THE TOP 5
1) Coming off a third-straight season of at least nine wins, No. 17 Kansas State begins the 2025 campaign in style as the Wildcats take on Iowa State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Saturday inside Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. The game, which kicks off at 11 a.m. CT (5 p.m. IST), will be shown on ESPN with Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek (analyst) and Taylor McGregor (sidelines) on the call.
2) This is only the second time in program history that the Wildcats are opening a season with a conference opponent. The first came in 1996 when K-State faced Texas Tech in the inaugural Big 12 game inside then-KSU Stadium in Manhattan. The trip across the Atlantic Ocean is the second time Kansas State will play on foreign soil as the Cats faced Nebraska in Tokyo, Japan, in 1992.
3) Quarterback Avery Johnson is set to make his 15th-career start under center. The Wichita, Kansas, product has led the Wildcats to a 10-4 record in his first 14 starts. A junior, Johnson returns after setting the school record with 25 touchdown passes in 2024. He is joined in the backfield by running back Dylan Edwards, who set a K-State bowl record with 196 yards in the 2024 Rate Bowl.
4) K-State’s receiving corps is headlined by its tight ends as four players combined for 13 receiving touchdowns last year, which was the most in the nation. At wide receiver, Jayce Brown is back after totaling 823 yards and five touchdowns a year ago, including a 106-yard, two-touchdown game at Iowa State. Transfers with experience in Jaron Tibbs (Purdue) and Jerand Bradley (Texas Tech/BC) enter the mix as well.
5) The Wildcats’ top two tacklers from a year ago are back in linebacker Austin Romaine (96) and safety VJ Payne (64). Alongside Romaine at linebacker is Des Purnell, who has started 26 career games and is coming off a season in which he had a career-high 9.5 tackles for loss. A combined 49 starts are back along the defensive line, headlined by tackle Damian Ilalio, who has 16 in his career after starting all 13 games in 2024.
STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS4,140 – Miles “as the crow flies” between Manhattan and Dublin. It is the second-furthest game from MHK (Tokyo in 1992 – 6,127).
144 – Big 12 victories by K-State since the conference's inception in 1996, the most among active programs.
13 – TD receptions by K-State’s tight end unit in 2024, the most in the nation; All players that accounted for those TDs are back.
4 – Victories last year when trailing in the fourth quarter, which were the second most in the nation (Illinois, 5).
1 – The Aer Lingus College Football Classic is the first NCAA football game of 2025 among all of Divisions I, II and III.
TEAM NOTESGETTING THE PARTY STARTED
• K-State will play in the first Division I college football game of the 2025 season when the Wildcats take on Iowa State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Saturday.
• That matchup is one of only five FBS games this week before the entire slate gets underway next week.
• The Wildcats will be playing abroad for just the second time in program history as they faced Nebraska in Tokyo, Japan, in 1992.
• This season will be the first ever Big 12 matchup in Ireland, the fourth edition of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic and the 10th college football game all-time played in Ireland.
• With K-State checking in at No. 17 and Iowa State at No. 22 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25, this is the first Aer Lingus College Football Classic featuring two ranked teams and believed to be the first international game to lay that claim.
EARLY START
• With the season opener being contested on August 23, it is tied for the earliest start to a campaign in program history with the 2003 opener.
• That season, K-State defeated California, 42-28, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
• K-State’s third game this season – a home game against Army – is on September 6. With Labor Day moving back in the calendar in 2026, the Cats’ 2016 season opener is slated for September 5.
CATS IN LID LIFTERS
• Entering its 130th year of football, Kansas State holds an all-time record of 89-35-5 (70.9%) in season openers, including a 31-4 (88.6%) mark since 1990.
• Chris Klieman, who enters his 13th year as a head coach, has earned a 10-2 (83.3%) record in season openers, and he has gone 5-1 in season openers as K-State’s head coach.
