Manhattan isn’t exactly a place where people handle losing well. Especially when the preseason hype was basically "College Football Playoff or bust." Honestly, looking at the kansas state football rank as we sit here in January 2026, it's a bit of a gut punch for the EMAW faithful. After starting the year at No. 17 in the AP Poll, the Wildcats finished a confusing 6-6. No ranking. No Top 25 votes. Just a lot of "what if" conversations happening over coffee at Aggieville.
It’s weird. You’ve got a team that was supposed to dominate a wide-open Big 12, yet they ended up buried in the middle of the pack. ESPN’s Bill Connelly even slapped them on the "biggest disappointments" list for the 2025 season. Ouch.
The Reality of the Current Kansas State Football Rank
So, where do they actually stand? If you're looking for a number next to their name in the final 2025-2026 polls, you won't find one. They are unranked.
The drop-off was steep. They opened in Dublin with a loss to Iowa State—a game they probably should have won—and things just sort of spiraled from there.
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A Season of Highs and Very Low Lows
- The Dublin Disaster: Losing 21-24 to Iowa State set a grim tone early.
- The Army Shock: Losing at home to Army? That’s not supposed to happen in Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
- The Sunflower Showdown: If there’s one bright spot, it’s the 42-17 beatdown they gave Kansas. At least they still own the state.
- The 6-6 Finish: Winning against Colorado in the finale 24-14 at least got them to bowl eligibility, but for a team with 10-win aspirations, it felt like a consolation prize.
The kansas state football rank took a beating because of inconsistency. One week Avery Johnson looks like the best dual-threat QB in the country, and the next, the offense gets stuck in the mud. It’s frustrating. Fans expected a jump in Year 2 of the Matt Wells offensive era, but the rhythm just wasn't there.
Why the Rank Collapsed in 2025
It wasn't just bad luck. It was a mix of things. Defensively, they were 79th in the country in points allowed. You can't be a Top 20 team when you're giving up nearly 27 points a game in a league that has improved its defensive play across the board.
Think about the Utah game. 47-51. A total shootout. If the Wildcats have a slightly better pass rush, they win that game and maybe finish 8-4. Instead, they’re sitting at home watching Texas Tech and BYU represent the Big 12 in the upper echelon of the rankings.
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The Recruiting Silver Lining
If you want to feel better, look at the 2026 recruiting rankings. Chris Klieman and the staff actually did some work here. As of mid-January 2026, K-State’s 2026 class is hovering around 43rd nationally.
Is that elite? No. But it’s 8th in the Big 12, and they’ve landed 24 signees, including some massive gets on the defensive line. Elijah Hill, a transfer from Kennesaw State with a ridiculous 17.5% pressure rate, just signed. That’s the kind of move that fixes a ranking fast.
Looking Toward the 2026 Preseason
What will the kansas state football rank look like when the 2026 preseason polls drop in August?
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Probably nowhere. They’ll likely be in the "Others Receiving Votes" category. They have to earn that respect back. The good news is that Avery Johnson is coming back with more experience, and the portal additions on defense suggest Klieman knows exactly what went wrong.
Honestly, K-State is usually better when nobody is talking about them anyway. When they start the season at No. 17, they crumble. When they start unranked and "disrespected," they end up winning nine games and ruining someone’s season in November.
Actionable Steps for the Offseason
If you're a fan or a bettor looking at K-State's trajectory, keep an eye on these specific things over the next few months:
- Spring Game Performance: Watch the defensive line rotation. If the transfers like Elijah Hill and Wendell Gregory are as advertised, the defense will take a massive leap.
- Portal Movement: The window isn't closed. They still need a veteran presence at wide receiver to help Avery Johnson take the next step.
- Schedule Analysis: The 2026 Big 12 schedule is brutal, but it offers plenty of "ranked win" opportunities.
The 2025 season was a dud, there's no way around it. But the foundation isn't crumbled. It just needs a serious renovation in the trenches.
Track the transfer portal entries through the end of January to see if Klieman adds another veteran cornerback. That remains the biggest hole in a roster that desperately needs to get back into the Top 25 conversation by this time next year.