Here Are the Latest K-State 2024 Football Season Predictions

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There is plenty of excitement around the 2024 Kansas State football team. This team is younger and faster than it has been in a long time. With youth comes uncertainty especially when paired with a new co-offensive coordinator, Matt Wells.

K-State will be as good as quarterback Avery Johnson, and Johnson has a high ceiling. The offensive line will have a new look to it with Cooper Beebe heading to the NFL.

On the defensive side, big-time defenders like Austin Moore, Marques Sigle and Jacob Parrish are back, but there were some departures, leaving the coaching staff to fill a few holes, which they did through the transfer portal.

FanDuel currently has the over/under for K-State's win total set at 9.5 for this team.

Week 1: UT Martin

Winners of at least a share of the Ohio Valley Conference each of the last three seasons, the Skyhawks will be looking to replace All-American running back Sam Franklin and attempting to shore up the defensive line after losing multiple starters. While UT Martin has a lot of experience coming back on the offensive line, the K-State defense should be able to apply some pressure. The defensive line is a weak link for the Skyhawks, spelling a big day for the thunder-and-lightning combination in the K-State backfield of DJ Giddens and Dylan Edwards. The Wildcats should be able to handle UT Martin easily on Aug.31. Kansas State wins 45-17.

Record: 1-0

Week 2: at Tulane

An early season road game at Tulane is up next for the Wildcats. The last time they matched up in 2022, Tulane pulled off the upset in Bill Snyder Family Stadium. That was with a good team that beat USC in the Cotton Bowl. The 2024 Green Wave team will be without their former coach who took a job at Houston. Jon Sumrall came over from Troy and kept the team's core together. Sumrall also drew a former five-star quarterback, Ty Thompson, from Oregon to Manhattan, Kans. This game on Sept. 7 has the makings of a letdown for Kansas State, but Klieman and the staff will figure out a way for the Wildcats to win 31-28.

Record: 2-0

Week 3: Arizona

Since 2008, Kansas State has been 2-7 in weeknight regular season games. This game is on a Friday night, Sept. 13, at home. It is a battle for the supremacy of the Wildcat mascot in the Big 12 Conference. The Arizona offense might be the most high-powered offense the K-State defense will face all season with the great QB Noah Fifita and wide receiver Tetairoa McMillian. Arizona made an underwhelming hire with Brent Brennan, who replaces Jedd Fisch. Nevertheless, these two teams should be in the top 25 when they play and the game has the makings of a shootout. Even with a new coach, Arizona should have enough firepower to win this one 42-38.

Record: 2-1

Week 4: at BYU

Since the matchup with Arizona technically (and oddly) does not count as a conference game, K-State opens Big 12 Conference play on the road on Sept. 21 in Provo, Utah. The Cougars struggled last year in conference play, finishing the season 5-7. There is no real sign of much improvement on the offensive end, although they have a defense that will keep them in games. Johnson will have his first start in front of a rowdy crowd and the run game will have to be effective for K-State to win, which they should be able to do. Wearing down the BYU defense, K-State wins 31-24.

Record: 3-1

Week 5: Oklahoma State

Oklahoma State will cause headaches for opposing defenses with Doak Walker Award-winning running back Ollie Gordon pounding the ball. However, even with a player like Gordon, the Cowboys might have realized their full potential last season with a berth in the Big 12 championship game. K-State shot themselves in the foot in the game played at Oklahoma State last year. These two teams are evenly matched. The difference might be who gets the home-field advantage. K-State wins 34-27.

Record: 4-1

Week 6: at Colorado

An old Big 8/12 rivalry has been renewed with the Buffaloes rejoining the Big 12. Colorado is a wild card this year with good players scattered around the roster. Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter are the two names that instantly come to mind. Did head coach Deion Sanders fix the offensive line? Only time will tell. The Wildcat defense will be able to put pressure on Sanders and raise havoc. Even with the advantage in the trenches for K-State, this game will not be easy. This matchup is scheduled for Oct. 12. The Wildcats win this game 35-24.

Record: 5-1

Week 7: at West Virginia

It is never easy to win at Milan Puskar Stadium even though Kansas State has done it several times since West Virginia joined the Big 12. The Mountaineers are a program on the upswing under head coach Neal Brown. QB Garrett Greene should be able to improve on his 2023 campaign, putting West Virginia in the mix on top of the conference. Getting the win in this game for the Mountaineers on Oct. 19 will only bolster their case. Mountaineers win 31-27.

Record: 5-2

Week 8: Kansas

The Sunflower Showdown involves extra intrigue this year. The Jayhawks are looking to snap a 15-game losing streak to K-State. Will Jalon Daniels stay healthy? Will the Kansas defensive front seven be stronger? Will their offensive line come together? K-State should have most of its questions answered by this time and will be looking to make it 16 straight in the rivalry series, keeping pace in the Big 12 Championship race. The in-state rivals play on Oct. 26. Kansas State should win this game 41-28.

Record: 6-2

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Week 9: at Houston

The Houston Cougars struggled last season, going 4-8, leading to the firing of Dana Holgerson. Houston then hired Willie Fritz away from Tulane, which seems to be the right hire for the Cougars. Donovan Smith will give Houston stability at the QB position. But, in year one with Fritz at the helm, the Cougars will probably struggle, even though better times are ahead for Houston. K-State wins this one on Nov. 2 by a score of 38-17.

Record: 7-2

Week 10: Arizona State

The Wildcats and Sun Devils have played six times, with Arizona State winning five of those games. Even with all of those matchups in the past, Arizona State has yet to travel to Kansas State. The Sun Devils finished with a record of 3-9 in 2023 and head coach Kenny Dillingham will have his work cut out for him with the conference change. While Arizona State might improve on the field, their final record might not be much different from 2023. The Sun Devils have a good RB in Cam Skattebo, and they will lean on him this year. Kansas State should win this game on Nov. 16 by a wide margin: 42-17.

Record: 8-2

Week 11: Cincinnati

Cincinnati struggled in its first year in the Big 12. Head coach Scott Satterfield will be looking to improve upon a 3-9 season. The Bearcats will continue to go through growing pains in 2024 and that will show. Transfer QB Brendan Sorsby will help keep Cincinnati in most games, but the Bearcats appear to be another year away from making real noise. Kansas State wins this game on Nov. 23 by a couple of scores: 34-21.

Record: 9-2

Week 12: at Iowa State

The 2023 edition of Farmageddon turned out to be a heavy snow type of game. Iowa State was able to pull it out on the road in a growing bitter rivalry. Iowa State returns a lot of production with guys like Rocco Becht, Jaylin Noel and Jayden Higgins. The defense under Jon Heacock is always toward the top of the Big 12. Both of these teams will be coming into this game with Big 12 championship aspirations. Iowa State gets the nod at home in this game on Nov. 30 by a score of 28-27.

Record: 9-3

Conclusion

The Kansas State football team has a real shot at making some noise by winning the Big 12 title and having a berth in the College Football Playoff. They need to watch out for letdowns at places like Tulane, BYU and Colorado. It will be an exciting season for Wildcats fans watching the development of Johnson and his fellow playmakers.