1,019 yards and eight touchdowns through the first five games. His favorite target has been wide receiver Jayce Brown, who has 25 catches for 284 yards and two touchdowns. Brown ranks sixth in the Big 12 in receptions per game (5.00), while he has a catch in 25 of his last 26 games dating back to 2023.

4)&nbsp;Linebackers Austin Romaine and Des Purnell lead the Wildcats in tackles with 41 and 29, respectively. Romaine ranks fifth in the Big 12 with 8.2 tackles per game, while his average of 5.20 solo tackles per game ranks 21st in the nation and third in the Big 12. Cornerback Zashon Rich is tied for the Big 12 lead with six pass breakups, and the Wildcats rank seventh in the country with five fumble recoveries.

5)&nbsp;K-State’s specialists have started the year strong. Kicker Luis Rodriguez drilled a 51-yard field goal at Arizona, and he is 6-for-6 on field goal attempts and 15-for-15 on extra points. Punter Simon McClannan ranks third in the Big 12 with a 45.1-yard average. Bryce Noernberg returned a kickoff 99 yards for a score against Army, and Garrett Harstad blocked a punt at Arizona.

STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS266&nbsp;– Rushing yards vs. UCF, the most in a game this season. The Wildcats had over 200 rushing yards eight times last year.

8&nbsp;– Consecutive years K-State has blocked at least one punt, the longest streak in the nation.

5&nbsp;– Quarterbacks in school history to passing for 4,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards, the newest one being Avery Johnson.

2&nbsp;– Players that reached the 1,000-yard rushing mark in their careers vs. UCF – Dylan Edwards and Avery Johnson.

1.46&nbsp;– Sacks per game allowed by K-State since the beginning of 2019, tied for the sixth-best mark among Power 4 teams.

• Kansas State took advantage of the first of three bye weeks in the 2025 season, improving to 2-3 overall and 1-1 in Big 12 play with a 34-20 win over UCF last Saturday.

• It was a solid all-around performance as the offense rushed for 266 yards – including 166 yards from Dylan Edwards – Avery Johnson threw for two scores, and the defense forced three UCF turnovers en route to the win.

• Four of K-State’s five games this season have been decided by one possession. In three of the four games, the Wildcats trailed late in the fourth quarter and had the ball with a chance to either tie or take the lead.

• K-State was able to put together a 10-play, 81-yard drive over 1:03 against North Dakota, scoring a touchdown with 42 seconds remaining to swing a 35-31 deficit into a 38-35 victory.

• The next week against Army, K-State had the ball with less than two minutes remaining and got into plus territory until an interception sealed the Black Knights’ three-point win.

• Six days later at Arizona, K-State had the ball near midfield with just over one minute remaining, but a turnover on downs ended the contest in a six-point defeat.

• K-State will hit the road in Big 12 play for the first time this week. The Wildcats are 2-4 under head coach Chris Klieman in their first league road game with both wins being victories over ranked Oklahoma teams in 2020 (No. 3) and 2022 (No. 6).

• Saturday’s game against Baylor is the second-straight 11 a.m. contest, but prior to that, it had been almost exactly one year to the day since the Cats played in the early window.

• The last time the Wildcats had played a game that kicked off at 11 a.m., was a 42-20 home victory over Oklahoma State on September 28, 2024.

• The Wildcats’ 2025 season opener in Dublin, Ireland, against Iowa State kicked off at 11 a.m. in the Central Time Zone but began at 5 p.m. in Irish Standard Time.

• Of Kansas State’s last 18 games dating back to Week 2 of the 2024 season, 10 have been decided by just one score.

• Last year, the Wildcats went 4-2 in one-possession games. All four of the victories were fourth-quarter comebacks, which ranked second in the nation to Illinois’ five.

• This season, K-State has played four one-possession games but has only come out on the winning side one time.

• The four one-score games this year are the most among Power 4 teams. Second on the list is Arizona State, Georgia Tech, Iowa State, NC State and Ole Miss with three apiece.

• K-State is one of only 10 Power 4 schools that have won at least nine games in each of the last three seasons, joining Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and Tennessee.

• Among those teams, only Kansas State, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Oregon have accomplished that feat in addition to winning a conference championship during that timeframe.

• The Wildcats are tied for 17th among Power 4 teams and first among current Big 12 programs with 30 total wins since the beginning of 2022.

• K-State has a total of 233 victories since 1996, which ranks 22nd nationally.

• Among active Big 12 teams, the Wildcats rank fourth behind BYU (243), TCU (241) and Utah (237).

• Kansas State has totaled 145 Big 12 victories since the conference’s formation in 1996, which stands as the most among active Big 12 programs.

• The Cats are also second among active Big 12 members in winning percentage since non-divisional play began in 2011. They sit at 59.4% (76-52), trailing only Oklahoma State (60.6%; 77-50).

• During that stretch, the Wildcats are 43-21 (67.2%) at home in Big 12 play and 33-31 (51.6%) on the road/neutral.

• Kansas State has 13 returning starters from a year ago, including seven that hail from the state of Kansas.

• On offense, the Kansans are quarterback Avery Johnson (Wichita), running back Dylan Edwards (Derby) and offensive linemen Taylor Poitier (Kansas City) and Sam Hecht (Shawnee).

• Defensively, the list includes defensive tackle Damian Ilalio (Manhattan), linebacker Des Purnell (Topeka) and defensive end Cody Stufflebean (McPherson).

• A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds a 122-44 career record, as his 73.5% career winning percentage ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that have completed at least 10 seasons. He is also one of just 16 current Power 4 full-time head coaches with at least 100 career victories.

• Klieman, who is 50-31 since arriving at K-State, has led the Cats to five victories over teams ranked in the top 10 of the AP Top 25, the most of any active Big 12 program since 2019.

• K-State enters this week’s game against Baylor ranked fourth nationally in fewest penalties per game (3.00) and 11th in fewest penalty yards per game (30.80).

• Since 2022, the Wildcats have averaged 42.60 penalty yards per game (46 games) to rank seventh among Power 4 teams.

• K-State is the nation’s best in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 25-plus seasons as it has 136 since 1999, 10 more than the next closest team (Alabama – 126) and 18 more than the next Big 12 program (Utah – 119).

• K-State recorded four non-offensive scores during the 2024 season, its most since also recording four in 2020.

• The Wildcats got on the board in 2025 thanks to Bryce Noernberg’s 99-yard kickoff return against Army.

OFFENSIVE NOTESTOTAL OFFENSE• K-State has totaled at least 375 yards of offense in 35 of the last 45 games dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season.

• The 35 games with at least 375 yards are tied for seventh among Power 4 programs and ranks second among Big 12 schools.

• Georgia and USC lead the way with 39, followed by Oregon (38), Ole Miss (37), TCU (37) and Texas (36).

• During that stretch, K-State holds a 28-7 record when totaling at least 375 yards, while the Wildcats are 2-8 when going under that mark.RED ZONE SUCCESS• Since Chris Klieman’s first season at K-State in 2019, the Wildcats have been the best in the Big 12 in terms of converting red-zone opportunities into points.

• The Wildcats rank first in the Big 12 with a 90.1% (281-of-312) success rate in the red zone since 2019, just ahead of Texas Tech (88.1%) and Oklahoma State (87.6%).

• K-State also ranks first in the league in touchdown success rate at 67.0% (209-of-312), ahead of Utah (65.8%) and Kansas (65.7%).LIMITED SACKS PER GAME• K-State has been one of the nation’s best in terms of limiting sacks since head coach Chris Klieman’s first season of 2019.

