The 2024 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the Big 12 Conference during the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats were led by Chris Klieman in his sixth year as their head coach. They played their home games at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium located in Manhattan, Kansas.
Pre-season Players drafted into the NFL
2 53 Washington Commanders Ben Sinnott TE 3 73 Dallas Cowboys Cooper Beebe G 7 254 Los Angeles Rams KT Leveston G
Big 12 media poll The preseason poll was released on July 2, 2024.
+Big 12 1 Utah 906 (20) 3 Oklahoma State 829 (14) 4 Kansas 772 (5) 5 Arizona 762 (3) 6 Iowa State 661 7 West Virginia 581 8 UCF 551 9 Texas Tech 532 10 TCU 436 11 Colorado 400 12 Baylor 268 13 BYU 215 14 Cincinnati 196 15 Houston 157 16 Arizona State 141
First place votes in ()
Schedule
Game summaries
vs. UT Martin (FCS)
Statistics UTM KSU First downs 8 20 Total yards 134 449 Rushing yards 36283 Passing yards 98 166 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 10-17-016-25-1 Time of possession 33:30 26:30 Team Category Player StatisticsUT Martin Passing Kinkead Dent 7-14, 87 yds, 0 TD, 0 INT Rushing Patrick Smith 9 att, 23 yds, 0 TD Receiving Trevonte Rucker 1 rec, 45 yds, 0 TDKansas State Passing Avery Johnson 14-24, 153 yds, 2 TD, 1 INT Rushing D.J. Giddens 13 att, 128 yds Receiving Jayce Brown 5 rec, 71 yds
The No. 18 Kansas State Wildcats opened their 2024 season with a 41-6 victory over UT Martin at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Quarterback Avery Johnson led the Wildcats by throwing two touchdown passes—including a 23-yard connection with Brayden Loftin—finishing with 153 passing yards. The Wildcats’ defense held the Skyhawks throughout the game and allowing only 134 total yards while recording four sacks. Kansas State's special teams also made a significant impact, highlighted by a blocked punt by Ty Bowman that resulted in a touchdown recovery by Colby McCalister.
The Wildcats' defense remained strong, limiting UT Martin's rushing attack to just 36 yards on 38 carries. The win marked a solid start for the Wildcats, demonstrating balanced contributions from offense, defense, and special teams. Coach Chris Kleiman emphasized the need to improve despite the convincing win, pointing to a challenging road game against Tulane next week.
Competing in Division I FCS, UT Martin is a member of the Big South–OVC Football Association and ended the 2023 season with a record of 8 wins and 3 losses. including a 48-7 loss to then #1 ranked Georgia.
at Tulane
Statistics KSU TULN First downs 19 21 Total yard 396 491 Rushing yards 215 149 Passing yards 181 342 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 15–23–0 19–29–1 Time of possession 26:44 33:11 Team Category Player StatisticsKansas State Passing Avery Johnson 15/23, 181 yards, 2 TD Rushing DJ Giddens 19 carries, 114 yards Receiving DJ Giddens 4 receptions, 63 yards, TDTulane Passing Darian Mensah 19/29, 342 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Makhi Hughes 21 carries, 128 yards, TD Receiving Mario Williams 6 receptions, 128 yards
In what was called hard-fought road game, the No. 17 Kansas State Wildcats pulled off a 34-27 victory over Tulane, securing their second win of the 2024 season. Kansas State’s defense made critical plays in the fourth quarter. Safety Jack Fabris returned a Tulane fumble 60 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.
Darian Mensah's sharp passing helped Tulane build an early lead, finding Dontae Fleming for a 53-yard completion to set up a touchdown and connecting with Alex Bauman for a 36-yard score.
On offense for Kansas State, Avery Johnson threw two touchdown passes. DJ Giddens continued his strong season with 114 rushing yards and a 45-yard touchdown catch on fourth down.
