Five things to know as Kansas State Wildcats host UCF in Big 12 football action
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas State faces UCF after bye week, holding a 2-5 record post-break.
- UCF enters the matchup undefeated at 3-0 under head coach Scott Frost.
- K-State aims to reset season with lineup changes following 1-3 start.
The Kansas State football team will be back in action when it hosts UCF at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Here is everything you need to know to start getting ready for the game:
K-State vs. UCF game details
Kickoff: 11 a.m. Saturday
Where: Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan
TV/Stream: FS1
Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City and KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita
Betting line: K-State by 5.5 with an O/U of 50.5
Five things to know before Saturday
1. Chris Klieman and the Wildcats typically struggle after bye weeks. It’s hard to explain why, but Klieman has a losing record with extra time to prepare for regular-season games. The Wildcats are only 2-5 after open weeks under Klieman (excluding the 2020 pandemic season). Last year, K-State defeated Colorado 31-28 in its first game off a bye and then lost to Arizona State 24-14 with two weeks of prep time.
2. Scott Frost has the Knights off to a hot start. UCF brought Frost back to Orlando as its head coach this season, and so far that has looked like a good decision. The Knights are off to a 3-0 start with a scoring margin of plus-93 on the year. A 34-9 victory over North Carolina on Saturday had the Bounce House rocking.
3. Fans should expect changes from the Wildcats this week. There is a good chance that K-State will line up in all sorts of new formations that feature different personnel against UCF. Why? Klieman promised to mix things up after the Wildcats dropped to 1-3 with a loss to Arizona. It’s hard to predict exactly what those changes will be, but K-State could use more power formations on offense to help the running game and more 3-3-5 formations on defense to create exotic blitz options. Little has gone right for the Wildcats this season. There is no better time to try something different.
4. The Knights have been incredibly diverse on offense. Defenses can’t line up and try to stop just one player on the UCF offense. Frost likes to share the ball. Quarterback Tayven Jackson has thrown all three of his touchdown passes to different wide receivers this season. On the ground, five different players have scored rushing touchdowns. Jaden Nixon, Myles Montgomery and Jacurri Brown have all rushed for more than 100 yards on the season.
5. Can K-State hit the reset button and get its season back on track? This is the biggest question that K-State fans have heading into this game. At 1-3, the Wildcats are off to their worst start since 1989. And they needed a late comeback to get their lone victory against North Dakota. Bowl eligibility is starting to feel like a long shot. But hope is not lost. The Wildcats are home favorites this week, and they will have a rest advantage of their opponent. Could a win change the mindset in Manhattan?
This story was originally published September 22, 2025 at 10:35 AM with the headline "Five things to know as Kansas State Wildcats host UCF in Big 12 football action."