• The Wildcats rank fifth among Power 4 teams and second in the Big 12 by allowing only 1.46 sacks per game over the last six-plus seasons, a span of 81 games.FEW INTERCEPTIONS• Thanks to only two interceptions through five games this season, the Wildcats have only thrown 12 picks since Avery Johnson’s first start under center in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl.

• The 12 interceptions thrown are tied for third among Big 12 teams since the 2023 bowl season.4,000/1,000• Quarterback Avery Johnson became the fifth quarterback in program history to pass for 4,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a career as he went over the 1,000-yard rushing mark against UCF.AVERY 1K• Avery Johnson achieved a career milestone against UCF by eclipsing the 1,000-yard rushing mark, becoming the seventh quarterback in school history to hit that mark.

• A native of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson needs 50 yards to move into fifth place in school history in career rushing yards among quarterbacks.

• Johnson has averaged 5.14 yards on his 202 career rushes, ranking eighth in school history among all players in yards per attempt, while he is second among quarterbacks (Jesse Ertz, 2014-17 – 5.46).

• When taking away sack yardage, Johnson has rushed for 1,190 yards on 184 true rushing attempts, good for a 6.47-yard clip.VERY RESPONSIBLE• Avery Johnson has been responsible for 54 total touchdowns in his 26 career games played to rank ninth in school history.

• His career total is tied for 28th nationally among active players but ranks sixth among non-seniors.

• A native of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson has 38 career passing touchdowns to rank fifth in school history, while his 16 career rushing touchdowns rank ninth in program history among quarterbacks.

FAVORITE TARGET• Avery Johnson’s favorite target to open the 2025 season has been wide receiver Jayce Brown, who has 25 receptions for 284 yards and two touchdowns over the first four games.

• Brown’s 5.00 receptions per game this season rank sixth in the Big 12.

• Brown hauled in 12 catches against North Dakota, which tied for the seventh-most in a single game in school history, doubled his previous career high of six (last year at Colorado) and were the most by a Wildcat since Tyler Lockett had 13 in the final game of his career in the 2014 Alamo Bowl vs. UCLA.

• Brown tallied at least 100 scrimmage yards in the final two games of 2024 and in three of the first five games of 2025 after only one such performance in the first 21 games of his career.

TO THE HOUSE• Jayce Brown opened the second half at Arizona with a 75-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage to get the Wildcats back to within one score.

• His 75-yard run was the Wildcats’ longest rush since Deuce Vaughn had an 88-yard score against Alabama in the 2022 Sugar Bowl.

• It was the longest rush by a K-State wide receiver since Malik Knowles had a 75-yard score on the first play from scrimmage of the 2022 season against South Dakota.

THE RETURN OF EDWARDS• Kansas State received a boost against UCF as running back Dylan Edwards played in his first full game of the season, rushing for 166 yards and one touchdown.

• It was the second-most rushing yards of his career, just behind a 196-yard output against Rutgers in the 2024 Rate Bowl.

• His rushing output against the Knights was highlighted by a 75-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, the longest rush of his career. His previous long rush was a 65-yard touchdown in last year’s Rate Bowl.

• Paired with Jayce Brown’s 75-yard run in the previous contest at Arizona, it marked the first time in school history that the Wildcats had a rush of at least 75 yards in consecutive games.

DEFENSIVE NOTESCONTINUITY ON THE STAFF• Each of the Wildcats’ full-time coaches on the defensive side of the ball have been the same since 2020, as Kansas State and Iowa are the only two programs in the country to lay that claim.

• However, Iowa utilizes four positional coaches on defense, whereas K-State employs five.

• Safeties coach Joe Klanderman was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2020, the same year that cornerbacks coach Van Malone was elevated to assistant head coach and Steve Stanard joined the staff to coach the linebackers. Defensive tackles coach Mike Tuiasosopo and defensive ends coach Buddy Wyatt – along with Klanderman and Malone – were members of Chris Klieman’s original staff at K-State in 2019.

LIMITED POINTS PER GAME• Since the 2021 season (58 games), the Cats are allowing just 22.4 points per game, which ranks third among current Big 12 teams.

• Additionally, the Cats have allowed 146 offensive touchdowns (2.5 per game) over that time to tie for 19th among Power 4 schools (minimum 40 games).

K-State Travels to Take on Baylor

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks will open a two-game road swing this Saturday when they travel to Orlando to take on UCF for the first time in program history. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m., CT on ESPN2 with Lowell Galindo, Aaron Murray and Lauren Sisler&nbsp;on the call.

Kansas has never faced UCF in Orlando before and has traveled to the city just once before for the 2003 Tangerine Bowl against NC State. The Jayhawks and Knights have faced once all-time with Kansas earning a 51-22 win in 2023 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.

This year’s matchup is set for the Acrisure&nbsp;Bounce House and will mark the first Big 12 Conference road game of the season for the Jayhawks. Kansas enters the matchup with a 3-2 mark on the young season and a 1-1 record in Big 12 play.

The Jayhawks have been led by quarterback Jalon Daniels, who comes into Saturday’s matchup having already surpassed his 14 touchdown passes all of last season. In five games this season, the Lawndale, California product has 16 touchdown passes to just two interceptions and has thrown multiple touchdown passes in all five games. He threw for 445 yards last time out against Cincinnati, forming a dangerous duo with receiver Emmanuel Henderson, who had five catches for 214 yards and two touchdowns. Levi Wentz and tight end Boden Groen also caught touchdown passes against Cincinnati.

Daniels totaled 500 yards of total offense with 55 rushing yards paired with his 445 passing yards, marking the fourth-most total offense yards in a single game for Kansas and the most since 2022. Through five games, Daniels has the second most passing touchdowns in all of college football and has been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country this season with a 188.8 rating, ranking first in the Big 12 Conference and fifth nationally.

UCF (3-1, 0-1 Big 12) is under first year head coach Scott Frost, who is in his second stint with the Knights. UCF is coming off its first defeat of the season at the hands to Kansas State on Sept. 27, 34-20. UCF quarterback Tayven&nbsp;Jackson has completed 66-of-101 passing this season for 809 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Jaden Nixon leads the team with four rushing touchdowns and one kick return touchdown. Saturday’s game vs. Kansas serves as UCF’s Big 12 home opener.

The Knights opened the season with three straight wins, notching victories over Jacksonville State, North Carolina A&amp;T and North Carolina. The UCF defense will be a formidable challenge for Daniels as the Knights pass defense currently ranks sixth in the country and first in the Big 12, allowing just 129.8 yards per game through the air. Overall, UCF is allowing just 15 points per game, which ranks 21st&nbsp;in the country.