Tulane led for much of the game. Major impact came by Darian Mensah's 342-yard, two-touchdown performance and supported by key plays from receiver Mario Williams and running back Makhi Hughes.
Tulane's offense did not continue the same performance during the second half, allowing Kansas State to mount a comeback. Kansas State's DJ Giddens played a pivotal role in the rally by rushing for 118 yards and catching a 45-yard touchdown on fourth down to tie the game. Tulane's final opportunity to tie the game was undone by an offensive pass interference penalty that nullified a touchdown with 17 seconds remaining. Two plays later, VJ Payne’s interception in the end zone sealed the win for the Wildcats in the final seconds.
The next day's college football rankings put Kansas State at #14 in the AP Top 25 and #15 in the AFCA Coaches Poll. Tulane remained unranked.
vs No. 20 Arizona
Statistics ARIZ KSU First downs 16 21 Total yards 324 391 Rushing yards 56 235 Passing yards 268 156 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 26–42–1 14–23–0 Time of possession 30:41 29:19 Team Category Player StatisticsArizona Passing Noah Fifita 26-42, 268 YDS, 0 TD, 1 INT Rushing Quali Conley 14 CAR, 48 YDS, 1 TD Receiving Tetairoa McMillan 11 REC, 138 YDS, 0 TDKansas State Passing Avery Johnson 14-23, 156 YDS, 2 TD, 0 INT Rushing Avery Johnson 17 CAR, 110 YDS, 0 TD Receiving Jayce Brown 3 REC, 60 YDS, 0 TD
The No. 14 Kansas State Wildcats handed No. 20 Arizona its first loss of the season, winning 31-7 in Manhattan, Kansas. Arizona opened the game with a 14-play, 73-yard drive, capped off by Quali Conley's 1-yard touchdown run to take an early 7-0 lead. However, Kansas State responded with a methodical 15-play drive of their own, tying the game with a 3-yard touchdown catch by tight end Will Swanson. From there, Kansas State took control, with a 79-yard punt return touchdown by Dylan Edwards giving them a 14-7 lead in the second quarter, and they never looked back.
Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson threw for 156 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 110 yards. Kansas State dominated on the ground, accumulating 235 rushing yards, the most Arizona had allowed since 2022. Arizona's offense struggled after their opening drive, gaining just 137 yards in the second half and failing to score again. Quarterback Noah Fifita threw for 268 yards but was intercepted once and failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in over two years. Penalties and special teams errors plagued Arizona throughout the game, stalling drives and giving Kansas State advantageous field positions.
Arizona struggled to establish a consistent running game, managing only 56 rushing yards, their lowest total of the season. Kansas State extended their lead with a 9-yard touchdown catch by Brayden Loftin in the third quarter and a 1-yard run by DJ Giddens, capping off back-to-back 80-yard drives to put the game out of reach. Kansas State's defense held strong, preventing Arizona from scoring on their final three possessions and forcing two turnovers on downs in the fourth quarter.
at BYU
Statistics KSU BYU First downs 17 14 Total yards 367 241 Rushing yards 228 92 Passing yards 139 149 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16-29-2 15-21-0 Time of possession 33:03 26:57 Team Category Player StatisticsKansas State Passing Avery Johnson 15-28, 130 YDS, O TD, 2 INT Rushing DJ Giddens 19 CAR, 93 YDS, 0 TD Receiving Jayce Brown 4 REC, 51 YDS, 0 TDBYU Passing Jake Retzlaff 15-21, 149 YDS, 2 TD, 0 INT Rushing Sione Moa 15 CAR, 76 YDS, 1 TD Receiving Chase Roberts 2 REC, 47 YDS, 1 TD
BYU upset No. 13 Kansas State 38-9 at LaVell Edwards Stadium, handing the Wildcats their first loss of the season. After Kansas State jumped out to a 6-0 lead with two Chris Tennant field goals, BYU took control in the second quarter and never looked back. The turning point came late in the first half when BYU’s defense forced two turnovers in quick succession. The first was a fumble recovered by freshman Tommy Prassas, who returned it 30 yards for a touchdown. Two plays later, defensive lineman Tyler Batty intercepted a screen pass that set up a 23-yard touchdown pass from Jake Retzlaff to Chase Roberts. BYU wrapped up a 17-6 halftime lead.
