<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=23756&amp;type=Archive" target="_blank">Watch Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/chris-klieman-press-conference-november-18-2024/4923" target="_blank">Listen to Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/player-breakout-interviews-november-18-2024/4924" target="_blank">Listen to Player Breakout Interviews</a>

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;and select players met with members of the media on Monday inside the Vanier Family Football Complex to preview K-State’s Senior Night contest against Cincinnati inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Links to video and audio of Klieman’s press conference – which was streamed live on ESPN+ – are above in addition to an audio link of player breakout interviews. A transcript of Klieman’s opening statement is below.

<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Archive=23756&amp;type=Archive" target="_blank">Watch Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/chris-klieman-press-conference-november-18-2024/4923" target="_blank">Listen to Coach Klieman’s Press Conference</a>&nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/podcasts/player-breakout-interviews-november-18-2024/4924" target="_blank">Listen to Player Breakout Interviews</a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– Kansas State head coach&nbsp;Chris Klieman&nbsp;and select players met with members of the media on Monday inside the Vanier Family Football Complex to preview K-State’s Senior Night contest against Cincinnati inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Links to video and audio of Klieman’s press conference – which was streamed live on ESPN+ – are above in addition to an audio link of player breakout interviews. A transcript of Klieman’s opening statement is below.CHRIS KLIEMAN, HEAD COACHOpening Statement…

K-State Previews Home Finale During Weekly Press Conference

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks have been named the Cheez-It National Team of the Week following a 17-13 victory at No. 7 BYU on Nov. 16 in Provo, Utah.

The win, which improved Kansas to 4-6 on the year and 3-4 in Big 12 play, came on the heels of a 45-36 win over No. 17 Iowa State on Nov. 9 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Jayhawks have now defeated ranked opponents in consecutive weeks for the first time in school history.

Kansas was led by the program’s all-time leading rusher, Devin Neal who ran for 52 yards and two touchdowns in the game. Neal surpassed 4,000 rushing yards for his career in the game, while extending his school record for rushing touchdowns to 45. Quarterback Jalon Daniels completed 12-of-19 passing for 169 yards in the game, completing four passes for a game-high 77 yards to Luke Grimm, who moved up to No. 3 on KU’s career receiving yardage list during the game.

Defensively, Marvin Grant led the Jayhawks with 10 tackles (seven solo, three assist) and one pass breakup, while Taylor Davis added eight, including his first career tackle-for-loss. The Jayhawks finished with five tackles for loss, including two sacks, one apiece from Dylan Wudke and Dean Miller. Mello Dotson recorded his team-leading fifth interception of the season, ending a BYU drive in the end zone just before halftime.

One of the biggest plays of the game came on special teams as Daniels stepped back for a punt with KU trailing 13-10 early in the fourth quarter. The punt traveled 26 yards and deflected off a BYU player which was recovered by Quentin Skinner at the BYU 3-yard line. Neal scored the go-ahead and game-deciding touchdown on the next play.

Leading 17-13 with BYU in Kansas territory, the Kansas defense held strong, forcing the Cougars into a turnover on downs with under a minute remaining. Kansas was able to run out the clock to secure the 17-13 win over BYU.

With the win, Kansas now has four wins against ranked opponents under head coach Lance Leipold, including two this season. This is also the second win for the Jayhawks over a top 10 opponent under Leipold, after the Jayhawks previously defeated No. 6 Oklahoma 38-33 last season in Lawrence. For Kansas, it was the program’s first road win over a top 10 opponent since Oct. 7, 1995, when the Jayhawks won 40-24 at No. 4 Colorado.

The Football Writers Association of America’s National Team of the Week was created as part of the Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll in 2002. Since then, it has been awarded each week during the regular season by various committees that have included members of the FWAA All-America Committee, the association’s board of directors and its past presidents. For the 2023 season, Cheez-It will present the national team of the week with the bowl partner, Florida Citrus Sports, host of the Cheez-It Bowl and Pop-Tarts Bowl, both played in Orlando.

This is the seventh time that Kansas has been honored by the Football Writers Association of America and first since receiving the honor on Oct. 30, 2023, following a 38-33 victory over No. 6 Oklahoma. Kansas also won the award for its’ 57-56 overtime victory at Texas in 2021. The Jayhawks previously earned the honor during the 2019, 2016, 2008 and 2007 seasons.

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks have been named the Cheez-It National Team of the Week following a 17-13 victory at No. 7 BYU on Nov. 16 in Provo, Utah.The win, which improved Kansas to 4-6 on the year and 3-4 in Big 12 play, came on the heels of a 45-36 win over No. 17 Iowa State on Nov. 9 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. The Jayhawks have now defeated ranked opponents in consecutive weeks for the first time in school history.Kansas was led by the program’s all-time leading rusher, Devin Neal who ran for 52 yards and two touchdowns in the game. Neal surpassed 4,000 rushing yards for his career in the game, while extending his school record for rushing touchdowns to 45. Quarterback Jalon Daniels completed 12-of-19 passing for 169 yards in the game, completing four passes for a game-high 77 yards to Luke Grimm, who moved up to No. 3 on KU’s career receiving yardage list during the game.Defensively, Marvin Grant led the Jayhawks with 10 tackles (seven solo, three assist) and one pass breakup, while Taylor Davis added eight, including his first career tackle-for-loss. The Jayhawks finished with five tackles for loss, including two sacks, one apiece from Dylan Wudke and Dean Miller. Mello Dotson recorded his team-leading fifth interception of the season, ending a BYU drive in the end zone just before halftime.One of the biggest plays of the game came on special teams as Daniels stepped back for a punt with KU trailing 13-10 early in the fourth quarter. The punt traveled 26 yards and deflected off a BYU player which was recovered by Quentin Skinner at the BYU 3-yard line. Neal scored the go-ahead and game-deciding touchdown on the next play.Leading 17-13 with BYU in Kansas territory, the Kansas defense held strong, forcing the Cougars into a turnover on downs with under a minute remaining. Kansas was able to run out the clock to secure the 17-13 win over BYU.With the win, Kansas now has four wins against ranked opponents under head coach Lance Leipold, including two this season. This is also the second win for the Jayhawks over a top 10 opponent under Leipold, after the Jayhawks previously defeated No. 6 Oklahoma 38-33 last season in Lawrence. For Kansas, it was the program’s first road win over a top 10 opponent since Oct. 7, 1995, when the Jayhawks won 40-24 at No. 4 Colorado.The Football Writers Association of America’s National Team of the Week was created as part of the Grantland Rice Super 16 Poll in 2002. Since then, it has been awarded each week during the regular season by various committees that have included members of the FWAA All-America Committee, the association’s board of directors and its past presidents. For the 2023 season, Cheez-It will present the national team of the week with the bowl partner, Florida Citrus Sports, host of the Cheez-It Bowl and Pop-Tarts Bowl, both played in Orlando.This is the seventh time that Kansas has been honored by the Football Writers Association of America and first since receiving the honor on Oct. 30, 2023, following a 38-33 victory over No. 6 Oklahoma. Kansas also won the award for its’ 57-56 overtime victory at Texas in 2021. The Jayhawks previously earned the honor during the 2019, 2016, 2008 and 2007 seasons.

Kansas Jayhawks Named Cheez-It National Team of the Week

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks will face a ranked opponent for a fourth-straight game this Saturday when they welcome the 16th-ranked Colorado Buffaloes to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium for a Senior Day matchup on FOX with Jason Benetti, Brock Huard and Allison Williams on the call. Kickoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. CT.

The Jayhawks topped No. 7 BYU on Saturday night in Provo to notch their second win over a ranked opponent in as many weeks for the first time in program history. The week prior, Kansas beat No. 17 Iowa State 45-36. Kansas now sits at 4-6 on the season and 3-4 in Big 12 Conference play after the two wins.

Coach Lance Leipold and Kansas will look to make it three wins over ranked opponents in three straight weeks when they face the Buffaloes on Saturday. Colorado comes to Kansas City at 8-2 on the year and 6-1 in the conference. The Buffaloes, under second-year coach Deion Sanders, have won four-straight games all by double digits and have climbed up the national rankings to No. 16 with their recent stretch.

