After landing their first conference title in 10 years, can the Kansas State Wildcats defend their Big 12 crown in the 2023 college football campaign? Our Kansas State season predictions weigh up the potential wins and losses for Chris Klieman’s team.
Kansas State Season Predictions: Predicting the Game-By-Game Results
Using groupthink, College Football Network analysts have painstakingly gone through every game for every team in the Big 12 and across the country.
Find every Big 12 Season Prediction per team: Baylor | BYU | UCF | Cincinnati | Houston | Iowa State | Kansas | Kansas State | Oklahoma | Oklahoma State | TCU | Texas | Texas Tech | West Virginia
Picking these games straight up with a projected score using the rosters as up-to-date as the last spring practice, the Kansas State season predictions indicate what fans can possibly expect for the Wildcats in 2023.
Week 1 – Kansas State vs. SE Missouri State: Win, 47-8
Hosting an FCS opponent to open a season where you’re replacing a ton of your most productive starters from a title-winning season is a nice way to iron out the wrinkles and understand where you’re at on both sides of the ball. Kansas State is 169-69-17 against opponents from outside of the FBS, and likely add another win to that résumé in Week 1.
Week 2 – Kansas State vs. Troy: Win, 22-17
It’s easy to think of a Week 2 clash against the Sun Belt as a “cupcake” game for the Wildcats, but the Troy Trojans will be anything but. The reigning Sun Belt champions have built an impressive defense that will provide stiff opposition for the Wildcats’ offense. Despite that, quarterback Will Howard and transfer running back Treshaun Ward get the job done here.
Week 3 – Kansas State @ Missouri: Win, 21-20
An old rivalry was rekindled last season, with Kansas State providing an unfamiliar result. Missouri has had the better of the Wildcats historically, but Klieman’s team put a beatdown on their SEC opponent last fall. While losses to both sides might make for a closer game, Kansas State has the playmakers on offense to eke out an advantage and secure a 34th win over the Tigers.
Week 4 – Kansas State vs. UCF: Win, 29-24
Kansas State allowed the second fewest rushing touchdowns in the Big 12 last fall, and that ability to stop the run in pivotal moments should prove to be a difference-maker against a UCF offense that thrives on the ground. The Wildcats open their Big 12 account with a win against one of the four conference newcomers.
Week 6 – Kansas State @ Oklahoma State: Win, 28-22
Kansas State stamped their legitimacy as a Big 12 contender last fall by shutting out Oklahoma State, the Cowboys’ first scoreless defeat since 2009. While a repeat of that sensational blowout is unlikely, the Wildcats will head to Stillwater as the pregame favorite. At this early stage, there are some serious concerns about an Oklahoma State offense that lost QB Spencer Sanders.
MORE: 2023 Big 12 RB Rankings
Week 7 – Kansas State @ Texas Tech: Loss, 23-31
Kansas State’s two road trips to expected major players in the Big 12 title race will likely decide their ability to defend their championship crown. Under Joey McGuire, Texas Tech has the potential to be a genuine force in the conference. Their roster is packed with talent, and their high-powered offense could prove too potent for a defense that Julius Brents took to the NFL Draft.
Week 8 – Kansas State vs. TCU: Win, 28-24
TCU and Kansas State split a two-game series last fall, with the Wildcats prevailing on the biggest stage in the Big 12. They’re two teams that have been decimated by losses to the NFL, with lineups that will look very different from the ones we saw in Arlington last December. Returning QB Howard will be huge for Kansas State as they edge a closely fought game in Manhattan.
Week 9 – Kansas State vs. Houston: Win, 28-27
Without Tank Dell, Clayton Tune, and Alton McCaskill, Houston will have a whole different offensive identity this coming season. Similarly, they lost some of their key defensive pieces, including sack leader D’Anthony Jones and two of their most productive playmakers in the secondary. The Cougars can keep it close but might not have enough to get over the finish line for a win.
Week 10 – Kansas State @ Texas: Loss, 23-33
It’s never wise to talk in absolutes when it comes to football. However, Texas enters this Week 10 game riding a six-game win streak over Kansas State, including a 34-27 win last season. Ahead of the season, the Longhorns look to have the measure of the Wildcats wherever you look on the field. As a result, it’s difficult to forecast anything other than a Longhorns win.
Week 11 – Kansas State vs. Baylor: Win, 23-22
We mentioned earlier the Kansas State defense’s ability to limit touchdowns in the run game, and that should be key to success in a close game against the Baylor Bears in Week 11. Although there shouldn’t be another dominant win for the Wildcats like we saw in Waco last fall, there’s a good chance of successive wins over Baylor for the first time since 2016-2017.
Week 12 – Kansas State @ Kansas: Win, 25-24
The potential closeness of this game is confirmed by a split decision between College Football Network’s analysts as to who will emerge victorious from this Week 12 clash. While the Jayhawks are no longer the pushover in the conference that we’ve seen in recent seasons, a slight defensive advantage gives Kansas State a narrow one-point win on the road.
Week 13 – Kansas State vs. Iowa State: Win, 28-24
Iowa State has routinely had one of the top defenses in the Big 12 and held the Kansas State offense to 10 points in a narrow defeat last fall. However, some of their top playmakers from last year on both offense and defense have left the program, and Kansas State is well-positioned to secure a win over the Cyclones.
Despite a 10-win season, they fall short of a trip to Arlington to defend their Big 12 crown following defeats to Texas and Texas Tech. Nonetheless, a solid season given the departure of talent.
