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The Topeka Capital Journal
Ranking the most winnable games left on the Kansas State football schedule
- Story byThe Topeka Capital Journal
- Ranking the most winnable games left on the Kansas State football schedule
MANHATTAN — The hierarchy of the Big 12 in the 2025 college football season is starting to make itself clear after the fourth week of the regular season.
Kansas State (1-3, 0-1 Big 12), which was off this weekend, has looked like a bottom-tier team, struggling in each game, including in its lone win over FCS North Dakota.
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You'd like to think that the Wildcats aren't the worst of the Big 12, considering the current state of the Oklahoma State Cowboys , but they'll have a chance to prove they're not in the league's basement when they face off in mid-November.
Maybe the week off was what the Wildcats needed to refocus and play better football in the weeks ahead. Then again, maybe they are what they are.
Here's a look at the Wildcats' remaining schedule, ranking each game by winnability from most likely to least.
at Oklahoma State , Nov. 15
It would be a surprise if Mike Gundy is still roaming the Cowboys' sideline when these two play over a month and a half from now. OK State has been a disaster, losing by 66 to Oregon and then, coming off an open week while the Golden Hurricane was on a short week, lost to Tulsa in Stillwater. It would be difficult to imagine a less defensible loss than this.
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UCF , Sept. 27
Scott Frost is back as the Knights' coach, and he has them at 3-0 entering their trip to Manhattan this weekend. UCF had its best performance so far this season, shutting down Bill Belichick's North Carolina squad this past weekend. It's difficult to gauge how good the Knights are because of their strength of schedule thus far, but their offense has been clicking since struggling to put away Jax State to start the season.
Colorado, Nov. 29
Deion Sanders' first Buffalo team without his son at quarterback and Travis Hunter playing every position on the field hasn't been easy. They showed some improvement in this weekend's win over Wyoming , and it wouldn't be surprising to see them playing their best ball by the final week of the season when these two play in Manhattan.
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TCU, Oct. 11
The Horned Frogs have put up big numbers offensively through three weeks, scoring 35 or more each game, including in a 35-24 win over SMU on Sept. 20. Josh Hoover has been among the Big 12's best quarterbacks, tossing 11 touchdowns and two interceptions through three games.
at Baylor , Oct. 4
Sawyer Robinson might be the best QB in the Big 12, but the Bears have had some odd struggles at home, while struggling in some of their bigger games. Baylor's home game against K-State won't be considered a "big game" in the grand scheme of things, but it's worth noting that the Bears are 4-12 against Power 4 schools at home since the start of the 2022 season.
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at Utah, Nov. 22
Utah couldn't get its offense going in a 34-10 loss ot Texas Tech this weekend. The Utes look much improved after a poor 5-7 campaign, but didn't have the most difficult schedule to start the season with wins over UCLA , FCS Cal Poly and Wyoming. Still, a road game at Utah late in the year should be difficult.
at Kansas , Oct. 25
K-State's 16-game win streak against Kansas appears to be in serious jeopardy. Kansas has had one of the more explosive offenses in the Big 12 through the first few weeks, only falling to Missouri when the Tigers appear to be a team to be reckoned with in the SEC. Starting quarterback Jalon Daniels is living up to his potential, giving Kansas what could be its best team since the Mark Mangino days.
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Texas Tech, Nov. 1
The Red Raiders had the most potential of any team in the league, and they're living up to it. Their 34-10 win at Utah on Saturday made them the favorite to win the league, even after starting QB Behren Morton left the game injured, only for Will Hammond to come in and complete 13-of-16 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns. TTU has had one of the nation's best offenses and has yet to allow more than 14 points in a game.
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: A look at the most winnable games left for Kansas State football