Quarterback Shedeur Sanders has thrown for 3,222 yards and 27 touchdowns so far this season. He's second in the country with his 27 touchdown passes and is sixth nationally with his 3,222 yards. The 2023 Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year has also rushed for four touchdowns and leads an offense that is third in the Big 12, averaging 34.1 points per game.

The Buffaloes also boast two-way standout and Heisman Trophy candidate Travis Hunter. Hunter, who plays wide receiver and cornerback, has 74 catches for 911 yards and nine touchdowns on offense. The nine touchdowns lead the Big 12 and the 7.4 receptions are second. Defensively, he's added 24 tackles, eight pass breakups, three interceptions and one tackle-for-loss.

The Jayhawk defense will look to be up to the task after a dominating performance against BYU last week. Kansas allowed 13 points in the 17-13 win, marking the team's fewest points allowed to a ranked opponent since surrendering 11 points to No. 2 Oklahoma in 1984. Senior cornerback Mello Dotson notched his fifth interception of the season in the win, which leads the Big 12 Conference and Kansas totaled five tackles-for-loss and a pair of sacks.

Dotson will be one of 30-plus seniors honored before the game for their contributions to the program. The senior class has led Kanas to back-to-back bowl games and wins over ranked opponents for three straight seasons. The headliner of the group may be running back Devin Neal. In his most recent home game against Iowa State, Neal became the school's all-time leading rusher and has since topped the 4,000-yard mark for his career. The Lawrence native is 74 yards away from his third-straight 1,000-yard season and has totaled 28 rushing touchdowns over the last two seasons.

Saturday's game will mark KU's final game this season at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas has won two straight at the venue, beating Houston before the win over Iowa State. The Jayhawks played their six home games in Kansas City this year, both at Arrowhead and Children's Mercy Park, while David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium undergoes major upgrades.

LAWRENCE, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Jayhawks will face a ranked opponent for a fourth-straight game this Saturday when they welcome the 16th-ranked Colorado Buffaloes to GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium for a Senior Day matchup on FOX with Jason Benetti, Brock Huard and Allison Williams on the call. Kickoff is slated for 2:30 p.m. CT.The Jayhawks topped No. 7 BYU on Saturday night in Provo to notch their second win over a ranked opponent in as many weeks for the first time in program history. The week prior, Kansas beat No. 17 Iowa State 45-36. Kansas now sits at 4-6 on the season and 3-4 in Big 12 Conference play after the two wins.Coach Lance Leipold and Kansas will look to make it three wins over ranked opponents in three straight weeks when they face the Buffaloes on Saturday. Colorado comes to Kansas City at 8-2 on the year and 6-1 in the conference. The Buffaloes, under second-year coach Deion Sanders, have won four-straight games all by double digits and have climbed up the national rankings to No. 16 with their recent stretch.Quarterback Shedeur Sanders has thrown for 3,222 yards and 27 touchdowns so far this season. He's second in the country with his 27 touchdown passes and is sixth nationally with his 3,222 yards. The 2023 Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year has also rushed for four touchdowns and leads an offense that is third in the Big 12, averaging 34.1 points per game.The Buffaloes also boast two-way standout and Heisman Trophy candidate Travis Hunter. Hunter, who plays wide receiver and cornerback, has 74 catches for 911 yards and nine touchdowns on offense. The nine touchdowns lead the Big 12 and the 7.4 receptions are second. Defensively, he's added 24 tackles, eight pass breakups, three interceptions and one tackle-for-loss.The Jayhawk defense will look to be up to the task after a dominating performance against BYU last week. Kansas allowed 13 points in the 17-13 win, marking the team's fewest points allowed to a ranked opponent since surrendering 11 points to No. 2 Oklahoma in 1984. Senior cornerback Mello Dotson notched his fifth interception of the season in the win, which leads the Big 12 Conference and Kansas totaled five tackles-for-loss and a pair of sacks.Dotson will be one of 30-plus seniors honored before the game for their contributions to the program. The senior class has led Kanas to back-to-back bowl games and wins over ranked opponents for three straight seasons. The headliner of the group may be running back Devin Neal. In his most recent home game against Iowa State, Neal became the school's all-time leading rusher and has since topped the 4,000-yard mark for his career. The Lawrence native is 74 yards away from his third-straight 1,000-yard season and has totaled 28 rushing touchdowns over the last two seasons.Saturday's game will mark KU's final game this season at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas has won two straight at the venue, beating Houston before the win over Iowa State. The Jayhawks played their six home games in Kansas City this year, both at Arrowhead and Children's Mercy Park, while David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium undergoes major upgrades.

🏈 Jayhawks Go for Third-Straight Win Over Ranked Opponent When No. 16 Colorado Visits

Game 11 Cincinnati at&nbsp;16/rv/25&nbsp;K-State Date: Saturday, November 23, 2024 Kickoff: 7 p.m. Location: Manhattan, Kan. Stadium: Bill Snyder Family Stadium (50,000) Series: Cincinnati Leads, 4-2

TV: ESPN2 (<a href="https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/6e648000-62a3-45c4-8f60-26aeeba2d92c" target="_blank">watch</a>) Brian Custer (Play-by-Play) Rod Gilmore (Analyst) Lauren Sisler (Sidelines)

Radio: K-State Sports Network;&nbsp;<a href="http://k-statesports.com/" target="_blank">k-statesports.com</a>&nbsp;(<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/watch" target="_blank">Listen</a>) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Wyatt Thompson (Play-by-Play)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stan Weber (Analyst) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Matt Walters (Sidelines)

SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ch. 160 or 198, and on the SiriusXM App

<a href="https://tunein.com/radio/Big-12-Radio-s329464/" target="_blank">Big 12 Radio on TuneIn</a>

X Updates: @KStateFB and @KStateStatsInfo

THE TOP 51)&nbsp;Looking to rebound from consecutive losses for the first time since the final two regular-season games of 2021, Kansas State hosts Cincinnati on Senior Night inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game, which kicks off at 7 p.m. Saturday night, will be shown nationally on ESPN2 with Brian Custer (play-by-play), Rod Gilmore (analyst) and Lauren Sisler (sidelines) on the call.

2)&nbsp;Quarterback Avery Johnson is set to make his 12th career start as he has thrown for 2,150 yards and 17 TDs on 177-of-291 aim while adding 412 rushing yards and five scores. He is one of only six players in the country and the only Big 12 quarterback with at least 2,000 passing yards and 400 rushing yards. He is one passing TD shy of tying the K-State sophomore record and entering the overall top-10 list.

3)&nbsp;Junior running back DJ Giddens has rushed for 1,128 yards and five touchdowns on 176 carries to go along with 18 receptions for 219 yards and another score. Giddens ranks 12th nationally by averaging 112.8 rushing yards per game, while he is eighth in the nation in scrimmage yards per game (134.7). He is the fourth player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons.

4)&nbsp;Kansas State has eight players with 35 or more tackles this season, led by linebacker Austin Romaine, whose 71 tackles are tied for 12th in the Big 12. Senior defensive end Brendan Mott has 9.5 TFLs and 8.0 sacks, the latter ranking 12th in the nation. Five Wildcats have carded an interception this season in Marques Sigle (3), VJ Payne (2), Jacob Parrish, Jack Fabris and Keenan Garber.

5)&nbsp;Chris Tennant has been true on 14-of-17 field goals, including a 51-yarder with 1:42 left to give the Wildcats a 29-27 win over Kansas. Tennant ranks in the top 10 in school history in eight career categories. Simon McClannan ranks fourth in the Big 12 with 13 punts that have ended inside the opponent 20-yard line are tied for fifth in the Big 12. Dylan Edwards ranks fourth in the Big 12 with 336 total return yards.

STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS217&nbsp;– Opponents' lost yardage on K-State's 25 sacks this season, which ranks seventh the nation and tops in the Big 12.

143&nbsp;– Big 12 victories by K-State since the conference's inception in 1996, the most among active programs.

15&nbsp;– Home wins by the Wildcats since the beginning of 2022, tied for 19th in the country and ranked first in the Big 12.

13&nbsp;– Consecutive CFP polls in which the Wildcats have been ranked, tied for fifth in the nation.

4&nbsp;– DJ Giddens became the fourth player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard rushing seasons

• K-State is looking to rebound from back-to-back losses as the Wildcats dropped a 24-14 decision to Arizona State last week, which came on the heels of a 24-19 loss at Houston prior to its second bye week of the season.

