Kansas State QB Avery Johnson was the crux of USA Today’s Matt Hayes’ argument for why the Wildcats have a chance to make the 2025/2026 College Football Playoff. Hayes even compared Johnson to former Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel.
“(What’s good is) QB Avery Johnson. A white-knuckle ride in 2024 will even out in 2025. When he’s on, he’s as dangerous as any quarterback in college football. A Johnny Manziel-type of talent. He has to be more consistent, and K-State has to protect better,” Hayes wrote.
As far as what’d hold K-State back, Hayes was worried about head coach Chris Kleiman’s ability to win big games – and even the more winnable games on the Wildcats’ schedule.
“When does this team figure out how to win games it should? You don’t lose to Houston a week after beating rival Kansas, and don’t get blown away in the first half by Arizona State at home. The problem: it’s a pattern (Iowa State, 2023, 2021; Tulane, 2022; Texas, 2021), and overshadows and Big 12 championship and breakthrough wins under coach Chris Klieman. And derails CFP hopes,” Hayes wrote.
Kansas State was one of the Big 12’s top contenders heading into the 2024 campaign. Like Utah and Oklahoma State, though, the Wildcats wildly disappointed. The Big 12 was run by teams no one gave a shot at the beginning of the season like Arizona State, Iowa State, BYU, and Colorado.
2025 is a chance at redemption. No Big 12 team ran away with recruiting. Johnson has another year of experience under his belt.
Kansas State is one of several teams that can win the Big 12. Until further notice, that means the Wildcats have a chance at a top-four CFP seed.
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