OPENING WITH A CONFERENCE FOE
• The 2025 Aer Lingus College Football Classic is just the second time in the 130-year history of K-State football that the Wildcats will open against a conference opponent.
• The only other time the Wildcats faced a league foe in the first game of a season was in 1996 when K-State defeated Texas Tech, 21-14, the first-ever Big 12 game held in Manhattan.
• This is the eighth time since 2000 that the Cats will open a season against a power-conference opponent, going 5-2 in the previous seven games.
TOWARD THE TOP IN CONSISTENCY
• 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 rank 13th among Power 4 teams and are tops among current Big 12 programs with 28 total wins over the last three seasons.
AMONG THE NATION’S BEST
• K-State has a total of 231 victories since 1996, which is tied for 21st nationally.
• Among active Big 12 teams, the Wildcats rank fourth behind BYU (239), TCU (238) and Utah (233).
A WINNING TRADITION
• Kansas State has totaled 144 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 59.5% (75-51), trailing only Oklahoma State (61.1%; 77-49).
• During that stretch, the Wildcats are 42-21 (66.7%) at home in Big 12 play and 33-30 (52.4%) on the road/neutral.
RETURNING EXPERIENCE
• The 2025 Wildcats are tied for sixth in most returning letterwinners since 2003 with 45, which is impressive considering the roster limits that took effect over the summer.
• Among the group, K-State returns 13 starters from last season – which is tied for 10th in the nation – while its 15 returning starters from the Rate Bowl are tied for seventh in the nation.
STATE PRIDE
• Of the 13 returning starters, seven 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).
NOCTURNAL CATS
• Kansas State played nine night games a year ago – going 6-3 in those contests – and the Wildcats will begin the season with each of their first four games kicking off at 5 p.m. local time or later.
• The season opener against Iowa State will kick off at 5 p.m. (Irish Standard Time), while K-State’s first two home games will each kick off at 6 p.m. (Central Time). Then, the Wildcats travel to face Arizona in a game that will kick off at 6 p.m. (Mountain Standard Time).
• Last season was the first time that K-State played nine night games during the regular season in the Big 12 era (1996).
A TRACK RECORD OF WINNING
• A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds a 120-41 career record, as his 74.5% career winning percentage ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that are in at least their 10th season. He is also one of just 15 current Power 4 head coaches with at least 100 career victories.
• Klieman, who is 48-28 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.
CARDIAC CATS
• Kansas State earned four come-from-behind wins in 2024 when trailing in the fourth quarter, tied for the second most in the country (Illinois, 5).
• The Wildcats’ four wins last season when trailing in the fourth quarter tied the school record originally set by the 2011 squad (Eastern Kentucky, Miami, Baylor, Texas A&M).
• At Tulane, a Dylan Edwards touchdown run and a Jack Fabris fumble return – the latter with 8:13 left – erased a 27-20 deficit in a 34-27 win.
• At Colorado, a 50-yard touchdown pass from Avery Johnson to Jayce Brown with 2:14 remaining swung a 28-24 deficit to a 31-28 victory in the Buffaloes’ lone home loss of the season.
• K-State trailed Kansas, 27-26, until Chris Tennant’s 51-yard field goal with 1:42 left earned the Wildcats a 29-27 win.
• Lastly, the Wildcats recorded their largest bowl come-from-behind victory in the 2024 Rate Bowl as they trailed Rutgers by 17 points in the third quarter and by 12 points in the fourth quarter before a 44-41 victory.
CATS TOPS IN NON-OFFENSIVE TDs
• K-State is the nation’s best in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 25-plus seasons as it has 135 since 1999, nine more than the next closest team (Alabama – 126) and 17 more than the next Big 12 program (Utah – 118).
• K-State recorded four non-offensive scores during the 2024 season, its most since also recording four in 2020.
• The four non-offensive scores a year ago were: a Ty Bowman blocked punt against UT Martin that was returned for a score by Colby McCalister, a 60-yard fumble 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.