• The Wildcats entered the game at Houston on a four-game winning streak, capped by a dramatic 29-27 dramatic win over Kansas – its 16th-straight win over the Jayhawks – as linebacker Austin Romaine forced a fumble on defense before Chris Tennant nailed a 51-yard field goal with 1:42 left for the two-point win.

• The defense settled in and held the Jayhawks scoreless in their final four drives with the Romaine forced fumble and Brendan Mott recovery leading to the game-winning drive.

• Saturday's contest serves as the first time this season the Wildcats will have consecutive home games and marks the final home game of the season.

• After going 6-1 at home last year, the Wildcats are 4-1 inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium this season. They are looking for one or fewer home losses in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2011 (1) and 2012 (0).

• Home games have been kind to K-State over the last three years as the Cats have 15 victories, tied for the 19th most home wins in the nation over that span. That figure is also the most among active Big 12 teams.

• With its sixth victory of the year at West Virginia, Kansas State will be playing in the postseason for a fourth-straight season and the 13th time in the last 15 years.

• Entering the year, K-State was one of just 16 Power 4 programs to play in a bowl game at least 12 times in the previous 14 years.

• K-State has a total of 229 victories since 1996, which ranks 22nd nationally.

• Among active Big 12 teams, the Wildcats rank fourth behind BYU (237), TCU (235) and Utah (232).

• Over the last 15 seasons – including 2024 – the Wildcats have won at least seven games on 13 occasions.

• K-State entered the 2024 season riding a streak of three-straight years of at least eight wins, its longest since 2011 (10), 2012 (11), 2013 (8) and 2014 (9), and the Wildcats need one more victory to extend the current streak to four-straight years.

• Entering the season, K-State was the only returning Big 12 team with at least eight wins in each of the previous three seasons and one of 13 Power 4 programs to claim that feat.

• K-State has 34 wins since 2021, which is tied for 15th nationally and first among active Big 12 teams.

• Kansas State has totaled 143 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 59.7% (74-50), trailing only Oklahoma State (62.1%; 77-47).

• During that stretch, the Wildcats are 41-21 (66.1%) at home in Big 12 play and 33-29 (5.32%) on the road.

• K-State fell out of the Associated Press Top 25 this week as the Wildcats were ranked in the previous 12 polls.

• It was the first time K-State had been ranked in the first 12 AP polls of a season since appearing in all 17 polls in 2014.

• K-State has been ranked in the AP Top 25 on 243 occasions since 1993, the most among active Big 12 teams and ranked 22nd nationally.

• Kansas State was ranked No. 16 in this week's College Football Playoff Top 25, marking the 14th-straight time the Cats were ranked in the CFP Top 25. That figure is tied for the fifth-longest active streak.

• K-State is only playing four opponents from last year’s schedule – Houston, Iowa State, Kansas and Oklahoma State – in 2024.

• It is the fewest amount of carryover opponents from one year to the next since only three rematches from 1918 to 1919.

• Additionally, half of the Wildcats’ schedule is against teams in which they have not faced in at least 10 years, if ever. Those are UT Martin (First Meeting), Arizona (1978), BYU (1997), Colorado (2010), Arizona State (2002) and Cincinnati (1996).

• A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds a 118-40 career record, as his 74.7% career winning percentage ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that have led programs for at least 10 seasons. He is also one of just 18 current Power 4 head coaches with at least 100 career victories.

• Klieman, who is 46-26 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.

• Kansas State ranked in the top 10 nationally in turnover margin each of the last two years as the Wildcats finished eighth in 2022 and fifth in 2023, which marked the first time in the top 10 in consecutive seasons since 2011 (9th) and 2012 (3rd).

• After sitting at minus-2 in turnover margin and ranking 93rd in the nation entering the Oklahoma State game, the Wildcats are now even on the year and ranked 65th.

• K-State is the nation’s best in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 25-plus seasons as it has 135 since 1999, 10 more than the next closest team (Alabama – 125).

• K-State has recorded four non-offensive scores this season, its most since also recording four in 2020.

• The four non-offensive TDs this year are: a Ty Bowman blocked punt against UT Martin that was returned for a score by Colby McCalister, a 60-yard rumble return by Jack Fabris at Tulane, a 71-yard punt return by Dylan Edwards against Arizona, and a 43-yard interception return by Marques Sigle at West Virginia.

• Kansas State is 3-1 in one-possession games this season, with all three of its wins being in comeback fashion.

• The Wildcats' three wins this season when trailing in the fourth quarter are the most since 2017.

• K-State trailed Kansas, 27-26, until Chris Tennant's 51-yard field goal with 1:42 left sparked a K-State win.

• K-State trailed 28-24 at Colorado before the game-winning 50-yard touchdown pass from Avery Johnson to Jayce Brown with 2:14 left.

• In Week 2 at Tulane, K-State rallied from a 20-10 halftime deficit to take a 34-27 win, which included a Dylan Edwards touchdown run and a Jack Fabris fumble return to erase a seven-point fourth-quarter deficit.

• Of K-State's three one-possession victories this year, two were on the road against teams currently ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 (No. 16 Colorado and No. 20 Tulane).

• With the entire six-game 2024 home slate trending toward being sold out, K-State is currently riding a streak of 19-consecutive sellouts dating back to the beginning of 2022.

• Kansas State is one of only three schools in the nation to rank in the top 20 of percentage of capacity filled each of the last 10 seasons, joining Ohio State and Oklahoma.

• So far this year, K-State ranks 10th nationally by filling its stadium to 103.29% capacity.

• K-State enters this week's matchup ranking 18th nationally by averaging 202.9 rushing yards per game, while the Cats are seventh in the country by averaging 5.8 rushing yards per carry.

• K-State's school record for average yards per rush is 5.27 yards in 2016.

• The average is driven by 71 rushes of at least 10 yards to tie for 10th in the nation, while K-State's 23 rushing plays of 20 or more yards this season rank ninth in the country.

• The Cats have rushed for at least 200 yards in six games this year, the most in the Big 12. The Wildcats have already equaled last year's regular-season total, which was the most since doing so in eight regular-season games in 2016.

TOTAL OFFENSE• K-State has totaled at least 375 yards of offense in 30 of the last 37 games dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season.

• During that stretch, the Cats held a 10-game streak against Big 12 foes with 375 or more yards, the longest in school history.RED ZONE SUCCESS• The 2024 season is a continuation of red-zone success under Chris Klieman, as the Wildcats rank first among active Big 12 programs by scoring on 89.9% (259-of-288) of their overall red-zone trips since 2019 with 194 touchdowns (67.4%).

• Last season, the Cats ranked second nationally by finding paydirt on 78.5% of their red-zone possessions (51-of-65), and they narrowly finished behind Oregon State by 0.11%. K-State would have led the nation last year had the Cats not been in the red zone when taking a knee to close out the Pop-Tarts Bowl win.

• K-State enters play this week ranked 50th nationally and fourth in the Big 12 in red zone scoring at 86.5% (32-of-37) with one of those failed attempts being a kneel down at the end of the West Virginia game.RED ZONE THREATS• Kansas State's tight end unit has combined for 10 touchdown receptions this year, tied for the third most in the nation.

• The 10 touchdowns have come from four different players in Will Anciaux and Garrett Oakley with three apiece, while Brayden Loftin and Will Swanson each have two.OFFENSIVE LINE STEPPING UP• Although the offensive line lost four starters from a year, the current group is stepping up. In addition to its rushing rankings, K-State also ranks in the top 25 nationally in fewest sacks allowed (11th; 1.00 per game) and fewest tackles for loss allowed (15th; 4.00 per game).

• Despite limited starts at K-State entering the season, the current starting unit is experienced overall as the six players that have made start this year have combined for 123 starts and 8,604 career offensive snaps. The leaders in those departments are on the left side in tackle Easton Kilty (47 starts, 2,946 snaps) and guard Hadley Panzer (36 starts, 2,341 snaps).A GREAT START• Quarterback Avery Johnson has started 11 career games under center with the Wildcats going 8-3 those games. Included in those victories are three wins over ranked teams – No. 19 NC State in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl in addition to No. 20 Arizona and No. 20 Oklahoma State this season – and a win at Colorado, which checks in at No. 16 in the most recent Associated Press Top 25.