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks will open a two-game road swing this Saturday when they travel to Orlando to take on UCF for the first time in program history. Kickoff is slated for 6:30 p.m., CT on ESPN2 with Lowell Galindo, Aaron Murray and Lauren Sisler&nbsp;on the call.Kansas has never faced UCF in Orlando before and has traveled to the city just once before for the 2003 Tangerine Bowl against NC State. The Jayhawks and Knights have faced once all-time with Kansas earning a 51-22 win in 2023 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium.This year’s matchup is set for the Acrisure&nbsp;Bounce House and will mark the first Big 12 Conference road game of the season for the Jayhawks. Kansas enters the matchup with a 3-2 mark on the young season and a 1-1 record in Big 12 play.The Jayhawks have been led by quarterback Jalon Daniels, who comes into Saturday’s matchup having already surpassed his 14 touchdown passes all of last season. In five games this season, the Lawndale, California product has 16 touchdown passes to just two interceptions and has thrown multiple touchdown passes in all five games. He threw for 445 yards last time out against Cincinnati, forming a dangerous duo with receiver Emmanuel Henderson, who had five catches for 214 yards and two touchdowns. Levi Wentz and tight end Boden Groen also caught touchdown passes against Cincinnati.Daniels totaled 500 yards of total offense with 55 rushing yards paired with his 445 passing yards, marking the fourth-most total offense yards in a single game for Kansas and the most since 2022. Through five games, Daniels has the second most passing touchdowns in all of college football and has been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the country this season with a 188.8 rating, ranking first in the Big 12 Conference and fifth nationally.UCF (3-1, 0-1 Big 12) is under first year head coach Scott Frost, who is in his second stint with the Knights. UCF is coming off its first defeat of the season at the hands to Kansas State on Sept. 27, 34-20. UCF quarterback Tayven&nbsp;Jackson has completed 66-of-101 passing this season for 809 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Jaden Nixon leads the team with four rushing touchdowns and one kick return touchdown. Saturday’s game vs. Kansas serves as UCF’s Big 12 home opener.The Knights opened the season with three straight wins, notching victories over Jacksonville State, North Carolina A&amp;T and North Carolina. The UCF defense will be a formidable challenge for Daniels as the Knights pass defense currently ranks sixth in the country and first in the Big 12, allowing just 129.8 yards per game through the air. Overall, UCF is allowing just 15 points per game, which ranks 21st&nbsp;in the country.

Jayhawks Head to Sunshine State for Big 12 Road Test Against UCF

KANSAS -&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/78ac0c1b-87bc-4697-b68c-a2ae34991cc7?elinkdata=29782" target="_blank">Jackson Malone</a>&nbsp;of Kansas Wesleyan University and Carley Littell of Bethel College have earned the KCAC Men's and Women's Golfer of the Week honors, respectively, the conference office announced Monday. The two golfers were selected for their performances from Sept. 22-28 by a vote of conference sports information directors. All KCAC Player of the Week honors are presented by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c4f655ca-195c-4e87-a4f9-be75dd7c7d3f?elinkdata=29782" target="_blank">Equity Bank</a>.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c6bd5a2c-0213-48b5-9d1b-08ddca2cb9d3?elinkdata=29782" target="_blank">Jackson Malone</a>&nbsp;- Kansas Wesleyan University

Malone was one of only two players to shoot under par every round as he pcicked up a win at the Central Plains Invite at Sand Creek Station. He helped lead his team to a third-place finish.

KANSAS -&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/78ac0c1b-87bc-4697-b68c-a2ae34991cc7?elinkdata=29782" target="_blank">Jackson Malone</a>&nbsp;of Kansas Wesleyan University and Carley Littell of Bethel College have earned the KCAC Men's and Women's Golfer of the Week honors, respectively, the conference office announced Monday. The two golfers were selected for their performances from Sept. 22-28 by a vote of conference sports information directors. All KCAC Player of the Week honors are presented by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c4f655ca-195c-4e87-a4f9-be75dd7c7d3f?elinkdata=29782" target="_blank">Equity Bank</a>.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c6bd5a2c-0213-48b5-9d1b-08ddca2cb9d3?elinkdata=29782" target="_blank">Jackson Malone</a>&nbsp;- Kansas Wesleyan UniversitySr. | Frisco, TexasMalone was one of only two players to shoot under par every round as he pcicked up a win at the Central Plains Invite at Sand Creek Station. He helped lead his team to a third-place finish.

Jackson Malone named KCAC Golfer of the Week

KANSAS -&nbsp;Laura Gieseler of No. 10 Oklahoma Wesleyan University and&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d3f72de2-6ccf-4a7e-95a1-de4e1ef74bf4?elinkdata=29815" target="_blank">Isabella Galvan</a>&nbsp;of (RV) Kansas Wesleyan University have earned this week's KCAC Women's Soccer Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors, respectively, the conference office announced Monday. The two student-athletes were selected for their performances from Sept. 22-28 by a vote of conference sports information directors. All KCAC Player of the Week honors are presented by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/78544e83-9d9e-4784-ac87-6eeeaf4705e8?elinkdata=29815" target="_blank">Equity Bank</a>.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c0495a2d-2df3-4866-b196-250fa8726997?elinkdata=29815" target="_blank">Isabella Galvan</a>&nbsp;- (RV) Kansas Wesleyan University

In goal for the Coyotes, Galvan recorded two shutout wins over York and Evangel. She tallied four saves to preserve the clean sheet against York, and six against Evangel for another clean sheet. This marks the second time this season Galvan has been named the KCAC Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week.

KANSAS -&nbsp;Laura Gieseler of No. 10 Oklahoma Wesleyan University and&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/d3f72de2-6ccf-4a7e-95a1-de4e1ef74bf4?elinkdata=29815" target="_blank">Isabella Galvan</a>&nbsp;of (RV) Kansas Wesleyan University have earned this week's KCAC Women's Soccer Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors, respectively, the conference office announced Monday. The two student-athletes were selected for their performances from Sept. 22-28 by a vote of conference sports information directors. All KCAC Player of the Week honors are presented by&nbsp;<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/78544e83-9d9e-4784-ac87-6eeeaf4705e8?elinkdata=29815" target="_blank">Equity Bank</a>.Defensive Player of the Week<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/c0495a2d-2df3-4866-b196-250fa8726997?elinkdata=29815" target="_blank">Isabella Galvan</a>&nbsp;- (RV) Kansas Wesleyan UniversitySr. | GK | La Crescenta, Calif.In goal for the Coyotes, Galvan recorded two shutout wins over York and Evangel. She tallied four saves to preserve the clean sheet against York, and six against Evangel for another clean sheet. This marks the second time this season Galvan has been named the KCAC Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week.

Isabella Galvan named KCAC Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“I don’t really have anything injury wise for you. I think we came out in pretty good shape there. As far as the game goes, I thought all three phases did a nice job of contributing in their own way. It was a good team win for us. Again, I appreciate the opportunity always to play at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium and the fans and how they go about welcoming in the opponent. Again, my hat goes off to them. There were a lot of individual things we can go through, but I just thought overall, I thought the coordinators – all three coordinators had a good plan going into this thing. Offensively I mentioned how (Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy) Nags utilized number one (Xavier Worthy) coming back. Xavier (Worthy), getting him back in the mix of things I thought was impressive. The run game part of it, being able to get that established early I thought was important against this crew. The offensive and defensive lines I thought most important was getting them started and they were able to do that. I thought (Defensive Coordinator Steve) Spags on the defensive side had a nice plan there. Again, against a very explosive, very explosive offense, and that was relatively healthy. The defense was banged up just a little bit, but the offense was pretty much intact and coming out and being able to be strong against that group is always a plus. I thought linebackers (Nick) Bolton, he was in on a lot of plays but most of all, the calls that he (Nick Bolton) has to make. He’s Spags’ quarterback, and for him to be able to work his way through all of that, it takes a lot of time and effort, and he does a great job with that. And then I thought the back end stayed aggressive in the run game and the pass game. Anytime you can hold 22 (Ravens RB Derrick Henry) to just a few yards that he had; he’s a tough dude. And then special teams was solid. You saw some of the tackles and angles that we took. That is so important on special teams, whether it’s blocking or tackling, being able to get yourself in the proper position and (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Dave) Toub does a great job with making sure that things are set up schematically where the guys can do that. The guys take such pride in it. I know Pat’s (Mahomes) accomplishment. My hat goes off to him for all that he’s done in his short career here. We’re still young at 30, and he’s done a real nice job of setting all these records that he’s done. Most of all, I love the way he brings the team into it, and that’s a good thing and he and (Travis) Kelce are creeping up on being the old guys there. Kelce is definitely the older guy and for him to come out and have a good day was good. Let me go back (to) one more thing. Chris Jones loses his aunt and goes down to the funeral, flies down (and) flies back on Sunday and then jumps in and plays a heck of a game. The guy, he’s something special, and I really respect him for all that he does for the team but also taking care of his family at this time is very important to do, too. With that, time’s yours.”

