Game 3
rv/rv Army at 17/20 K-State
Date: Saturday, September 6, 2025
Kickoff: 6 p.m.
Location: Manhattan, Kan.
Stadium: Bill Snyder Family Stadium (50,000)
Series: Army Leads, 2-0
TV: ESPN (Watch)
Roy Philpott (Play-by-Play)
Louis Riddick (Analyst)
Kris Budden (Sidelines)
K-State Radio: K-State Sports Network; k-statesports.com (Listen)
Wyatt Thompson (Play-by-Play)
Stan Weber (Analyst)
Matt Walters (Sidelines)
SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ch. 106 or 198, and on the SiriusXM App
X Updates: @KStateFB and @KStateStatsInfo
THE TOP 51) Coming off a 38-35 come-from-behind win over North Dakota last week in its home opener, K-State now turns its attention to Army as the Black Knights visit Manhattan on Saturday evening inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The game, which kicks off at 6 p.m., will be shown on ESPN with Roy Philpott (play-by-play) and Louis Riddick (analyst) and Kris Budden (sideline) on the call.
2) Quarterback Avery Johnson is set to make his 17th-career start under center. The Wichita, Kansas, product enters the game with a 157.7 pass efficiency ranking and is 49-of-73 (67.1%) for 591 yards and five touchdowns on the year. He enters the week ranking 14th nationally in passing yards per game (295.5) and 16th nationally in completions per game (24.5).
3) K-State has seen 11 different players record catches this season, and wide receiver Jayce Brown is coming off his best game as a Wildcat. Brown had 12 catches for 109 yards and a touchdown, while Jaron Tibbs and Joe Jackson each hauled in TD receptions last week. Brown leads the team in receiving with 16 catches for 187 yards and three TDs, while Jerand Bradley has eight catches for 121 yards and a score.
4) In two games, K-Stateās defense has held its opponents to an average of 2.9 yards per rush on 79 attempts and also has 16 tackles for loss and seven sacks, the latter of which ranks 24th nationally. Austin Romaine leads the way in tackles with 18 stops, which includes 10 last week against North Dakota. Tobi Osunsanmi has a team-leading 3.0 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss.
5) The Wildcatsā defensive backs have totaled 10 pass breakups through the first two weeks of the season. Cornerback Zashon Rich leads the way with three passes defended, and he is second on the team with 11 tackles. Fellow cornerback Donovan McIntosh has two pass breakups, while five other Wildcats have recorded one each. The Cats also have three fumble recoveries on the year.
STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS375 ā K-State has totaled at least 375 offensive yards in 34 games since 2022, which is tied for fourth among Power 4 teams.
67.1 ā Completion percentage by Avery Johnson through two games this season. Last year, he completed 58.3% of his passes.
23 ā Consecutive games that Jayce Brown has recorded at least one catch, which dates back to the 2023 Texas Tech game.
7 ā Number of sacks in two games, which ranks 24th nationally. The Cats also have recorded 16 TFLs in two games.
3 ā This is the third meeting all-time between K-State and Army with the last meeting dating back to 1987.
TEAM NOTESRECENT RALLY
ā¢ Last weekās 38-35 triumph over North Dakota marked the fifth come-from-behind victory since the beginning of 2024 when trailing in the fourth quarter.
ā¢ It represented K-Stateās first game-winning touchdown with under 1:00 left in regulation since Skylar Thompson connected with Isaiah Zuber on the final play in a home game against Iowa State in 2017.
ā¢ Kansas State totaled 461 offensive yards against the Fighting Hawks, the 34th time in the last 41 games dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season that the Wildcats have totaled at least 375 yards.
ā¢ K-State is 27-7 when totaling at least 375 offensive yards since 2022.
NON-CONFERENCE NOTABLES
ā¢ Since 1990, K-State holds a 102-20 (83.6%) record in regular-season non-conference games.
ā¢ That stretch includes an 85-9 (90.4%) mark at home. Over that period of time, the Wildcats have had perfect regular season non-conference ledgers 18 times and unblemished marks at home on 26 occasions.
CATS vs. SERVICE ACADEMIES
ā¢ Saturday marks the seventh time in program history the Wildcats will face one of the three services academies ā Air Force, Army and Navy ā while it will be just the third time in Manhattan.
ā¢ K-State has lost both its meetings to Army, including a 41-14 defeat in Manhattan in 1987, which is the last time the Wildcats hosted a service academy.
ā¢ The Wildcats are 3-0 all-time against Air Force, including a 34-21 home victory in 1978.