• Johnson's eight victories as a starting quarterback are already tied for the 13th most by a Wildcat since 1990, while his 72.7% winning percentage ranks seventh among signal callers with at least 10 starts.BY AIR AND GROUND• Quarterback Avery Johnson was the top dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2023, and he's putting that on display during his true sophomore season as he is one of only six quarterbacks nationally and the only Big 12 player with at least 2,150 rushing yards and 400 passing yards.

• If he were to stay at his current averages, Johnson would end the season as just the 17th quarterback in Big 12 history and just the second K-State quarterback ever with at least 2,775 passing yards and 535 rushing yards. The other Wildcat to hit those marks was Michael Bishop in 1998.MULTIPLE TDs• Avery Johnson threw for three touchdowns and rushed for two others in K-State's 42-20 victory over No. 20 Oklahoma State en route to Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors.

• He was the first K-State signal caller to have at least three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a conference game since Collin Klein at West Virginia in 2012.

• A product of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson has been responsible for 22 touchdowns this season as he needs two to tie for 10th in school history for a single season.

MULTIPLE 1,000-YARD SEASONS• Running back DJ Giddens notched his second-straight season with 1,000 rushing yards, crossing the mark last week against Arizona State as he now has 1,128 yards this season.

• He is just the fourth player in school history with multiple 1,000-yard seasons, joining Darren Sproles (2002, 2003, 2004), Daniel Thomas (2009, 2010) and Deuce Vaughn (2021, 2022).

GIDDENS GETTING IT DONE• Running back DJ Giddens has averaged 112.8 rushing yards per game this season to rank 12th in the country, while he is eighth with 134.7 scrimmage yards per game.

• Giddens' current rushing average ranks sixth in school history, and that figure is buoyed by 14 rushes of at least 20 yards to tie for third in the nation.

• Giddens is the only player in the country with three runs of at least 50 yards and two receptions of at least 40 yards.

UP THE CAREER CHARTS• DJ Giddens enters this week's game with 2,872 career rushing yards, which ranks fourth in school history, while his 5.89 career yards per rush ranks second at K-State only behind Darren Sproles (6.11; 2001-04).

• A native of nearby Junction City, Kansas, Giddens also ranks in the top 10 in program history for a career in receiving yards by a running back (4th; 640), rushing yards per game (5th; 77.6), and 100-yard rushing games (T3rd; 12).

DEFENSIVE NOTESLIMITED POINTS PER GAME• Since the K-State defense switched from a four-man front to a 3-3-5 alignment at the beginning of the 2021 season (50 games), the Cats are allowing just 21.4 points per game, which ranks 22nd nationally and third among active Big 12 teams.

• Additionally, the Wildcats have allowed 121 offensive touchdowns over that time, which ranks 24th in the nation.

• The Wildcats have finished each of the three previous seasons by allowing less than 22.0 points per game, their longest streak since going 13-straight year from 1991 through 2003.

• Since head coach Chris Klieman’s first year of 2019, the Wildcats have held 39 of their 51 Big 12 opponents under their season average at the time it faces the Wildcats.

BEHIND THE LINE• K-State enters this week's game ranked 31st nationally and second in the Big 12 with 2.60 sacks per game, while they are 31st in the country and third in the conference with 6.6 tackles for loss per game.

• The Wildcats have tallied at least 4.0 tackles for loss in seven games this year – including 11 TFLs in each of the first two contests – while they have at least two sacks in five contests – including a season-high six at Colorado.

HIGH SACK YARDAGE• Kansas State's 26 sacks this season have resulted in 217 lost yardage, which ranks ninth in the nation and second in the Big 12.

• It is the most by the Wildcats since 2006 (223) and already the eighth most by K-State since 1996.

K-State FB Hosts Cincinnati on Senior Night

Kansas Wesleyan will continue its School Days initiative with a trio of basketball contests this winter, according to information released by the university Sunday.

At the Dec. 4 doubleheader against Sterling, anyone with USD 435 (Abilene) or USD 473 (Chapman) is eligible for two free tickets. Individuals involved with USD 400 (Smoky Valley) can make plans to attend the Jan. 25 doubleheader against Friends, free of charge, while USD 239 (Minneapolis) can do so Feb. 1 for games against Saint Mary.

Students, staff, administrators and instructors from each of these USDs are eligible for two free tickets to the games in question, on the dates above. Free tickets will be limited to 400 total and are available via walk-up on game day. They are good for admittance to the men’s game, women’s contest or both.

The use of USD IDs is appreciated but not required.

“It’s important for us to give back to the communities around us,” said Miguel Paredes, director of athletics. “We hope to see big crowds at each of these games and create new fans of Coyote basketball!”

The Feb. 1 contest will cap the five School Days for 2024-25, which began Nov. 2 when all Saline County high schools were recognized at the football game against Tabor. Nov. 13 was the other event, which was Homeschool Night, when women’s basketball hosted Kansas Christian.

For more information on Kansas Wesleyan University, please visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kwu.edu/news">www.kwu.edu/news</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691416010742.jpeg" alt="Kwu logo" />
 <figcaption>Kwu logo</figcaption>
 </figure>SubmittedKansas Wesleyan will continue its School Days initiative with a trio of basketball contests this winter, according to information released by the university Sunday.At the Dec. 4 doubleheader against Sterling, anyone with USD 435 (Abilene) or USD 473 (Chapman) is eligible for two free tickets. Individuals involved with USD 400 (Smoky Valley) can make plans to attend the Jan. 25 doubleheader against Friends, free of charge, while USD 239 (Minneapolis) can do so Feb. 1 for games against Saint Mary.Students, staff, administrators and instructors from each of these USDs are eligible for two free tickets to the games in question, on the dates above. Free tickets will be limited to 400 total and are available via walk-up on game day. They are good for admittance to the men’s game, women’s contest or both.The use of USD IDs is appreciated but not required.“It’s important for us to give back to the communities around us,” said Miguel Paredes, director of athletics. “We hope to see big crowds at each of these games and create new fans of Coyote basketball!”The Feb. 1 contest will cap the five School Days for 2024-25, which began Nov. 2 when all Saline County high schools were recognized at the football game against Tabor. Nov. 13 was the other event, which was Homeschool Night, when women’s basketball hosted Kansas Christian.For more information on Kansas Wesleyan University, please visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kwu.edu/news">www.kwu.edu/news</a>.

KWU continues School Days initiative with free tickets to upcoming basketball games

Kansas Wesleyan will play Dickinson State on Saturday in Dickinson, North Dakota in the first round of the NAIA Football Championship Series.

The No. 19-seeded Coyotes will leave Thursday for the game against the 9-1 Blue Hawks who are the 14th seed and were ranked 14th in the final NAIA coaches' poll that was released Sunday. Gameday looks to be chilly with a forecast high of 31.

None of that matters to KWU co-interim head coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/98ea4bc5-3eac-442c-9959-59d8d3989f22?elinkdata=15520">Chris Snyder</a>, though.

"It doesn't matter where you go," he said Sunday night following the announcement. "To be (Kansas) Conference champs and to be able to go to the playoffs is great. We don't have the luxury of picking wherever.

"We just want to make it about the players these next few days and making it a trip they're going to remember for the rest of their lives. The bus ride up there, wherever we stay ... it's all experiences. I'm just happy for the kids."

The Coyotes (7-4) qualified for the postseason by winning the KCAC's Gene Bissell Division with a 5-0 record. They started the season 2-4 but have won their last five including a 23-3 victory over Sterling on Saturday in Sterling.

KWU's last trip to the playoffs was in 2021.

Snyder knows his team faces a stiff challenge. The Blue Hawks have won seven in a row since losing to Wisconsin-Stout on September 14. They defeated Dakota State 38-7 Saturday in Dickinson.

"We're not even sharing film until Sunday night," he said. "We'll be traveling for two days up there so it's a different dynamic. We've preached the last few weeks about adversity, and we'll preach it again about travel and weather but to really just enjoy it.

"The only good thing is by this time of the year is you've seen every kind of offense and defense so nothing's too crazy."

This will be the second postseason meeting between KWU and Dickinson State. The Coyotes rallied for a 43-40 victory over the Blue Hawks in the 2018 quarterfinals played at Graves Family Sports Complex.