REID:&nbsp;“I thought they did a good job there. (Offensive Line Coach) Andy (Heck) had a good plan for this crew. I thought the young left side there I thought stayed strong and then the right side I thought worked well together. I thought Creed (Humphrey) had his best game. He’s been pretty solid all along but this game here I thought he really played special.”

Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from George Karlaftis over the last couple of weeks?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah George (Karlaftis) gives us a ton of snaps. He plays almost the whole game every week and very seldom comes out. Again, he brings that aggressive heartbeat. Even though he might not get home, he’s always around, and he just keeps getting better. He’s got a little bit of the diehard battery deal in him, so he keeps on going.”

Q: On the development of Nohl Williams and Brashard Smith.

REID:&nbsp;“So both of them (Nohl Williams and Brashard Smith) have gotten a little bit more time in this last couple weeks. I know offensively, (Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy) Nags has just tried to increase (Brashard) Smith’s reps every week and putting him in positions where he can do some things and he seems to be handling it good. And then (Nohl) Williams, likewise (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) Spags has put him in a little bit bigger role every week, and he seems to be stepping up. I know he had a couple nice physical plays in there against some pretty good receivers, so I liked what I saw there.”

Q: On being prepared on fourth down.

REID:&nbsp;“We try to stay aggressive in that area which that’s why you’re asking this question and try to be relatively smart with this, Soren (Petro), the best we can. Judgement obviously is a part of that. Nags spends a ton of time on that with (Offensive Line Coach) Andy Heck, they go over and crank that stuff out and (Tight Ends Coach) Tom Melvin’s involved with that, too, and (Assistant Offensive Line Coach) Corey (Matthaei), so they get in there and grind on what they see there and then the pass game and the run game. We’ve been able to do both and be successful on both, which has helped. And it’s just a matter of where we’re at, the situation of the game, you’ve got to take that into consideration when you’re doing it. We’ve tried to stay aggressive. Pat’s (Mahomes) got a good feel on that too when he’s out there, we’ve got a lot of trust in him. Some of these things that we’re doing, he’s got options on, and he’s got to be spot on when we’re doing them.”

Q: What did you see from Kingsley Suamataia?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, he (Kingsley Suamataia) was very aggressive in the game. I thought the run game he, really that third quarter and second quarter, he was really on fire there. That was a good thing. I thought the pass game, he was solid there. I’d probably agree with that (with) whoever is grading that.”

Q: On Travis Kelce’s 66% snap count and how they manage that.

REID:&nbsp;“That’s probably a good area. I thought he (Travis Kelce) really played well in both the run and pass game. He looked strong all the way through. He’s in great shape right now Soren (Petro), that’s the important part. He came back, and he’d really trained hard and aggressive for this thing. He’s such a big part of it. Not only his effort, but the mentality he comes into these games with, he’s all in all the time. Then it’s my responsibility – he gets mad at me, but it’s my responsibility to make sure that we don’t get too many reps in there. That we give him at least a blow here and there. He’d play every play if he had his choice.”

REID:&nbsp;“(Quarterbacks Coach) David Girardi does a lot of the red zone stuff and puts it together and I thought he really did a nice job with just getting some good stuff in there. Stuff that Pat (Mahomes) felt comfortable with (and) the (running) backs and receivers felt comfortable with. He does a nice job every week with it, but we just had more opportunities it seemed like this week to be able to utilize it (and) it worked out well.”

Q: Why has the running game improved in the second half recently?

REID:&nbsp;“The problem Pete (Sweeney) is if one guy is off there’s a problem. The more those guys play together I think it should improve even more as we go. This group that we’re playing this week (Jacksonville Jaguars) is pretty stiff in the run game. But again, it’s a nice challenge for our guys (and) you’ve got some young guys in there that haven’t played a lot together and I think just the more reps they get – game reps are so important on that.”

Q: What have you learned about this team through four weeks?

REID:&nbsp;“They’ll fight you. Maybe it’s not all pretty but they’re going to keep fighting. When you fight and study and practice hard and do all of those things you’re going to make progress. I’ve seen that from them; they haven’t really flinched from some of the negative things that have gone on or negative plays they just want to get back on the horse and go. You know?”

Q: Where do Nazeeh Johnson and Jake Briningstool stand on the injured reserve? Will they be designated for return?

REID:&nbsp;“They’re (Nazeeh Johnson and Jake Briningstool) doing good. Matt (Derrick) I haven’t hit (General Manager Brett) Veach on all of this and or (Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance) Rick (Burkholder) or the doctors on it. I know they’re doing well in their rehab as they’ve been working here – I get those updates, and they seem to be doing good. I don’t know the move that we’ll make there or if we make a move.”

Q: What is the dynamic between Gardner Minshew and Patrick Mahomes in the quarterback room?

REID:&nbsp;“Gardner’s (Minshew) a brilliant guy first of all. I know he’s got the mustache and the hair and all that stuff that goes with it. But he’s brilliant. He’s got such a good feel for things as far as the game goes, and I think it’s great for Pat (Mahomes) to be able to talk to him. He understands – he’s been a starter and understands when to speak and when not to speak and when to jump in or not jump in. I’ve appreciated having him here. He’s a lot of fun to be with too. He’s got quite a wit.”

Q: Do you like the overtime rules where they stand?