OFFENSIVE NOTESWELLS LEADING THE CHARGE
• After spending the 2024 season coaching the K-State quarterbacks and serving as co-offensive coordinator, associate head coach Matt Wells is now the full-time play caller in 2025.
• All Wells did during his first season on staff was tutor Avery Johnson to a school-record 25 touchdown passes, while his sophomore signal caller ranked fifth in school history in passing yards (2,712) and completions (217).
• Wells and Johnson helped guide a K-State offense that finished in the top 15 nationally in four categories and in the top 10 of school history in 15 game or season categories.
GROUND AND POUND• K-State finished the 2024 season ranking 11th nationally by averaging 215.5 rushing yards per game, while the Cats were second in the country by averaging a school-record 6.08 rushing yards per carry.
• The Cats rushed for at least 200 yards in eight games last year, the most in the Big 12 and the second most among Power 4 schools.
• The average was driven by 95 rushes of at least 10 yards to rank seventh in the nation, while K-State’s 34 rushing plays of 20 or more yards last season ranked second (UNLV, 36).TOTAL OFFENSE• K-State has totaled at least 375 yards of offense in 32 of the last 40 games dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season.
• That figure is tied for eighth among Power 4 programs and second among Big 12 schools. Georgia leads the way with 36, followed by LSU, Oregon, TCU, Texas and USC with 34, while Washington is at 33.
• During that stretch, K-State holds a 26-6 record when totaling at least 375 yards, while the Wildcats are 2-6 when going under that mark.RED ZONE SUCCESS• Since Chris Klieman’s first season at K-State in 2025, 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 90.0% (269-of-299) success rate in the red zone since 2019, just ahead of both Texas Tech (87.8%) and Oklahoma State (87.5%).
• K-State also ranks first in the league in touchdown success rate at 67.2% (201-of-299), ahead of Kansas (66.5%) and UCF (65.0%).RED ZONE THREATS• Kansas State’s tight end unit combined for 13 touchdown receptions in 2024, which led the nation.
• The 13 touchdowns came from four different players who are all returning in 2025 in Garrett Oakley (5), Will Anciaux (3), Will Swanson (3) and Brayden Loftin (2).NEW – BUT EXPERIENCED – OL• Kansas State brings back seven offensive linemen who have seen playing time in a Wildcat uniform but only three that have earned starts in Taylor Poitier (31 games, 16 starts), Sam Hecht (30 games, 13 starts) and Andrew Leingang (27 games, 2 starts).
• However, K-State is not void of experience as the Wildcats brought in four transfers that have combined 86 games played. The most experienced transfers are JB Nelson (31 games, 8 starts at Penn State) and Terrence Enos Jr. (27 games played, 5 starts at Pitt). The Wildcats also brought in George Fitzpatrick (20 games played at Ohio State) and Amos Talalele (8 games played, 1 start at USC).SECOND-YEAR STARTER• Quarterback Avery Johnson is back for his second year of starting duties after setting the school record for single-season touchdown passes at 25.
• Additionally, Johnson finished second in school history in passing yards by a sophomore (2,712), fourth in pass attempts (372), fifth in overall passing yards and completions (217), sixth in total offensive yards (3,317) and eighth in touchdown responsibility (32).
• A product of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson opens the 2025 season ranked in the top 10 in four career categories, while he is just outside the top 10 in several others (see page 49).WINNING FROM A YOUNG AGE• Despite only starting 14 career games, Avery Johnson has led the Wildcats to 10 wins to tie for 11th among K-State signal callers since 1990, while his 71.4% winning percentage ranks seventh among those that have started at least 10 games.
• His winning percentage also ranks second among active Big 12 quarterbacks that have started at least 10 games (Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt – 84.6%).
ONE OF A SELECT FEW• Avery Johnson was one of only five players in the nation and one of three from Power 4 schools to record at least 2,700 passing yards and 600 rushing yards in 2024. He was joined on that list by Jalen Milroe (Alabama), Taylen Green (Arkansas), Devon Dampier (New Mexico), Riley Leonard (Notre Dame) and John Mateer (Washington State).