ā¢ Kansas Stateās only meeting against Navy came in the 2019 Liberty Bowl, a 20-17 loss.
CATS vs. THE AMERICAN
ā¢ Saturdayās contest is the 45th time that K-State will face a current member of the American, as the Wildcats are 25-18-1 against the conference.
ā¢ This is the second-straight year that K-State will face an American team as the Wildcats won at Tulane, 34-27, last year on September 7.
TOWARD THE TOP IN CONSISTENCY
ā¢ 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.
ā¢ 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.
ā¢ The Wildcats rank 15th among Power 4 teams and are tops among current Big 12 programs with 29 total wins over the last three seasons.
AMONG THE NATIONāS BEST
ā¢ K-State has a total of 232 victories since 1996, which is tied for 21st nationally.
ā¢ Among active Big 12 teams, the Wildcats rank fourth behind BYU (240), TCU (238) and Utah (234).
A WINNING TRADITION
ā¢ Kansas State has totaled 144 Big 12 victories since the conferenceās formation in 1996, which stands as the most among active Big 12 programs.
ā¢ The Cats are also second among active Big 12 members in winning percentage since non-divisional play began in 2011. They sit at 59.1% (75-52), trailing only Oklahoma State (61.1%; 77-49).
ā¢ During that stretch, the Wildcats are 42-21 (66.7%) at home in Big 12 play and 33-31 (51.6%) on the road/neutral.
RETURNING EXPERIENCE
ā¢ 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.
ā¢ Among the group, K-State returns 13 starters from last season ā which is tied for 10th in the nation ā while its 15 returning starters from the Rate Bowl are tied for seventh in the nation.
STATE PRIDE
ā¢ Of the 13 returning starters, seven hail from the state of Kansas.
ā¢ 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).
ā¢ Defensively, the list includes defensive tackle Damian Ilalio (Manhattan), linebacker Des Purnell (Topeka) and defensive end Cody Stufflebean (McPherson).
NOCTURNAL CATS
ā¢ Kansas State played nine night games a year ago ā going 6-3 in those contests ā and the Wildcats begin the season with each of their first four games kicking off at 5 p.m. local time or later.
ā¢ The season opener against Iowa State kicked off at 5 p.m. (Irish Standard Time), while K-Stateās first two home games 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).
ā¢ 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
ā¢ A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds a 121-42 career record, as his 74.2% career winning percentage ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that have completed at least 10 seasons. He is also one of just 16 current Power 4 head coaches with at least 100 career victories.
ā¢ Klieman, who is 49-29 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
ā¢ K-State earned four come-from-behind wins in 2024 when trailing in the fourth quarter ā which tied for the second most in the country (Illinois, 5) ā and the Cats added another one in 2025.
ā¢ The Wildcatsā four wins last season when trailing in the fourth quarter tied the school record originally set by the 2011 squad.
ā¢ At Tulane, a Dylan Edwards touchdown run and a Jack Fabris fumble return erased a 27-20 deficit in a 34-27 win.
ā¢ 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 Buffaloesā lone home loss of the season.
ā¢ K-State trailed Kansas, 27-26, until Chris Tennantās 51-yard field goal with 1:42 left earned the Wildcats a 29-27 win.
ā¢ 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.
ā¢ In last weekās home opener against North Dakota, the Wildcats trailed, 35-31, with 1:33 remaining and needed to go 81 yards for a touchdown. Avery Johnson connected with Joe Jackson on a six-yard touchdown pass with 0:42 left for the win. It was the first game-winning touchdown with less than 1:00 remaining in regulation since a Skylar Thompson-to-Isaiah Zuber pass on the final play of the game against Iowa State in 2017.
CATS TOPS IN NON-OFFENSIVE TDs
ā¢ K-State is the nationās 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 ā 126) and 17 more than the next Big 12 program (Utah ā 118).
ā¢ K-State recorded four non-offensive scores during the 2024 season, its most since also recording four in 2020.
ā¢ 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
ā¢ 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.
ā¢ 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 (2,985) and completions (238).
ā¢ 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.
TOTAL OFFENSEā¢ K-State has totaled at least 375 yards of offense in 34 of the last 42 games dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season.
ā¢ The 34 games with at least 375 yards are tied for fourth among Power 4 programs and second among Big 12 schools. Georgia leads the way with 37, followed by Oregon and USC with 35, while LSU, TCU, Texas and Washington are also at 34.
ā¢ During that stretch, K-State holds a 27-7 record when totaling at least 375 yards, while the Wildcats are 2-6 when going under that mark.RED ZONE SUCCESSā¢ Since Chris Kliemanās first season at K-State in 2019, the Wildcats have been the best in the Big 12 in terms of converting red-zone opportunities into points.