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“I don’t really have anything injury wise for you. I think we came out in pretty good shape there. As far as the game goes, I thought all three phases did a nice job of contributing in their own way. It was a good team win for us. Again, I appreciate the opportunity always to play at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium and the fans and how they go about welcoming in the opponent. Again, my hat goes off to them. There were a lot of individual things we can go through, but I just thought overall, I thought the coordinators – all three coordinators had a good plan going into this thing. Offensively I mentioned how (Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy) Nags utilized number one (Xavier Worthy) coming back. Xavier (Worthy), getting him back in the mix of things I thought was impressive. The run game part of it, being able to get that established early I thought was important against this crew. The offensive and defensive lines I thought most important was getting them started and they were able to do that. I thought (Defensive Coordinator Steve) Spags on the defensive side had a nice plan there. Again, against a very explosive, very explosive offense, and that was relatively healthy. The defense was banged up just a little bit, but the offense was pretty much intact and coming out and being able to be strong against that group is always a plus. I thought linebackers (Nick) Bolton, he was in on a lot of plays but most of all, the calls that he (Nick Bolton) has to make. He’s Spags’ quarterback, and for him to be able to work his way through all of that, it takes a lot of time and effort, and he does a great job with that. And then I thought the back end stayed aggressive in the run game and the pass game. Anytime you can hold 22 (Ravens RB Derrick Henry) to just a few yards that he had; he’s a tough dude. And then special teams was solid. You saw some of the tackles and angles that we took. That is so important on special teams, whether it’s blocking or tackling, being able to get yourself in the proper position and (Assistant Head Coach/Special Teams Coordinator Dave) Toub does a great job with making sure that things are set up schematically where the guys can do that. The guys take such pride in it. I know Pat’s (Mahomes) accomplishment. My hat goes off to him for all that he’s done in his short career here. We’re still young at 30, and he’s done a real nice job of setting all these records that he’s done. Most of all, I love the way he brings the team into it, and that’s a good thing and he and (Travis) Kelce are creeping up on being the old guys there. Kelce is definitely the older guy and for him to come out and have a good day was good. Let me go back (to) one more thing. Chris Jones loses his aunt and goes down to the funeral, flies down (and) flies back on Sunday and then jumps in and plays a heck of a game. The guy, he’s something special, and I really respect him for all that he does for the team but also taking care of his family at this time is very important to do, too. With that, time’s yours.”Q: On the offensive line.REID:&nbsp;“I thought they did a good job there. (Offensive Line Coach) Andy (Heck) had a good plan for this crew. I thought the young left side there I thought stayed strong and then the right side I thought worked well together. I thought Creed (Humphrey) had his best game. He’s been pretty solid all along but this game here I thought he really played special.”Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from George Karlaftis over the last couple of weeks?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah George (Karlaftis) gives us a ton of snaps. He plays almost the whole game every week and very seldom comes out. Again, he brings that aggressive heartbeat. Even though he might not get home, he’s always around, and he just keeps getting better. He’s got a little bit of the diehard battery deal in him, so he keeps on going.”Q: On the development of Nohl Williams and Brashard Smith.REID:&nbsp;“So both of them (Nohl Williams and Brashard Smith) have gotten a little bit more time in this last couple weeks. I know offensively, (Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy) Nags has just tried to increase (Brashard) Smith’s reps every week and putting him in positions where he can do some things and he seems to be handling it good. And then (Nohl) Williams, likewise (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) Spags has put him in a little bit bigger role every week, and he seems to be stepping up. I know he had a couple nice physical plays in there against some pretty good receivers, so I liked what I saw there.”Q: On being prepared on fourth down.REID:&nbsp;“We try to stay aggressive in that area which that’s why you’re asking this question and try to be relatively smart with this, Soren (Petro), the best we can. Judgement obviously is a part of that. Nags spends a ton of time on that with (Offensive Line Coach) Andy Heck, they go over and crank that stuff out and (Tight Ends Coach) Tom Melvin’s involved with that, too, and (Assistant Offensive Line Coach) Corey (Matthaei), so they get in there and grind on what they see there and then the pass game and the run game. We’ve been able to do both and be successful on both, which has helped. And it’s just a matter of where we’re at, the situation of the game, you’ve got to take that into consideration when you’re doing it. We’ve tried to stay aggressive. Pat’s (Mahomes) got a good feel on that too when he’s out there, we’ve got a lot of trust in him. Some of these things that we’re doing, he’s got options on, and he’s got to be spot on when we’re doing them.”Q: What did you see from Kingsley Suamataia?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, he (Kingsley Suamataia) was very aggressive in the game. I thought the run game he, really that third quarter and second quarter, he was really on fire there. That was a good thing. I thought the pass game, he was solid there. I’d probably agree with that (with) whoever is grading that.”Q: On Travis Kelce’s 66% snap count and how they manage that.REID:&nbsp;“That’s probably a good area. I thought he (Travis Kelce) really played well in both the run and pass game. He looked strong all the way through. He’s in great shape right now Soren (Petro), that’s the important part. He came back, and he’d really trained hard and aggressive for this thing. He’s such a big part of it. Not only his effort, but the mentality he comes into these games with, he’s all in all the time. Then it’s my responsibility – he gets mad at me, but it’s my responsibility to make sure that we don’t get too many reps in there. That we give him at least a blow here and there. He’d play every play if he had his choice.”Q: On the red zone offense.REID:&nbsp;“(Quarterbacks Coach) David Girardi does a lot of the red zone stuff and puts it together and I thought he really did a nice job with just getting some good stuff in there. Stuff that Pat (Mahomes) felt comfortable with (and) the (running) backs and receivers felt comfortable with. He does a nice job every week with it, but we just had more opportunities it seemed like this week to be able to utilize it (and) it worked out well.”Q: Why has the running game improved in the second half recently?REID:&nbsp;“The problem Pete (Sweeney) is if one guy is off there’s a problem. The more those guys play together I think it should improve even more as we go. This group that we’re playing this week (Jacksonville Jaguars) is pretty stiff in the run game. But again, it’s a nice challenge for our guys (and) you’ve got some young guys in there that haven’t played a lot together and I think just the more reps they get – game reps are so important on that.”Q: What have you learned about this team through four weeks?REID:&nbsp;“They’ll fight you. Maybe it’s not all pretty but they’re going to keep fighting. When you fight and study and practice hard and do all of those things you’re going to make progress. I’ve seen that from them; they haven’t really flinched from some of the negative things that have gone on or negative plays they just want to get back on the horse and go. You know?”Q: Where do Nazeeh Johnson and Jake Briningstool stand on the injured reserve? Will they be designated for return?REID:&nbsp;“They’re (Nazeeh Johnson and Jake Briningstool) doing good. Matt (Derrick) I haven’t hit (General Manager Brett) Veach on all of this and or (Vice President of Sports Medicine and Performance) Rick (Burkholder) or the doctors on it. I know they’re doing well in their rehab as they’ve been working here – I get those updates, and they seem to be doing good. I don’t know the move that we’ll make there or if we make a move.”Q: What is the dynamic between Gardner Minshew and Patrick Mahomes in the quarterback room?REID:&nbsp;“Gardner’s (Minshew) a brilliant guy first of all. I know he’s got the mustache and the hair and all that stuff that goes with it. But he’s brilliant. He’s got such a good feel for things as far as the game goes, and I think it’s great for Pat (Mahomes) to be able to talk to him. He understands – he’s been a starter and understands when to speak and when not to speak and when to jump in or not jump in. I’ve appreciated having him here. He’s a lot of fun to be with too. He’s got quite a wit.”Q: Do you like the overtime rules where they stand?

Chiefs Quotes: 9-29-25

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and FOX announced on Monday that Kansas State’s Homecoming Game against TCU on October 11 will kick off at 2:30 p.m. and be televised by FOX.

It is the first time the Wildcats will host a game that kicks off in the afternoon since a 59-25 win over Baylor on November 11, 2023.

Kansas State holds a 10-8 advantage in the series against TCU, including a 6-3 mark at home. This will be the first meeting between the teams since a 41-3 K-State win in 2023 as the teams did not meet last season.

Tickets for the game against the Horned Frogs can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.k-statesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">www.k-statesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-800-221-CATS.

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and FOX announced on Monday that Kansas State’s Homecoming Game against TCU on October 11 will kick off at 2:30 p.m. and be televised by FOX.It is the first time the Wildcats will host a game that kicks off in the afternoon since a 59-25 win over Baylor on November 11, 2023.Kansas State holds a 10-8 advantage in the series against TCU, including a 6-3 mark at home. This will be the first meeting between the teams since a 41-3 K-State win in 2023 as the teams did not meet last season.Tickets for the game against the Horned Frogs can be purchased online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.k-statesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">www.k-statesports.com/tickets</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 1-800-221-CATS.