• Additionally, Johnson was one of nine signal callers nationally with at least 25 passing touchdowns and seven rushing touchdowns. The others to hit those marks were Cade Klubnik (Clemson), Rocco Becht (Iowa State), Alonza Barnett III (James Madison), Will Howard (Ohio State), Dillon Gabriel (Oregon), Jordan McCloud (Texas State), Caden Veltkamp (Western Kentucky) and Mateer.
A NEW ERA IN THE BACKFIELD• Running back Dylan Edwards shined during his first opportunity as K-State’s primary running back in the 2024 Rate Bowl, and he looks to carry that momentum into 2025.
• All Edwards did was set a school bowl record with 196 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, while he had 27 receiving yards and another score en route to Offensive MVP honors.
• A native of Derby, Kansas, and former transfer from Colorado, Edwards finished second on the team last season with 1,117 all-purpose yards.
GOIN’ DEEP• Wide receiver Jayce Brown enters his junior season ranked eighth in school history by averaging 17.0 yards per reception in his career.
• He finished the 2024 season tied for fourth nationally with seven receptions of 40 or more yards, while his four receptions of 50 or more yards tied for eighth.
• Brown finished his sophomore campaign of 2024 with 823 receiving yards, which were the most by a Wildcat since Tyler Lockett in 2014 and the most in school history by a sophomore.
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 K-State defense switched from a four-man front to a 3-3-5 alignment at the beginning of the 2021 season (53 games), the Cats are allowing just 21.8 points per game, which ranks 24th nationally and third among current Big 12 teams.
• Additionally, the Wildcats have allowed 131 offensive touchdowns (2.5 per game) over that time to rank 23rd in the nation.
• The Wildcats have finished each of the three previous seasons allowing less than 24.0 points per game, their longest streak since going 13-straight years from 1991 through 2003.
• Since head coach Chris Klieman’s first year of 2019, the Wildcats have held 42 of their 54 Big 12 opponents under their season average at the time it faces the Wildcats.
NONE OVER 200• Kansas State did not allow a team to rush for 200 or more yards in any game last season, the first time the Wildcats accomplished that feat since 2016.
• K-State was one of only two Big 12 teams to not allow a 200-yard rushing game in 2024 (Arizona State).
• The Wildcats yielded minus-29 rushing yards last year at Colorado, which was the third fewest in school history, the second fewest allowed by an FBS team in 2024, the fewest allowed in a Big 12 game since 2006 and the fourth fewest allowed by any team in the nation over the last seven seasons.
CREATING TURNOVERS• Over the last three seasons, K-State has totaled 62 forced turnovers, which is the most among active Big 12 teams and tied for 13th among Power 4 teams.
• Of the 62 turnovers, 39 have been via interception to also lead all active Big 12 programs and is tied for 13th among Power 4 teams.
BEHIND THE LINE• K-State finished the 2024 season ranked 25th nationally and second in the Big 12 with 2.69 sacks per game.
• It was the Wildcats’ best national ranking since 2015 (No. 9) and highest sacks per game mark since 2020 (2.80).
• Kansas State’s 35 sacks a year ago resulted in 249 lost yards, which ranked 11th among Power 4 schools and first in the Big 12.
• It was the most sack yardage by the Wildcats since 2003 (345) and tied for the fifth most by any K-State team since 1996.
• K-State’s six sacks last year at Colorado resulted in 74 yards of loss, the fourth-most ever by a Big 12 team in a conference game and second most by a Big 12 team in any game since 2012.
• It was the most sack yardage accumulated by the Wildcats in a single game since at least 1995. Their previous best over that timeframe was 72 yards against Baylor in 2002.
ROMAINE LED THE WAY IN 2024• Junior linebacker Austin Romaine, a 2024 All-Big 12 Second Team selection, returns after leading the Wildcats and ranking ninth in the conference with 96 tackles (7.38 per game).
