Five things to know as K-State Wildcats prepare for unique football test with Army
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- K-State and Army seek improvement after struggles against FCS opponents.
- Army's triple-option offense poses rare test for K-State’s unsteady defense.
- Avery Johnson leads K-State with 591 passing yards, ranking second nationally.
An unusual college football schedule will continue for Kansas State this week as it prepares to host Army at 6 p.m. on Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium
The Wildcats started 2025 with a rivalry loss to Iowa State in Dublin. Then they made the long trip home and eked by North Dakota a week later. Now comes another unique test — Army and its triple-option offense.
Here is everything you need to know to start getting ready for the game:
Game details
Kickoff: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan
TV/Stream: ESPN
Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City and KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita
Betting line: K-State by 16.5 with an O/U of 48.5.
Five things to know before Saturday
1. K-State and Army are both coming off lackluster games against FCS opponents. Neither of these teams looked great last week. The Wildcats needed a last-minute drive to beat North Dakota 38-35. But that was better than the Black Knights, who missed a field goal at the end of regulation and ultimately lost to Tarleton State in overtime. Both teams will be looking for a better performance this weekend.
2. The Black Knights have one of the most unique offenses in all of college football. Few teams choose to run a triple-option offense anymore, but it is alive and well at Army. The Black Knights used it to win 12 games last year. What makes the offense so unusual? It revolves almost entirely around the run. On any given play, the Army quarterback has the option to give the ball to his full back, his running back or keep it himself. The goal is to gain a few yards every play and control clock. K-State hasn’t faced the triple option since 2019 when it played Navy at the Liberty Bowl. Navy won that game 20-17.
3. Chris Klieman is not happy with the K-State defense. One of the most unsettling things about Kansas State’s ugly win over North Dakota was the fact that the Fighting Hawks marched at least 70 yards on all five of their touchdown drives. They gained 354 yards against the Wildcats and nearly pulled off an upset. “Our eye discipline was awful,” Klieman said. “Our guys eyes were in the backfield when they’re supposed to be on the tight end, on the wide out, on the motion. It was terrible ... We have to get it cleaned up.”
4. This could be a transitional season for Army. The Black Knights lost an abundance of talent from last year’s roster, which won 12 games and claimed a conference championship in the AAC. That showed in Week 1 when they lost at home to a FCS team. New quarterback Dewayne Coleman threw for 129 yards and two interceptions before suffering an injury. Backup quarterback Cale Hellums had to finish out the game. On defense, Army was unable to protect a 24-10 lead in the second half. Head coach Jeff Monken will likely get things clicking at some point, but they appear to be dealing with growing pains at the moment.
5. Avery Johnson has put up impressive numbers in his first two games of the season. The junior quarterback has completed 49 of 73 passes for 591 yards and five touchdowns. He got away with some turnover-worthy throws against North Dakota, but you can’t argue with the results. Only Western Kentucky’s Maverick McIvor has thrown for more yards early on this year.
This story was originally published September 1, 2025 at 11:08 AM with the headline "Five things to know as K-State Wildcats prepare for unique football test with Army."