K-State’s Homecoming Contest Set for Afternoon Kick

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks will travel to Lubbock, Texas, to take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Oct. 11, the Big 12 Conference announced on Monday. The game will be televised on FOX.

The Oct. 11 matchup with Texas Tech will be Kansas’ second-consecutive Big 12 Conference road game after the Jayhawks take on UCF in Orlando on Oct. 4.

The meeting between Kansas and Texas Tech will be the 26th&nbsp;meeting all-time and the 13th&nbsp;game played in Lubbock. Texas Tech has won four-straight games against Kansas, with Kansas’ last win coming in 2019, 37-34. This year’s game will be Kansas’ second of four Big 12 Conference road games.

The night game will be Kansas’ fifth night game this season after the Jayhawks take on UCF on Oct. 4 at 6:30 p.m. CT. The Jayhawks are 3-0 in games played after 5 p.m. this season.

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks will travel to Lubbock, Texas, to take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders at 6:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, Oct. 11, the Big 12 Conference announced on Monday. The game will be televised on FOX.The Oct. 11 matchup with Texas Tech will be Kansas’ second-consecutive Big 12 Conference road game after the Jayhawks take on UCF in Orlando on Oct. 4.The meeting between Kansas and Texas Tech will be the 26th&nbsp;meeting all-time and the 13th&nbsp;game played in Lubbock. Texas Tech has won four-straight games against Kansas, with Kansas’ last win coming in 2019, 37-34. This year’s game will be Kansas’ second of four Big 12 Conference road games.The night game will be Kansas’ fifth night game this season after the Jayhawks take on UCF on Oct. 4 at 6:30 p.m. CT. The Jayhawks are 3-0 in games played after 5 p.m. this season.

Kansas at Texas Tech to Kickoff at 6:30 p.m. on FOX

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;After a stellar 51.0-yard average on four attempts last week against UCF, Kansas State sophomore punter&nbsp;Simon McClannan&nbsp;has been named to the Ray’s 8 list as one of the best eight punters of the week, the Ray Guy Award announced Monday.

McClannan is now in the running for being named the Ray Guy Punter of the Week, which will be announced on Tuesday.

A native of Omaha, Nebraska, McClannan saw three of his four punts travel at least 45 yards against the Knights, including a career-long punt of 65 yards. It was the longest punt by a Wildcat since Jack Blumer hit a 69-yarder against UCF in 2023. Additionally, each of his four punts ended inside UCF’s 20-yard line.

McClannan’s effort against UCF came on the heels of a game in which he averaged 50.8 yards on five punts at Arizona. He is one of four punters in the nation with an average of at least 50.0 yards (minimum 4 attempts) in multiple games this season, while he is the first K-State punter in the Big 12 era to average at least 50.0 yards on at least four punts in consecutive games.

McClannan ranks third in the Big 12 with a 45.1-yard average on 19 punts, which includes seven that have traveled at least 50 yards to tie for second in the Big 12. Last year, McClannan only had six punts of 50 or more yards over 13 games. He holds a 45.05-yard average this season, which would rank second in school history if he had six more punts to reach the minimum. His 43.12-yard career average would rank fourth in program history if he had nine more attempts to reach the minimum.

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;After a stellar 51.0-yard average on four attempts last week against UCF, Kansas State sophomore punter&nbsp;Simon McClannan&nbsp;has been named to the Ray’s 8 list as one of the best eight punters of the week, the Ray Guy Award announced Monday.McClannan is now in the running for being named the Ray Guy Punter of the Week, which will be announced on Tuesday.A native of Omaha, Nebraska, McClannan saw three of his four punts travel at least 45 yards against the Knights, including a career-long punt of 65 yards. It was the longest punt by a Wildcat since Jack Blumer hit a 69-yarder against UCF in 2023. Additionally, each of his four punts ended inside UCF’s 20-yard line.McClannan’s effort against UCF came on the heels of a game in which he averaged 50.8 yards on five punts at Arizona. He is one of four punters in the nation with an average of at least 50.0 yards (minimum 4 attempts) in multiple games this season, while he is the first K-State punter in the Big 12 era to average at least 50.0 yards on at least four punts in consecutive games.McClannan ranks third in the Big 12 with a 45.1-yard average on 19 punts, which includes seven that have traveled at least 50 yards to tie for second in the Big 12. Last year, McClannan only had six punts of 50 or more yards over 13 games. He holds a 45.05-yard average this season, which would rank second in school history if he had six more punts to reach the minimum. His 43.12-yard career average would rank fourth in program history if he had nine more attempts to reach the minimum.

K-State’s McClannan Named to Ray’s 8 List

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are getting healthier, deeper and more dynamic as the season presses on.

The Baltimore Ravens? Pretty much the opposite of all of that.

Patrick Mahomes threw for 270 yards and four touchdowns in a turn-back-the-clock kind of performance, and the Chiefs jumped on a Ravens team&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ravens-chiefs-injuries-af1317927ff33522a590d3cc7c5f84c9">missing seven defensive starters</a>&nbsp;by the end — to say nothing of quarterback Lamar Jackson, who had to leave with a hamstring injury — for a 37-20 victory in a matchup of AFC behemoths desperate for a win.

Four different players caught TD passes for the Chiefs, while Xavier Worthy returned from a shoulder injury to catch five passes for 83 yards, igniting a Kansas City offense that had been struggling to find its footing through the first three weeks.

“We've been making little mistakes here and there and that causes frustration,” Mahomes said, “but we've been learning from them. I've been proud of the guys for the way they've responded, getting better every week.”

The Chiefs (2-2) built a 20-10 halftime lead against Baltimore before cruising to their seventh win in the past eight meetings. The most recent time the Ravens (1-3) beat them was September 2021, and their previous win in Kansas City was on Oct. 7, 2021.

Jackson threw for 147 yards with a touchdown and his first interception of the season before hurting his hamstring midway through the third quarter, though by that point the game was mostly decided. Cooper Rush played the rest of the way for the Ravens, who suddenly find themselves in a dire situation just four weeks into the season.

Only five teams in the 14-team playoff era have started 1-3 and made the postseason.

“I'm concerned but I'm not overwhelmed by it. Three losses to probably three of the top teams in the league,” said Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who explained that Jackson sustained a strain to his hamstring and will be evaluated further on Monday.

“We've got to win the next game, and then once you win the next game, then you have a chance to start stacking some wins."

Derrick Henry finished with just eight carries for 42 yards. Justice Hill had a late 71-yard touchdown run. Otherwise, the Chiefs shut down a Baltimore offense that had scored an NFL-best 111 points over the first three weeks.

“It was a big step forward for us,” said Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, who flew back from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-chris-jones-da9b5b2a0b2f18857ad1c6e39401ccb2">a family funeral in Mississippi</a>&nbsp;on Sunday, and whose police escort got him to Arrowhead Stadium with about 20 minutes left before kickoff.

While the Chiefs were getting healthier with the return of Worthy, the Ravens defense — already decimated by injuries — thinned even more when linebacker Roquan Smith, Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins got hurt. That left the Ravens without seven defensive starters — among them two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike and pass rusher Broderick Washington Jr., who went on injured reserve Saturday — by the early minutes of the fourth quarter.

“It's part of the game,” Hill said of the injuries. “I mean, not everything would be sunshine and rainbows. Last year we started off slow and (made the) playoffs and went deep. So I don't think it's difficult. We just know what we need to do going forward to be in the place we want to be. It just kind of shows you the character of the team.”