• Romaine was the first Wildcat with at least 90 tackles in a season since Jayd Kirby had 99 in 2017.
• A native of Hillsboro, Missouri, Romaine had two sacks at Tulane, the second of which caused a fumble that was returned for a 60-yard, game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.
• It was his first of two forced fumbles on the year that led directly to the game-winning points. He also had one against Kansas prior to the game-winning field goal in a two-point victory.
BRINGING THE PAYNE
• Senior safety VJ Payne enters his final season in a Wildcat uniform with 40 career games played and 30 starts, both of which are the most among returning players.
• Additionally, he has started a team-high 28-straight games, which dates back to the 2022 Big 12 Championship Game victory over TCU.
• The Buford, Georgia, product was around the football all year in 2024. Aside from his 64 tackles, he also had a pair of interceptions to halt potential scoring drives as he had one in the end zone with five seconds remaining to seal the win at Tulane and another in the red zone at Colorado.
• Payne also forced a fumble at Tulane and another against Kansas, the latter being on the final fourth-down stop of the game.
ANOTHER VETERAN STARTER
• Alongside Payne in the longevity department is linebacker Des Purnell, who has also played in 40 career games and is second among returning Wildcats with 26 career starts.
• A native of Topeka, Kansas, Purnell earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention accolades two years ago when he had 52 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss. His total tackles dropped to 46 a year ago, but he had 9.5 tackles for loss to rank second on the team.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTESSCORING IN THE THIRD PHASE• The Wildcats continue to lead the nation in total return touchdowns since 2005 with 62, which is 22 more than the next closest team in Alabama (40) and 28 more than the next closest Big 12 programs, Oklahoma State and TCU (34).
• Of the 62 total returns, a nation-leading 31 are on kickoff returns, and the next closest team is Houston with 21.
SEVEN STRAIGHT• K-State has blocked a punt in seven-straight seasons, tied for the longest streak in the nation with San Diego State.
• Oregon and Iowa State are tied for third at five-straight years.
BREAKING IN A NEW KICKER• Kansas State will have a new place kicker in 2025 as Chris Tennant departed after serving as the primary place kicker each of the last three seasons.
• A few options are available for special teams coordinator/special assistant to the head coach Nate Kaczor, which includes community-college transfer Luis Rodriguez, sophomore Teagan Cobb and junior Leyton Simmering.
• Rodriguez came to K-State in July from College of the Canyons after being named to the California Community College Football Coaches Association (CCCFCA) All-America Team. In his lone season playing for the Cougars, Rodriguez was true on 21-of-25 field goals with a long of 54 yards, while he connected on 31-of-34 extra points.
• Cobb, a native of Rose Hill, Kansas, is in search of his first-career playing time. As a high school senior in 2022, Cobb was 11-of-13 on field goals – including a long of 43 – and 12-of-12 on extra points.
• Simmering, a native of Rosemount, Minnesota, is in his fourth year in the program. He made 1-of-2 extra-point attempts in 2023.
McCLANNAN IS BACK• Although K-State will rely in the services of a new place kicker, the Wildcats do return their regular punter from a year ago in sophomore Simon McClannan.
• The Omaha, Nebraska, native is coming off a season in which he averaged 42.34 yards on 47 punts to rank third in the Big 12 in average among qualified punters and fifth in school history among freshmen (minimum 25 attempts).
• McClannan saved his best effort of 2024 for the final game as he tallied a career-best 46.5-yard average (minimum 3 attempts) in the Rate Bowl against Rutgers, which was the fourth-highest average in K-State bowl history.
DEFENSE ON KICK RETURNS• K-State has not allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown since the 2013 season, going the last 151 games and 442 returns without allowing its opponent to find paydirt.
• The streak is the longest among the active Big 12 teams, 264 returns better than the next closest team (Arizona State – 178).
• Since K-State allowed its last kickoff-return touchdown, the Wildcats have scored 14 of their own.