Dickinson State led 34-28 after three quarters but the Coyotes won in dramatic fashion on Demarco Prewitt's five-yard touchdown run and his two-point conversion pass to Charlie Simmons with 46 seconds left.

Snyder says the Coyotes have gained confidence in recent weeks.

Kansas Wesleyan will play Dickinson State on Saturday in Dickinson, North Dakota in the first round of the NAIA Football Championship Series.The No. 19-seeded Coyotes will leave Thursday for the game against the 9-1 Blue Hawks who are the 14th seed and were ranked 14th in the final NAIA coaches' poll that was released Sunday. Gameday looks to be chilly with a forecast high of 31.None of that matters to KWU co-interim head coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/98ea4bc5-3eac-442c-9959-59d8d3989f22?elinkdata=15520">Chris Snyder</a>, though."It doesn't matter where you go," he said Sunday night following the announcement. "To be (Kansas) Conference champs and to be able to go to the playoffs is great. We don't have the luxury of picking wherever."We just want to make it about the players these next few days and making it a trip they're going to remember for the rest of their lives. The bus ride up there, wherever we stay ... it's all experiences. I'm just happy for the kids."The Coyotes (7-4) qualified for the postseason by winning the KCAC's Gene Bissell Division with a 5-0 record. They started the season 2-4 but have won their last five including a 23-3 victory over Sterling on Saturday in Sterling.KWU's last trip to the playoffs was in 2021.Snyder knows his team faces a stiff challenge. The Blue Hawks have won seven in a row since losing to Wisconsin-Stout on September 14. They defeated Dakota State 38-7 Saturday in Dickinson."We're not even sharing film until Sunday night," he said. "We'll be traveling for two days up there so it's a different dynamic. We've preached the last few weeks about adversity, and we'll preach it again about travel and weather but to really just enjoy it."The only good thing is by this time of the year is you've seen every kind of offense and defense so nothing's too crazy."This will be the second postseason meeting between KWU and Dickinson State. The Coyotes rallied for a 43-40 victory over the Blue Hawks in the 2018 quarterfinals played at Graves Family Sports Complex.Dickinson State led 34-28 after three quarters but the Coyotes won in dramatic fashion on Demarco Prewitt's five-yard touchdown run and his two-point conversion pass to Charlie Simmons with 46 seconds left.Snyder says the Coyotes have gained confidence in recent weeks.

🏈 KWU heading to Dickinson State for First Round of NAIA FCS

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1858303241391427722">ran for a 26-yard touchdown</a>&nbsp;on fourth down with 2:17 left, sealing the Buffalo Bills' 30-21 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday and handing the two-time defending Super Bowl champions their first loss of the season.

James Cook rushed for two touchdowns and Allen threw a 12-yard TD pass to Curtis Samuel for Buffalo (9-2), which closed the gap on Kansas City (9-1) in the race for the AFC’s top seed.

Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs were the NFL's last undefeated team and finally ran out ways to eke out one-score victories and overcome second-half deficits. The Chiefs had won 15 straight, including playoffs, since they fell 20-14 to the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 17, 2023.

The Bills have won six straight and moved closer to their sixth straight AFC East title.

Buffalo has defeated the Chiefs in four straight regular-season meetings, though Kansas City holds the postseason edge, having won the past three matchups dating to 2020. And it wouldn't be a surprise if the teams met again in January.

The packed stadium erupted in chants of “MVP!” as the videoboard showed replays of Allen’s touchdown. Bills coach Sean McDermott opted to go for it on fourth-and-2 instead of kicking a field goal for a five-point lead. Allen faked a pass to his left and then broke up the middle, where he bounced off two Chiefs defenders before crossing the goal line.

Allen played through a sore throwing hand, which was examined on the sideline during the game. He finished 27 of 40 for 262 yards with the TDs passing and rushing and an interception.

The rushing touchdown was the 58th of Allen’s career, moving him into second on the Bills list, one ahead of O.J. Simpson, and seven behind Thurman Thomas. Allen’s two-touchdown outing also increased his total to 244, tying Jim Kelly for first in team history.

Buffalo’s defense ended Kansas City's desperate final drive linebacker Terrel Bernard intercepted Mahomes.

Mahomes finished 23 of 33 for 196 yards with three touchdown passes -- two to tight end Noah Gray and another to Xavier Worthy — and two interceptions.

After trading leads five times in their last meeting — Kansas City’s 27-24 win in the divisional playoff round in January — the teams traded leads four times in the first half. Cook scored twice before halftime and Buffalo took a 16-14 lead into the break, one it never relinquished, after Tyler Bass closed the second quarter by hitting a 33-yard field goal.

A highly anticipated showdown between two of the NFL’s top quarterbacks turned into a battle of defenses through three quarters with the teams exchanging seven punts in calm and mild conditions, with temperatures in the high 40s and minimal wind.

The Bills went ahead 23-14 a little over two minutes into the fourth quarter when Allen capped a 10-play, 83-yard drive with a short pass to Samuel, who sidestepped a defender and raced into the end zone.

Mahomes responded by marching the Chiefs on a 10-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard TD catch by Gray with 7:53 left.

The Chiefs had shown resolve in winning their first nine games by a combined 58 points, with four decided on the final play. That included a 16-14 win over Denver last week in which Leo Chenal blocked Wil Lutz’s 35-yard field goal attempt as time expired.

This time there were no late-game dramatics for a Chiefs offense that finished with a season-low 259 yards.

The matchup was just the fifth since 1970 in Week 11 or earlier between teams with eight or more wins. ... Bills DE Von Miller had a sack, moving into sole possession of 17th place on the NFL list with 127 1/2 — one ahead of Derrick Thomas and a half-sack behind Rickey Jackson.

Bills: WR Amari Cooper returned after missing two games with an injury to his left wrist. ... Starting RT Spencer Brown (ankle) did not play.

Bills: After a bye, host San Francisco on Dec. 1.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731889979914.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1858303241391427722">ran for a 26-yard touchdown</a>&nbsp;on fourth down with 2:17 left, sealing the Buffalo Bills' 30-21 win over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday and handing the two-time defending Super Bowl champions their first loss of the season.James Cook rushed for two touchdowns and Allen threw a 12-yard TD pass to Curtis Samuel for Buffalo (9-2), which closed the gap on Kansas City (9-1) in the race for the AFC’s top seed.Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs were the NFL's last undefeated team and finally ran out ways to eke out one-score victories and overcome second-half deficits. The Chiefs had won 15 straight, including playoffs, since they fell 20-14 to the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 17, 2023.The Bills have won six straight and moved closer to their sixth straight AFC East title.Buffalo has defeated the Chiefs in four straight regular-season meetings, though Kansas City holds the postseason edge, having won the past three matchups dating to 2020. And it wouldn't be a surprise if the teams met again in January.The packed stadium erupted in chants of “MVP!” as the videoboard showed replays of Allen’s touchdown. Bills coach Sean McDermott opted to go for it on fourth-and-2 instead of kicking a field goal for a five-point lead. Allen faked a pass to his left and then broke up the middle, where he bounced off two Chiefs defenders before crossing the goal line.Allen played through a sore throwing hand, which was examined on the sideline during the game. He finished 27 of 40 for 262 yards with the TDs passing and rushing and an interception.The rushing touchdown was the 58th of Allen’s career, moving him into second on the Bills list, one ahead of O.J. Simpson, and seven behind Thurman Thomas. Allen’s two-touchdown outing also increased his total to 244, tying Jim Kelly for first in team history.Buffalo’s defense ended Kansas City's desperate final drive linebacker Terrel Bernard intercepted Mahomes.Mahomes finished 23 of 33 for 196 yards with three touchdown passes -- two to tight end Noah Gray and another to Xavier Worthy — and two interceptions.After trading leads five times in their last meeting — Kansas City’s 27-24 win in the divisional playoff round in January — the teams traded leads four times in the first half. Cook scored twice before halftime and Buffalo took a 16-14 lead into the break, one it never relinquished, after Tyler Bass closed the second quarter by hitting a 33-yard field goal.A highly anticipated showdown between two of the NFL’s top quarterbacks turned into a battle of defenses through three quarters with the teams exchanging seven punts in calm and mild conditions, with temperatures in the high 40s and minimal wind.The Bills went ahead 23-14 a little over two minutes into the fourth quarter when Allen capped a 10-play, 83-yard drive with a short pass to Samuel, who sidestepped a defender and raced into the end zone.Mahomes responded by marching the Chiefs on a 10-play, 70-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard TD catch by Gray with 7:53 left.The Chiefs had shown resolve in winning their first nine games by a combined 58 points, with four decided on the final play. That included a 16-14 win over Denver last week in which Leo Chenal blocked Wil Lutz’s 35-yard field goal attempt as time expired.This time there were no late-game dramatics for a Chiefs offense that finished with a season-low 259 yards.<h2>Names and numbers</h2>The matchup was just the fifth since 1970 in Week 11 or earlier between teams with eight or more wins. ... Bills DE Von Miller had a sack, moving into sole possession of 17th place on the NFL list with 127 1/2 — one ahead of Derrick Thomas and a half-sack behind Rickey Jackson.<h2>Injuries</h2>Bills: WR Amari Cooper returned after missing two games with an injury to his left wrist. ... Starting RT Spencer Brown (ankle) did not play.<h2>Up next</h2>Chiefs: At Carolina next Sunday.Bills: After a bye, host San Francisco on Dec. 1.___