Still, the Chiefs took advantage of a team that was wounded.

Their own offense had been inconsistent through the first three weeks but scored on its first four possessions on Sunday. Harrison Butker knocked through a pair of field goals, then Mahomes hit JuJu Smith-Schuster with a short TD throw and Isiah Pacheco with another touchdown pass to give Kansas City a 20-7 lead late in the first half.

The Chiefs nearly made it 5 for 5 on scoring drives, but Butker missed a 56-yarder wide left. That opened the door for Baltimore to get a 43-yard field goal from Tyler Loop and make it a 10-point game at the break.

But the mounting injuries, coupled with a red-hot Kansas City offense, were far too much to overcome.

The Chiefs needed just six plays to drive 65 yards for Tyquan Thornton's touchdown reception to start the second half. And after the Ravens added Loop's second field goal, the Chiefs answered with one of their own, before Mahomes threw a nifty pass to Marquise Brown in the end zone early in the fourth quarter to put the game well out of reach.

“These two teams, I mean, the competition — you love it,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “That's why we play this game.”

Ravens: Along with Jackson, Smith, Humphrey and Wiggins, LT Ronnie Stanley (ankle) also left the game and did not return.

Chiefs: There were no injuries for Kansas City.

Baltimore plays Houston next Sunday. Kansas City visits Jacksonville next Monday night.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759107806319.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs are getting healthier, deeper and more dynamic as the season presses on.The Baltimore Ravens? Pretty much the opposite of all of that.Patrick Mahomes threw for 270 yards and four touchdowns in a turn-back-the-clock kind of performance, and the Chiefs jumped on a Ravens team&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ravens-chiefs-injuries-af1317927ff33522a590d3cc7c5f84c9">missing seven defensive starters</a>&nbsp;by the end — to say nothing of quarterback Lamar Jackson, who had to leave with a hamstring injury — for a 37-20 victory in a matchup of AFC behemoths desperate for a win.Four different players caught TD passes for the Chiefs, while Xavier Worthy returned from a shoulder injury to catch five passes for 83 yards, igniting a Kansas City offense that had been struggling to find its footing through the first three weeks.“We've been making little mistakes here and there and that causes frustration,” Mahomes said, “but we've been learning from them. I've been proud of the guys for the way they've responded, getting better every week.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/9/1759107771703.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The Chiefs (2-2) built a 20-10 halftime lead against Baltimore before cruising to their seventh win in the past eight meetings. The most recent time the Ravens (1-3) beat them was September 2021, and their previous win in Kansas City was on Oct. 7, 2021.Jackson threw for 147 yards with a touchdown and his first interception of the season before hurting his hamstring midway through the third quarter, though by that point the game was mostly decided. Cooper Rush played the rest of the way for the Ravens, who suddenly find themselves in a dire situation just four weeks into the season.Only five teams in the 14-team playoff era have started 1-3 and made the postseason.“I'm concerned but I'm not overwhelmed by it. Three losses to probably three of the top teams in the league,” said Ravens coach John Harbaugh, who explained that Jackson sustained a strain to his hamstring and will be evaluated further on Monday.“We've got to win the next game, and then once you win the next game, then you have a chance to start stacking some wins."Derrick Henry finished with just eight carries for 42 yards. Justice Hill had a late 71-yard touchdown run. Otherwise, the Chiefs shut down a Baltimore offense that had scored an NFL-best 111 points over the first three weeks.“It was a big step forward for us,” said Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones, who flew back from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-chris-jones-da9b5b2a0b2f18857ad1c6e39401ccb2">a family funeral in Mississippi</a>&nbsp;on Sunday, and whose police escort got him to Arrowhead Stadium with about 20 minutes left before kickoff.While the Chiefs were getting healthier with the return of Worthy, the Ravens defense — already decimated by injuries — thinned even more when linebacker Roquan Smith, Marlon Humphrey and Nate Wiggins got hurt. That left the Ravens without seven defensive starters — among them two-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike and pass rusher Broderick Washington Jr., who went on injured reserve Saturday — by the early minutes of the fourth quarter.“It's part of the game,” Hill said of the injuries. “I mean, not everything would be sunshine and rainbows. Last year we started off slow and (made the) playoffs and went deep. So I don't think it's difficult. We just know what we need to do going forward to be in the place we want to be. It just kind of shows you the character of the team.”Still, the Chiefs took advantage of a team that was wounded.Their own offense had been inconsistent through the first three weeks but scored on its first four possessions on Sunday. Harrison Butker knocked through a pair of field goals, then Mahomes hit JuJu Smith-Schuster with a short TD throw and Isiah Pacheco with another touchdown pass to give Kansas City a 20-7 lead late in the first half.The Chiefs nearly made it 5 for 5 on scoring drives, but Butker missed a 56-yarder wide left. That opened the door for Baltimore to get a 43-yard field goal from Tyler Loop and make it a 10-point game at the break.But the mounting injuries, coupled with a red-hot Kansas City offense, were far too much to overcome.The Chiefs needed just six plays to drive 65 yards for Tyquan Thornton's touchdown reception to start the second half. And after the Ravens added Loop's second field goal, the Chiefs answered with one of their own, before Mahomes threw a nifty pass to Marquise Brown in the end zone early in the fourth quarter to put the game well out of reach.“These two teams, I mean, the competition — you love it,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “That's why we play this game.”<h2>Injuries</h2>Ravens: Along with Jackson, Smith, Humphrey and Wiggins, LT Ronnie Stanley (ankle) also left the game and did not return.Chiefs: There were no injuries for Kansas City.<h2>Up next</h2>Baltimore plays Houston next Sunday. Kansas City visits Jacksonville next Monday night.

🏈 Mahomes shines as Chiefs roll to victory over the Ravens

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Mike Yastrzemski hit two solo home runs, Cole Ragans struck out eight in 4 1/3 innings and the Kansas City Royals defeated the Athletics 9-2 on Sunday.

Yastrzemski hit a homer deep to right in the seventh inning off Michael Kelly and homered to right off Osvaldo Bido in the eighth. Yastrzemski hit 17 homers, including nine with the Royals after he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-trade-deadline-miller-bieber-7a7d771f58aad301d7e0953fc0eb919d">traded from the Giants at the deadline</a>.

Michael Massey had four of Kansas City’s 15 hits. Catcher Carter Jensen had three, including a homer just after Yastrzemski’s seventh-inning home run.

Bobby Witt Jr. hit a two-run double in the seventh. The Kansas City shortstop led the majors in hits for the second straight year. He had 184 this season after collecting 211 in 2024.

Ragans limited the A’s to two hits and a walk. Lefty Daniel Lynch IV (6-2) got the victory. Lynch entered the game with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth and escaped the jam by striking out Nick Kurtz.

Kurtz hit an opposite-field two-run homer off lefty Sam Long in the eighth. The Athletics’ first baseman leads all rookies in home runs (36), RBIs (86), runs (90) and walks (63).

Brady Basso (1-1), the first of seven Athletics pitchers, took the loss.

Ragans struck out four consecutive hitters over the third and fourth innings. Max Muncy, Willie MacIver, Colby Thomas and Kurtz each went down on a swinging strike three.

The three homers the A’s allowed Sunday boosted their season total to 222, a franchise record. The previous mark was 220, set by the 1964 Kansas City A’s.