ā¢ The Wildcats rank first in the Big 12 with an 89.8% (274-of-305) success rate in the red zone since 2019, just ahead of both Texas Tech (88.1%) and Oklahoma State (87.7%).
ā¢ K-State also ranks first in the league in touchdown success rate at 67.2% (205-of-305), ahead of Kansas (66.3%) and Utah (65.0%).RED ZONE THREATSā¢ Kansas Stateās tight end unit combined for 13 touchdown receptions in 2024, which led the nation.
ā¢ The 13 touchdowns came from four different players who are all back in 2025 in Garrett Oakley (5), Will Anciaux (3), Will Swanson (3) and Brayden Loftin (2).GROUND AND POUNDā¢ 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.
ā¢ 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.
ā¢ The average was driven by 95 rushes of at least 10 yards to rank seventh in the nation, while K-Stateās 34 rushing plays of 20 or more yards last season ranked second (UNLV, 36).NEW ā BUT EXPERIENCED ā OLā¢ Kansas State brought back seven offensive linemen who have seen playing time in a Wildcat uniform prior to the start of 2025 but only three that earned starts. However, K-State is not void of experience thanks to the addition of a few transfers.
ā¢ The Wildcatsā six primary offensive linemen in the first two games have totaled 168 games played and 54 starts, led by left guard Taylor Poitier (33 games, 18 starts).
ā¢ The other primary linemen to open the 2025 season are center Sam Hecht (32 games, 15 starts), right guard JB Nelson (33 games, 9 starts), tackle/guard Andrew Leingang (29 games, 4 starts), left tackle John Pastore (12 games, 2 start) and tackle Terrence Enos Jr. (29 games, 6 starts).VERY EFFICIENTā¢ Quarterback Avery Johnson had one of his better outputs in terms of efficiency in the season opener, completing 70.0% of his passes and producing a 168.4 pass efficiency rating.
ā¢ Johnson went 21-of-30 for 273 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions against Iowa State. His 70.0% completion clip was a career best (minimum 10 attempts), bettering his 66.7% mark in last yearās season opener against UT Martin. His pass efficiency rating was the second highest of his career, only to be outdone by a 186.0 mark last year at West Virginia.THROWING FOR 300ā¢ Avery Johnson backed his season-opening performance up with the first 300-yard passing game of his career as he threw for 318 yards and a career-high tying three touchdowns on 28-of-43 aim against North Dakota. His completion and attempt totals were also a career high.
ā¢ It was the 46th 300-yard passing game in school history and the first since Will Howard went for 327 during an overtime contest at Texas in 2023.
MULTIPLE TD PASSESā¢ Avery Johnson has thrown multiple touchdown passes in each of the last five games dating back to last year, which includes a career-high tying three last year against Iowa State and Rutgers and last week against North Dakota.
ā¢ It is the longest streak of games with multiple touchdown passes since Will Howard held a five-game streak in 2023 against TCU, Houston, Texas, Baylor and Kansas.
ā¢ A product of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson is looking to become the first K-State signal caller with multiple touchdown passes in at least six games since Josh Freeman had a seven-game streak over the final three games of 2007 (vs. Nebraska, Missouri, Fresno State) and the first four games of 2008 (vs. North Texas, Montana State, Louisville, Louisiana).
WINNING FROM A YOUNG AGEā¢ Despite only starting 16 career games, Avery Johnson has led the Wildcats to 11 wins to rank 11th in school history in wins among K-State signal callers since 1990.
ā¢ Additionally, his 68.8% winning percentage ranks eighth among those that have started at least 10 games.
FAVORITE TARGETā¢ Avery Johnsonās favorite target to open the 2025 season has been wide receiver Jayce Brown, who has 16 receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns over the first two games.
ā¢ Brown hauled in 12 catches against North Dakota, which tied for the seventh-most catches in a single game in school history, doubled his previous career high of six (last year at Colorado) and were the most by a Wildcat since Tyler Lockett had 13 in the final game of his career in the 2014 Alamo Bowl vs. UCLA.
ā¢ A native of Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Brown produced the third 100-yard receiving game of his career against the Fighting Hawks, going for 109 yards.
ā¢ He has at least 100 scrimmage yards in each of the last four games dating back to last season after only one such performance in the first 21 games of his career.
CATCH STREAKā¢ Jayce Brown has recorded at least one reception in each of the last 23 games dating back to the 2023 Texas Tech contest.