🏈 Buffalo hands Kansas City first loss of the season

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and its television partners have announced that Kansas State’s Senior Day contest this Saturday against Cincinnati will kick off at 7 p.m. and be shown on ESPN2.

This will be K-State’s eighth nighttime game out of its 11 contests this season, and it also the first and only time this season the Wildcats will host games in consecutive weeks.

<a>MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–</a>&nbsp;The Big 12 Conference and its television partners have announced that Kansas State’s Senior Day contest this Saturday against Cincinnati will kick off at 7 p.m. and be shown on ESPN2.This will be K-State’s eighth nighttime game out of its 11 contests this season, and it also the first and only time this season the Wildcats will host games in consecutive weeks.

K-State’s Final Home Game to Kick at 7 p.m. on ESPN2

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e4803930-db96-4e3d-b560-4c1b154fd8da?elinkdata=15493">Julian Avila</a> is thrilled to be running in the NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championship - the perfect way to end his senior year.

Avila is equally happy to have a Kansas Wesleyan entourage making the trip to Columbia, Missouri, with him and his teammates after they qualified by placing second in the Kansas Conference Championship on Nov. 9 in Leavenworth.

The Coyote men will be accompanied by the women's team, which likewise finished second in their conference championship. It's the first time in school history both the men's and women's team have qualified for the NAIA cross-country meet in the same season.

"It's awesome," said Avila, who finished 11th in the KCAC and competed in last year's NAIA Championship. "I got here and Kansas Wesleyan wasn't one of those top schools. Last year it was a men's team and a few (female) individuals.

"This year it's both men and women, and I think that's awesome because the women have been working just as hard as the men, and they deserve an opportunity to prove themselves."

For Avila, nothing tops ending the season and your career while competing with and supporting your close friends.

"It's fun, it's a bigger group, and it's a really fun group," he said. "It's a better environment and it makes it a lot easier. We're a big family, so it's awesome having them cheer us on, and then when we're done racing, we make sure that we do the same for them."

Third-year coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/51d14c1c-8f1a-4187-b4b6-5dcfcdb47a73?elinkdata=15493">Garrett Young</a> concurs.

"It's historic," he said. "I think it's just a culmination of the timing. You have two really great groups of athletes on both the men's and women's sides and just to be able to have them all at the university at the same time I don't think is coincidence. They really came together to accomplish something this year, and we're excited to see where it can take them."

The 8-kilometer race will be Nov. 22 at Gans Creek Cross Country Course, starting at 10:30 a.m. The No. 18-ranked Coyotes will be joined by 35 other teams and 80 individual runners.

KWU finished 14th in last year's championship and was led by then-freshman <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7dea5417-a83e-4ed2-ab63-ddc85f1c3ecf?elinkdata=15493">Damion Jackson</a>, who earned All-America honors by placing 14th (23:38.4). He was in the KCAC race this year.

"He was better at the conference meet heading into this than he did last year and in the workouts since," Young said. "Damion, more or less, was our number one almost every meet last year, and I think he's only been our number one once this season. A lot of credit is due to <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8165284c-7f23-403e-a94c-cd7982398d11?elinkdata=15493">Austin Hess</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/052a1cc2-8644-468e-8dfd-6b4f1cf2618c?elinkdata=15493">Julian Avila</a>, who have shown substantial improvements in the past 12 months.

"I think we have a lot better depth this year. Last year, we were trying to get our fifth man under 26 minutes for the 8K distance. This year, we ended up having eight or nine different guys achieve that mark. I do truly think we have three men legitimately in the hunt for an All-American finish."

Hess finished fourth in the KCAC, while <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6d7f4247-77cc-4299-8b01-294d2d6cf076?elinkdata=15493">Giovanni Rios</a>, who also competed in last year's NAIA Championship, was 12th. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8894ba88-a95f-49a2-bb85-f6211adc3529?elinkdata=15493">Brenden Ellis</a> placed 13th and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/757e4123-c993-422d-b4a3-5252b661228e?elinkdata=15493">Jake Cruz</a> 18th. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/430e920a-0ec4-4667-b106-baca9aa4e0ff?elinkdata=15493">Austin Schaeffer</a>, a transfer from Cowley Community College, will join the lineup in Columbia; he competed in the NJCAA National Championship last fall.

The Gans Creek Course is not an unknown commodity to the Coyotes. They ran in the Brian T. Simpson Invitational on Oct. 22, finishing third out of 14 teams.

"We know it's fast. It's a bit long, but we know what the course looks like and we're comfortable with it being flat," Avila said.

Avila says he won't do anything different at nationals than he has done all year.

"I like to shut my mind off - I just don't think about anything. I just go and run, because I feel like when you start thinking about a lot of stuff, you start stressing. You start looking down at your watch and you see the paces and it just becomes too much," he said.

"I like to run with a group of people, kind of focus on placement more than time. At the end of the day, I know that when I get to the last mile again, it's one of those mindset things - I'm not going to let anybody pass me."

Avila said there is extra motivation for him and his cohorts.

"I personally don't like to focus on rankings very much, but I don't think we're ranked as high as we should be," he said. "I think we're running with a chip on our shoulder. That and just trusting in everything that we've done and all the experience that we have is going to help us go out there and do well."