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Mike Yastrzemski hit two solo home runs, Cole Ragans struck out eight in 4 1/3 innings and the Kansas City Royals defeated the Athletics 9-2 on Sunday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Back-to-back (absolute) blasts! <a href="https://t.co/SSTqXiSsqO">pic.twitter.com/SSTqXiSsqO</a>&mdash; Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1972407039558128127?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Yastrzemski hit a homer deep to right in the seventh inning off Michael Kelly and homered to right off Osvaldo Bido in the eighth. Yastrzemski hit 17 homers, including nine with the Royals after he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mlb-trade-deadline-miller-bieber-7a7d771f58aad301d7e0953fc0eb919d">traded from the Giants at the deadline</a>.Michael Massey had four of Kansas City’s 15 hits. Catcher Carter Jensen had three, including a homer just after Yastrzemski’s seventh-inning home run.Bobby Witt Jr. hit a two-run double in the seventh. The Kansas City shortstop led the majors in hits for the second straight year. He had 184 this season after collecting 211 in 2024.Ragans limited the A’s to two hits and a walk. Lefty Daniel Lynch IV (6-2) got the victory. Lynch entered the game with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth and escaped the jam by striking out Nick Kurtz.Kurtz hit an opposite-field two-run homer off lefty Sam Long in the eighth. The Athletics’ first baseman leads all rookies in home runs (36), RBIs (86), runs (90) and walks (63).Brady Basso (1-1), the first of seven Athletics pitchers, took the loss.<h2>Key moment</h2>Ragans struck out four consecutive hitters over the third and fourth innings. Max Muncy, Willie MacIver, Colby Thomas and Kurtz each went down on a swinging strike three.<h2>Key stat</h2>The three homers the A’s allowed Sunday boosted their season total to 222, a franchise record. The previous mark was 220, set by the 1964 Kansas City A’s.___

⚾ Yastrzemski homers twice as Royals rout A's to finish season with a winning record

Kansas Wesleyan coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/fd8486a1-1ce7-415e-86a8-3432c73b591e?elinkdata=29749">Matt Middleton</a> was not happy with the way his team played for most of the first three quarters of their game against Tabor on Saturday night. A post mortem was premature though.

Trailing 28-6 late in the third quarter the Coyotes mounted a spirited comeback that came up short in a 28-19 loss on Family Weekend at Gene Bissell Field and JRI Hospitality Stadium at the Graves Family Sports Complex.

The loss dropped them to 4-1 while Tabor improved to 2-3.

KWU recovered two onsides kicks, ran 36 plays and held Tabor to 10 the final 15 minutes but a fumble, missed extra point, and missed field goal helped thwart the rally.

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a4050892-9b7b-40f2-b8c9-f07e83c57f0d?elinkdata=29749">D'Heaven Domena's</a> three-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter cut the deficit to 28-13. The Coyotes recovered the first onsides kick but the possession ended with a fumble at the Tabor 44-yard line.

The Bluejays went three and out on their next possession and KWU followed with a 94-yard, 14-play drive that ended with <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/fb243288-335b-4221-9408-8bffe98c4051?elinkdata=29749">Henry Austad's</a> two-yard touchdown run with 2:00 left. The extra point kick failed leaving it 28-19.

The Coyotes recovered another onsides kick but that drive stalled at the Tabor 17 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3a368ff1-04ab-4650-b48e-18a47c2915e7?elinkdata=29749">Talon Cope's</a> 33-yard field goal attempt went wide left with 41 seconds remaining.

Middleton was pleased with his team's resilience.

Kansas Wesleyan coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/fd8486a1-1ce7-415e-86a8-3432c73b591e?elinkdata=29749">Matt Middleton</a> was not happy with the way his team played for most of the first three quarters of their game against Tabor on Saturday night. A post mortem was premature though.Trailing 28-6 late in the third quarter the Coyotes mounted a spirited comeback that came up short in a 28-19 loss on Family Weekend at Gene Bissell Field and JRI Hospitality Stadium at the Graves Family Sports Complex.The loss dropped them to 4-1 while Tabor improved to 2-3.KWU recovered two onsides kicks, ran 36 plays and held Tabor to 10 the final 15 minutes but a fumble, missed extra point, and missed field goal helped thwart the rally.<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/a4050892-9b7b-40f2-b8c9-f07e83c57f0d?elinkdata=29749">D'Heaven Domena's</a> three-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter cut the deficit to 28-13. The Coyotes recovered the first onsides kick but the possession ended with a fumble at the Tabor 44-yard line.The Bluejays went three and out on their next possession and KWU followed with a 94-yard, 14-play drive that ended with <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/fb243288-335b-4221-9408-8bffe98c4051?elinkdata=29749">Henry Austad's</a> two-yard touchdown run with 2:00 left. The extra point kick failed leaving it 28-19.The Coyotes recovered another onsides kick but that drive stalled at the Tabor 17 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/3a368ff1-04ab-4650-b48e-18a47c2915e7?elinkdata=29749">Talon Cope's</a> 33-yard field goal attempt went wide left with 41 seconds remaining.Middleton was pleased with his team's resilience."I'm proud of the kids didn't quit," he said on his postgame radio show. "There were some times we were trying to fight through some implosions. That's the one thing I talked about in fall camp, how do you handle adversity, how do you handle a loss? Anybody can be a frontrunner but how do you handle things when adversity hits?"I saw some things tonight that didn't make me feel real good but then the way they fought back and got through it, stayed positive, showed me that there's still a lot of drive and fight."The Coyotes led 6-0 in the first quarter after Cope converted field goals of 30 and 28 yards.Tabor took a 7-6 lead with 47 seconds left in the quarter on Ahmad Bailey's two-yard touchdown pass to A.J. King. Neither team scored in the second quarter.Tabor took control in the third quarter with three touchdowns passes from Bailey to King covering six, 28 and 65 yards - the third with 1:25 left in the quarter that made it 28-6.Bailey was 22 of 34 passing for 223 yards and the four touchdowns to King who had 12 receptions for 155 yards.KWU outgained Tabor in total yards 380-330 - the Bluejays finishing with 107 yards rushing on 33 attempts for a 3.2 average. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e699112d-1aac-4bde-ad8b-ace77ba6fd00?elinkdata=29749">Myles Elam</a> led the Coyote defense with 14 tackles while <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/61ae5e90-a9c0-4901-931b-f7b3354b25b4?elinkdata=29749">Taylor Collins</a> had 11 and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/0828f786-a7ed-4a6f-b3fd-4a773dba409a?elinkdata=29749">Jamison Price</a> nine."Kudos to our defense, how they played," Middleton said. "They were just on the field too much and that was our fault on offense. Not getting the things done that we needed to get done."Austad was 26 of 37 for 200 yards and was the leading rusher with 82 yards on 11 carries and the one touchdown; Domena added 71 yards on 13 carries and one TD. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/5ff1fc2e-8059-44e9-9f94-59d15c3fa213?elinkdata=29749">Will Wilcox</a> caught a team-best seven passes for 82 yards - all in the second half. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8de66669-4683-4c3b-8f84-39935692f201?elinkdata=29749">Aiden Jones</a> had five receptions for 37 yards."When I go watch the film I'll be depressed because I'll see so many things there but that's the thing, you've got to move on," Middleton said. "It is what it is. It's still a long season and we've got a lot to play for."Next up is the lengthy road trip to southwest Missouri for a game against Ted Kessinger Division favorite Evangel on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Nixa. The Valor (3-2) lost to No. 7 Friends 53-0 Saturday night in Wichita.