ā¢ It is the longest streak of games with at least one reception by a Wildcat since Phillip Brooks went 25-straight games with a reception over the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
DEFENSIVE NOTESCONTINUITY ON THE STAFFā¢ Each of the Wildcatsā 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.
ā¢ However, Iowa utilizes four positional coaches on defense, whereas K-State employs five.
ā¢ 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 ā along with Klanderman and Malone ā were members of Chris Kliemanās original staff at K-State in 2019.
LIMITED POINTS PER GAMEā¢ Since the 2021 season (55 games), the Cats are allowing just 22.1 points per game, which ranks 24th nationally and third among current Big 12 teams.
ā¢ Additionally, the Cats have allowed 139 offensive touchdowns (2.5 per game) over that time to tie for 27th in the nation.
ā¢ 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.
ā¢ Since head coach Chris Kliemanās 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 (excluding 2025 season opener against Iowa State).
NONE OVER 200ā¢ 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.
ā¢ They have continued that trend in 20025 as Iowa State only managed 130 rushing yards on 46 attempts (2.82-yard average) and North Dakota had 102 yards on 33 carries (3.09-yard average).
ā¢ K-State was one of only two Big 12 teams to not allow a 200-yard rushing game in 2024 (Arizona State).
ā¢ 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 and the fewest allowed in a Big 12 game since 2006.
CREATING TURNOVERSā¢ Since the beginning of 2022, K-State has totaled 65 forced turnovers, which is the most among active Big 12 teams and is tied for 11th among Power 4 teams.
ā¢ Of the 65 turnovers, 39 have been via interception to rank second among all active Big 12 programs and tie for 16th among Power 4 teams.
BEHIND THE LINEā¢ K-State finished the 2024 season ranked 25th nationally and second in the Big 12 with 2.69 sacks per game.
ā¢ It was the Wildcatsā best national ranking since 2015 (No. 9) and highest sacks per game mark since 2020 (2.80).
ā¢ Kansas Stateās 35 sacks a year ago resulted in 249 lost yards, which ranked 11th in the Power 4 and first in the Big 12.
ā¢ 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.
ā¢ K-Stateās six sacks last year at Colorado resulted in 74 yards of loss, the fourth-most ever by a Big 12 team in a league game and second most by a Big 12 team in any game since 2012.
ā¢ 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.
ā¢ The Cats have recorded seven sacks in 2025 as they rank 24th nationally entering the week.
ROMAINE LED THE WAY IN 2024ā¢ 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).
ā¢ Romaine was the first Wildcat with at least 90 tackles in a season since Jayd Kirby had 99 in 2017.
ā¢ 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.
ā¢ 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.
ā¢ Romaine has opened the 2025 campaign with a team-leading 18 tackles over the first two games, including a 10-tackle performance last week against North Dakota.
BRINGING THE PAYNE
ā¢ Senior safety VJ Payne enters his final season in a Wildcat uniform with 42 career games played and 32 starts, both of which are the most among returning players.
ā¢ Additionally, he has started a team-high 31-straight games, which dates back to the 2022 Kansas game.
ā¢ 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.
ā¢ Payne also forced a fumble at Tulane and another against Kansas, the latter being on the final fourth-down stop of the game.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTESSCORING IN THE THIRD PHASEā¢ 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).
ā¢ Of the 62 total returns, a nation-leading 31 are on kickoff returns, and the next closest team is Houston with 21.
SEVEN STRAIGHTā¢ K-State has blocked a punt in seven-straight seasons, tied for the longest streak in the nation with San Diego State.
ā¢ Oregon, Iowa State and Rutgers are tied for third at five-straight years.
BREAKING IN A NEW KICKERā¢ Kansas State has a new place kicker in 2025 as Chris Tennant departed after serving as the primary place kicker each of the last three seasons.
ā¢ In the first two games of 2025, special teams coordinator/special assistant to the head coach Nate Kaczor has turned to community-college transfer Luis Rodriguez, who has been true on all eight extra-point attempts and had a 30-yard field goal against North Dakota.
ā¢ 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.
McCLANNAN IS BACKā¢ Although K-State is relying on the services of a new place kicker, the Wildcats do have their regular punter back in sophomore Simon McClannan.
ā¢ The Omaha, Nebraska, native is coming off the 2024 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).
ā¢ 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 RETURNSā¢ K-State has not allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown since the 2013 season, going the last 153 games and 445 returns without allowing its opponent to find paydirt.
ā¢ The streak is the longest among the active Big 12 teams, 263 returns better than the next closest team (Arizona State ā 182).
ā¢ Since K-State allowed its last kickoff-return touchdown, the Wildcats have scored 14 of their own.