<a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/e4803930-db96-4e3d-b560-4c1b154fd8da?elinkdata=15493">Julian Avila</a> is thrilled to be running in the NAIA Men's Cross Country National Championship - the perfect way to end his senior year.Avila is equally happy to have a Kansas Wesleyan entourage making the trip to Columbia, Missouri, with him and his teammates after they qualified by placing second in the Kansas Conference Championship on Nov. 9 in Leavenworth.The Coyote men will be accompanied by the women's team, which likewise finished second in their conference championship. It's the first time in school history both the men's and women's team have qualified for the NAIA cross-country meet in the same season."It's awesome," said Avila, who finished 11th in the KCAC and competed in last year's NAIA Championship. "I got here and Kansas Wesleyan wasn't one of those top schools. Last year it was a men's team and a few (female) individuals."This year it's both men and women, and I think that's awesome because the women have been working just as hard as the men, and they deserve an opportunity to prove themselves."For Avila, nothing tops ending the season and your career while competing with and supporting your close friends."It's fun, it's a bigger group, and it's a really fun group," he said. "It's a better environment and it makes it a lot easier. We're a big family, so it's awesome having them cheer us on, and then when we're done racing, we make sure that we do the same for them."Third-year coach <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/51d14c1c-8f1a-4187-b4b6-5dcfcdb47a73?elinkdata=15493">Garrett Young</a> concurs."It's historic," he said. "I think it's just a culmination of the timing. You have two really great groups of athletes on both the men's and women's sides and just to be able to have them all at the university at the same time I don't think is coincidence. They really came together to accomplish something this year, and we're excited to see where it can take them."The 8-kilometer race will be Nov. 22 at Gans Creek Cross Country Course, starting at 10:30 a.m. The No. 18-ranked Coyotes will be joined by 35 other teams and 80 individual runners.KWU finished 14th in last year's championship and was led by then-freshman <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/7dea5417-a83e-4ed2-ab63-ddc85f1c3ecf?elinkdata=15493">Damion Jackson</a>, who earned All-America honors by placing 14th (23:38.4). He was in the KCAC race this year."He was better at the conference meet heading into this than he did last year and in the workouts since," Young said. "Damion, more or less, was our number one almost every meet last year, and I think he's only been our number one once this season. A lot of credit is due to <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8165284c-7f23-403e-a94c-cd7982398d11?elinkdata=15493">Austin Hess</a> and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/052a1cc2-8644-468e-8dfd-6b4f1cf2618c?elinkdata=15493">Julian Avila</a>, who have shown substantial improvements in the past 12 months."I think we have a lot better depth this year. Last year, we were trying to get our fifth man under 26 minutes for the 8K distance. This year, we ended up having eight or nine different guys achieve that mark. I do truly think we have three men legitimately in the hunt for an All-American finish."Hess finished fourth in the KCAC, while <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/6d7f4247-77cc-4299-8b01-294d2d6cf076?elinkdata=15493">Giovanni Rios</a>, who also competed in last year's NAIA Championship, was 12th. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/8894ba88-a95f-49a2-bb85-f6211adc3529?elinkdata=15493">Brenden Ellis</a> placed 13th and <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/757e4123-c993-422d-b4a3-5252b661228e?elinkdata=15493">Jake Cruz</a> 18th. <a href="http://kwucoyotes.com/services/go.ashx/430e920a-0ec4-4667-b106-baca9aa4e0ff?elinkdata=15493">Austin Schaeffer</a>, a transfer from Cowley Community College, will join the lineup in Columbia; he competed in the NJCAA National Championship last fall.The Gans Creek Course is not an unknown commodity to the Coyotes. They ran in the Brian T. Simpson Invitational on Oct. 22, finishing third out of 14 teams."We know it's fast. It's a bit long, but we know what the course looks like and we're comfortable with it being flat," Avila said.Avila says he won't do anything different at nationals than he has done all year."I like to shut my mind off - I just don't think about anything. I just go and run, because I feel like when you start thinking about a lot of stuff, you start stressing. You start looking down at your watch and you see the paces and it just becomes too much," he said."I like to run with a group of people, kind of focus on placement more than time. At the end of the day, I know that when I get to the last mile again, it's one of those mindset things - I'm not going to let anybody pass me."Avila said there is extra motivation for him and his cohorts."I personally don't like to focus on rankings very much, but I don't think we're ranked as high as we should be," he said. "I think we're running with a chip on our shoulder. That and just trusting in everything that we've done and all the experience that we have is going to help us go out there and do well."Young likes the team's chances.

Avila happy to have KWU teams alongside for NAIA Nationals

MANHATTAN, Kansas -&nbsp;(10/11) K-State (3-0) will play the fourth of its five-game homestand, as the Wildcats host Little Rock (1-2) on Monday night at 6:30 p.m.

• The five-game homestand for the Wildcats to open this season is the program’s longest to begin a season since a seven-game homestand to begin the 1992-93 campaign.

• Monday’s game can be seen live on ESPN+, as Brian Smoller (play-by-play), Kristin Waller (analyst) and Hannah Whetstone (sideline) will have the call.

Five names, numbers or storylines about K-State women’s basketball

• With a win on Monday night, K-State will achieve the women’s basketball program’s 400th win in Bramlage Coliseum. K-State is 399-156 (.719) inside the “Purple Palace.”

• K-State has scored 80 or more points in the first three games of a season for the first time since the 2004-05 season.

• Senior center and All-American candidate Ayoka Lee tallied 28 points in 15:41 of playing time against Creighton on Nov. 14. She is the only player in the nation this season to register 25 or more points in 16 or fewer minutes. Since 2009-10, she was the fourth player nationally to record 28 or more points in 16 or fewer minutes played.

4. Sundell Doing A Bit of Everything

• Senior guard and Naismith Trophy candidate Serena Sundell is the only player in the Big 12 and 1 of 14 in the nation currently averaging 10 or more points on a field goal percentage of 45.0 percent or better, five or more rebounds and five or more assists.

• Senior center and 2024-25 Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Ayoka Lee needs 13 points (2,229 points) to surpass Nicole Ohlde (2000-04; 2,241 points) for second in school history. Lee needs 105 points to pass Kendra Wecker (2001-05; 2,333 points) for the K-State career scoring record.

• K-State registered a season-high 54 points in the paint against Creighton on Nov. 14.

• The 54 points in the lane were the most since scoring 58 against McNeese State on Dec. 6, 2023.

• K-State has scored 40 or more points in all three games this season.

• The Wildcats are averaging 45.3 points per game in the lane with 52.3 percent of its points coming inside the paint.

• K-State has recorded 1,000 or more points in the lane in three straight seasons.

2024-25 Coach and Player Milestones to Watch

• Needs seven wins to become third K-State Women’s Basketball head coach with 200 or more wins at K-State

• Needs 14 wins to move into second on the K-State Women’s Basketball wins list (Judy Akers, 206)