In the second half, BYU took advantage of another Kansas State turnover when Harrison Taggart intercepted Avery Johnson to set up a 3-yard touchdown pass from Retzlaff to Darius Lassiter. Parker Kingston then delivered a 90-yard punt return touchdown to extend BYU’s lead to 31-6 in the third quarter.
Kansas State’s offense struggled to execute in key moments. Quarterback Avery Johnson threw two interceptions and was sacked multiple times, while BYU's defensive pressure consistently disrupted the Wildcats’ rhythm. BYU running back Sione I. Moa also had a standout game, rushing for 76 yards and a touchdown. The win marked BYU’s first major Big 12 victory and highlighted their defensive strength, as they held Kansas State without a touchdown for the first time since 2020.
vs No. 20 Oklahoma State
Statistics OKST KSU First downs 25 23 Total yards 490 559 Rushing yards 126 300 Passing yards 354 259 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 26–50–2 19–31–1 Time of possession 30:49 29:11 Team Category Player StatisticsOklahoma State Passing Alan Bowman 26/50, 364 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Ollie Gordon II 15 carries, 76 yards Receiving De'Zhaun Stribling 7 receptions, 157 yards, TDKansas State Passing Avery Johnson 19/31, 259 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing DJ Giddens 15 carries, 187 yards, TD Receiving Jayce Brown 4 receptions, 78 yards, TD
No. 23 Kansas State managed a 42-20 victory over higher-ranked No. 20 Oklahoma State in Manhattan, Kansas. Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson accounted for five total touchdowns, passing for three and rushing for two, as the Wildcats overcame an early deficit to score 35 consecutive points. Johnson threw for 259 yards and rushed for another 60 while running back DJ Giddens led the ground attack with 187 rushing yards—including a 66-yard touchdown run early in the second half.
Oklahoma State started strong by taking a 10-7 lead with a 77-yard flea-flicker touchdown pass from Alan Bowman to De'Zhaun Stribling. However, costly mistakes derailed the Cowboys' momentum. After a second-quarter interception by Korie Black, Oklahoma State’s offense failed to capitalize, leading to a missed opportunity. Kansas State quickly regained control with big plays, including a 37-yard run and a touchdown following a horsecollar penalty.
Kansas State's defense forced three turnovers and limited running back Ollie Gordon II after a strong start. After the game was over, many considered the Kansas State victory to be pivotal in the Big 12 Championship race and predict the win to give them a crucial tiebreaker over a key conference opponent.
at Colorado (rivalry)
Statistics KSU COL First downs 22 20 Total yards 423 359 Rushing yards 185 -29 Passing yards 238 388 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–26–1 34–40–1 Time of possession 35:00 25:00 Team Category Player StatisticsKansas State Passing Avery Johnson 15/23, 224 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing DJ Giddens 25 carries, 182 yards Receiving Jayce Brown 6 receptions, 121 yards, 2 TDColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 34/40, 388 yards, 3 TD, INT Rushing Dallan Hayden 7 carries, 11 yards Receiving Omarion Miller 8 receptions, 145 yards
In a back-and-forth game, No. 18 Kansas State narrowly defeated Colorado 31-28 at Folsom Field. Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson orchestrated an 84-yard drive in just three plays, culminating in a 50-yard touchdown pass to Jayce Brown with 2:14 left on the clock. Johnson finished with two passing touchdowns, both to Brown, and added a rushing touchdown. Kansas State’s DJ Giddens led a strong ground game, rushing for 182 yards and becoming the first player this season to rush for over 100 yards against Colorado’s defense.