MANHATTAN — Kansas State football hasn't provided much "Manhappiness" to start the season , going 1-3 through the first four weeks, with none of the games inspiring a fanbase that had high expectations going into the 2025 college football season.
Can this season be salvaged? While a run at the Big 12 championship looks to be off the table, the Wildcats are now in danger of possibly missing a bowl game , as confidence in what has been a successful coaching staff has begun to dwindle.
K-State hasn't been fun in 2025, but there are some reasonable scenarios in which the Wildcats can turn things around and instill some hope heading into the future.
"Kansas State Twitter" has been a scary place in recent weeks, frequently calling for jobs and questioning the program's future under Klieman and the rest of the staff.
K-State hasn't had to fire many coaches in its recent history, and with Klieman's near-$30 million pricetag on his buyout, it's hard to fathom that athletic director Gene Taylor would pull the trigger on that after one bad year, especially after four consecutive eight-plus win seasons and bowl appearances.
Rekindling hope in the program's direction amongst the fanbase would be a major win. That can start this week, and over a brutal four-game stretch that follows UCF, with changes and noticeable improvement that looks reminiscent of what many expected K-State to look like heading into the year.
Winning five of the team's final eight games looks like a long shot right now, considering the depth at the top of the league and how many Big 12 contenders appear to be on the Wildcats' schedule.
There are three games where even the most pessimistic fan might circle the Wildcats as a favorite — home games against UCF and Colorado, along with a road trip to Oklahoma State. If they get those, it leaves the Wildcats needing two wins out of the remaining games against Baylor , TCU, Kansas, Texas Tech, and Utah.
The Jayhawks must be chomping at the bit, thinking this is finally the year they will snap their lengthy losing streak against the rival Wildcats. Who can blame them?
Losing to KU would feel like a low point, as the Jayhawks have not been beaten since 2008. When playing the game in the Jayhawks' renovated stadium, and considering the way KU has been investing in football, a loss to KU could feel like a turning point in the rivalry.
UCF is in its first year of its second stint under Scott Frost, Colorado is in a rebuilding year after losing Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders to the NFL, and it's a question whether Mike Gundy will still be leading Oklahoma State by the time the Wildcats visit the Cowboys. While K-State has its problems, there are a few that appear to be a little less stable right now. These better be wins.
The Wildcats may need two such upsets to be bowl eligible, but earning one of them would show some progress, whenever that game comes.
Baylor might have the best quarterback in the conference. TCU impressed on a national stage when it blew out Bill Belichick at North Carolina to start the season. Texas Tech and Utah might have played what could end up being the conference's biggest regular-season game this past weekend, both being ranked and looking impressive early on.
These were the games Kansas State was expected to win while challenging for a Big 12 championship. Winning one or two of these could go a long way, especially if it happens after playing UCF this weekend.
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_ , contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State football best-case scenario after rough start to season