MANHATTAN, Kansas -&nbsp;(10/11) K-State (3-0) will play the fourth of its five-game homestand, as the Wildcats host Little Rock (1-2) on Monday night at 6:30 p.m.• The five-game homestand for the Wildcats to open this season is the program’s longest to begin a season since a seven-game homestand to begin the 1992-93 campaign.• Monday’s game can be seen live on ESPN+, as Brian Smoller (play-by-play), Kristin Waller (analyst) and Hannah Whetstone (sideline) will have the call.Starting 5Five names, numbers or storylines about K-State women’s basketball1. Bramlage Milestone• With a win on Monday night, K-State will achieve the women’s basketball program’s 400th win in Bramlage Coliseum. K-State is 399-156 (.719) inside the “Purple Palace.”2. 80x3• K-State has scored 80 or more points in the first three games of a season for the first time since the 2004-05 season.3. Lee Efficient and Effective• Senior center and All-American candidate Ayoka Lee tallied 28 points in 15:41 of playing time against Creighton on Nov. 14. She is the only player in the nation this season to register 25 or more points in 16 or fewer minutes. Since 2009-10, she was the fourth player nationally to record 28 or more points in 16 or fewer minutes played.4. Sundell Doing A Bit of Everything• Senior guard and Naismith Trophy candidate Serena Sundell is the only player in the Big 12 and 1 of 14 in the nation currently averaging 10 or more points on a field goal percentage of 45.0 percent or better, five or more rebounds and five or more assists.5. Lee on Cusp of Scoring Record• Senior center and 2024-25 Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Ayoka Lee needs 13 points (2,229 points) to surpass Nicole Ohlde (2000-04; 2,241 points) for second in school history. Lee needs 105 points to pass Kendra Wecker (2001-05; 2,333 points) for the K-State career scoring record.Number to Know54• K-State registered a season-high 54 points in the paint against Creighton on Nov. 14.• The 54 points in the lane were the most since scoring 58 against McNeese State on Dec. 6, 2023.• K-State has scored 40 or more points in all three games this season.• The Wildcats are averaging 45.3 points per game in the lane with 52.3 percent of its points coming inside the paint.• K-State has recorded 1,000 or more points in the lane in three straight seasons.2024-25 Coach and Player Milestones to WatchJeff Mittie• Needs seven wins to become third K-State Women’s Basketball head coach with 200 or more wins at K-State• Needs 14 wins to move into second on the K-State Women’s Basketball wins list (Judy Akers, 206)Ayoka Lee• Needs 105 points to set the school career scoring record• Needs six double-doubles to move into second in Big 12 history for career double-doubles• Needs 267 rebounds to move into second in Big 12 history for career rebounds• Needs 51 made free throws to set the school record for career free throws made• Needs 35 made field goals to set the school record for career field goals madeSerena Sundell• Needs 198 points to reach 1,500 career points• Needs 24 assists to move into second in school history for career assistsJaelyn Glenn• Needs 112 points to reach 1,000 career points• Needs four made 3-pointers to move into 10th on K-State career 3-point field goals made list• Needs 79 steals to move into third on K-State career steals list• Needs 30 rebounds to move into top-30 on K-State career rebounds list• Needs 11 assists to move into top-25 on K-State career assists listAt a Glance: Little Rock• Little Rock started a three-game road trip on Thursday at Auburn with an 82-48 loss. Following Monday’s game in Manhattan, the Trojans will visit Missouri on Friday.• On the sideline, the Trojans are led by first-year head coach Steve Widedower.• On the floor, Little Rock is led by Faith Lee and Sug Williams.• Lee, a junior forward from Monroe, Louisiana, is averaging 17.5 points on a .436 field goal percentage. At Auburn, Lee paced the Trojans with 10 points.• Williams, a graduate student guard from Eastpointe, Michigan, is averaging 11.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists.Halftime Lead = K-State ‘W’• Since the 2001-02 season, K-State is 378-52 (.879) when leading at the break, including a 3-0 record in the 2024-25 season.• K-State is 152-19 (.889) when leading at the break under head coach Jeff Mittie.• Since the start of the 2007-08 season, K-State is 284-19 (.937) when leading with five minutes to play including a 168-8 (.955) record under Mittie.Magic Number is 70 Points• Since the 2014-15 season, K-State is 109-21 (.838) when scoring 70 or more points in a game.• The Wildcats opened the 2024-25 season with 92 points against Green Bay. This was the ninth time in 57 season-openers in which K-State scored 90 or more points in the first game.• With its 82 points against Belmont on Nov. 7 and 86 against Creighton on Nov. 14, K-State registered three straight games with 80 or more points to start a season for the first time since 2004-05.• During the 2023-24 season, the Wildcats averaged 71.7 points per game and scored 70 or more points in a game 18 times (15-3). This was the highest scoring average in a season under head coach Jeff Mittie.• K-State scored 2,437 points last season. This was the third straight season K-State registered 2,000 or more points and the seventh time in the Mittie era (2014-present).Three is not a Crowd, It’s a Benefit• Since 2011-12, when three or more players reach double figures in scoring in the same game, K-State is 180-85 (.679) including a 3-0 record in the 2024-25 season.• The Wildcats had a season-high four players reach double figures against Green Bay on Nov. 4, Belmont on Nov. 7 and Creighton on Nov. 14.• The combination of Ayoka Lee and Serena Sundell have scored in double figures in the same game 38 times since 2021-22.20-Pt Quarters For the Wildcats• Since the inception of the quarter system in the 2015-16 season, K-State owns an overall record of 135-62 (.685) when scoring 20 or more points in any quarter in a game.• Since the 2015-16 season, K-State has registered 316 quarters with 20 or more points with a high of 50 in the 2022-23 season.• The Wildcats have tallied seven quarters this season with 20 or more points including a season-high 29 points in the third quarter against Creighton on Nov. 14.• In the 2023-24 season, K-State had 42 quarters with 20 or more points scored (21-4).• The Wildcats scored a season-high 36 points in the third quarter against Missouri on Dec. 9. The 36 points tied the school record for points in any quarter (36, at Omaha, 12/8/21) and set the school record for points in a third quarter.K-State Attacking the Paint• K-State opened the 2024-25 season similar to how it attacked the 2023-24 season.• The Wildcats have registered 30 or more points in the lane in its first three games this season including a season-high 54 points in the paint against Creighton on Nov. 14. The 54 points were the most since scoring 58 against McNeese State on Dec. 6, 2023.• This season, K-State is averaging 45.3 points per game in the paint with 52.3 percent of its points from inside the lane and have outscored its foes in the lane in three games.• In the 2023-24 season, K-State scored 1,268 points (37.3 ppg) in the paint which was 52.0 percent of K-State’s overall point total.• The 1,268 points in the paint were the most scored in the lane in Jeff Mittie’s 11 seasons in Manhattan. K-State has scored 1,000 or more points in the paint in four of Mittie’s 11 seasons.• The Wildcats recorded a season-high of 58 against McNeese State on Dec. 6, 2023. This was the most points in the paint since scoring 58 against Oklahoma on Jan. 23, 2022.• The Wildcats scored 30 or more points in the paint in 26 games last season. K-State outscored its opponents in 27 games.Sundell Nears Top-20 for Points• In addition to her distribution skills, guard Serena Sundell adds a scoring punch to the K-State lineup.• During her career, Sundell has scored 1,293 points (12.2 ppg) and was the 45th player in school history to score 1,000 points in her career and currently ranks 21st on the K-State career scoring list. She has tallied double figures in 73 career games, including 15 career games with 20 or more points.• In the 2023-24 season, Sundell was second on the team in scoring with 12.1 points on a career-high .536 field goal percentage. She registered a personal season-high 22 points at UCF on Jan. 6 and scored in double figures in 25 games, including three games with 20 or more. She scored in double figures in 13 straight games from Jan. 3 to Feb. 25. In Big 12 games, Sundell averaged 13.8 points per game on a .539 field goal percentage. She ranked 12th in the league in scoring and is fourth in the league in field goal percentage.• During the 2022-23 season, Sundell was second on the team and 12th in the Big 12 in scoring with 13.9 points per game on a career-best .489 field goal percentage. In Big 12 games, she averaged 15.11 points and ranked eighth in the league.• Sundell recorded a personal career-high 501 points in the 2022-23 season. She was the seventh player in program history to score 500 or more points in their sophomore season. Her total ranked tied for sixth for a sophomore season at K-State.Lee Reaching Rare Stat Lines• Ayoka Lee has registered unique stat lines throughout her career and the 2024-25 season is no different.• Lee tallied 28 points in 15:41 of playing time against Creighton on Nov. 14. She is the only player in the nation this season to register 25 or more points in 16 or fewer minutes. Since 2009-10, she was the fourth player nationally to record 28 or more points in 16 or fewer minutes played.• According to Stats Perform, Lee is one of two players in NCAA Division I women’s basketball this century to average 19.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in their career, joining former Associated Press National Player of the Year Courtney Paris of Oklahoma.• At Little Rock on Nov. 11, 2023, Lee notched 32 points on 13-of-16 shooting and 10 rebounds. She was the only player in the nation last season to record a 30-point, 10-rebound game with a field goal percentage of 80.0 percent or better.• Against North Florida on Dec. 16, Lee registered a season-high 36 points on 15-of-17 shooting from the field and 6-of-6 from the foul line in just under 24 minutes of action. She also recorded four rebounds, a season-high three steals and a blocked shot.• According to Stats Perform, Lee was the only NCAA Division I women’s player since at least the 1999-00 season to score 36 or more points, while shooting 88.0 percent or better from the field in under 25 minutes of action.• Against Oral Roberts on Dec. 18, Lee tallied 24 points on 11-of-17 shooting and 21 rebounds in 23 minutes of action. She also recorded five blocked shots.• According to Stats Perform, Lee was the only NCAA Division I women’s player since at least the 1999-00 season to tally a 20-20 double-double with five blocks in less than 25 minutes. Also, no NCAA Division I men’s basketball player since 1996-97 and no NBA player since 1983-84 has achieved this stat line in fewer than 25 minutes.• According to HerHoopStats with her stat line against West Virginia on Feb. 21, 2024 Lee was the only NCAA Division I women’s player in the 2023-24 season to register a game with 30 or more points, 10 or more rebounds, 10 or more made field goals with a field goal percentage of 70.0 percent or higher and 10 or more free throws made.Lee Efficient from the Field• Ayoka Lee continues to put the ball in the hoop at a high rate and is among the top-five on the K-State career field goal percentage list.• In her career, Lee has a field goal percentage of .589 (901-of-1529) and third in program history for career field goal percentage. Her career field goal percentage ranks fifth in Big 12 history.• Lee is the second player in program history with 900 or more field goals made in a career, joining Kendra Wecker (935; 2001-05). Lee ranks second in school history for career field goals made and is sixth for career field goals attempted.• Lee owns 83 career games with a field goal percentage of .500 or better. She has made 10 or more field goals in a game 31 times in her career - a school record.• In the 2023-24 season, Lee led the Big 12 by shooting .619 (221-of-357) from the field. Her field goal percentage of .619 ranked third in school history for a single season.• She made five or more field goals in 26 games including a high of 15 against North Florida on Dec. 16. Her 221 field goals made were the second-most of her career and her second straight season with 200 or more made field goals.• In the 2021-22 season, Lee set a new school record for field goals made in a single season. She ranked fifth in school history for field goals attempted in a season. Her 526 field goals attempted were the most by a Wildcat since Brittany Chambers in the 2012-13 season.• Against Oklahoma on Jan. 23, Lee set the Big 12 and K-State records for field goals made with 23. Of the 23 made field goals, 22 came inside the paint and needed only three total dribbles.