Kansas State Wildcats vow to keep fighting after humbling loss to Texas Tech
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Kansas State lost 43-20 to No. 13 Texas Tech, falling to 4-5 and off title pace.
- Texas Tech dominated trenches and forced five turnovers, halting K-State drives.
- K-State vows to play for pride, eye wins in three remaining games to reach bowl.
Any dreams that the Kansas State football team had of entering the Big 12 championship race or pushing for an upper-tier bowl game came to an end when the Wildcats were unable to hang with Texas Tech during a 43-20 loss on Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
The No. 13 Red Raiders (8-1, 5-1 Big 12) bullied the Wildcats (4-5, 3-3 Big 12) with an overwhelming defense and an efficient running game. That combination and sent K-State below .500 and left it two wins shy of bowl eligibility with three games left to play.
When it was over, K-State coaches and players could do little more than tip their caps.
“That is probably the best defense I’ve faced,” K-State quarterback Avery Johnson said, “during my three years in college.”
“That is a good football team that came in here today,” added K-State football coach Chris Klieman. “We knew they were going to be a good team. That’s an exceptional defense. They play the game the right way, really physical. They play to their strengths.”
Texas Tech was so good that it was able to pour cold water all over K-State’s recent hot streak. The Wildcats entered the weekend having won three of their past four games. All three of the victories (UCF, TCU and at Kansas) came by double digits. The lone loss came by a single point at Baylor.
It appeared that K-State was hitting its stride after a 1-3 start. This team was playing so well that hopes arose for a high finish in the Big 12 standings — and maybe even a berth in the conference title game.
Both of those goals would have felt within reach had the Wildcats pulled off an upset against the Red Raiders. Instead, they got dominated.
Texas Tech forced K-State into five turnovers and won easily in the trenches. Johnson had a few big runs for the Wildcats on his way to 88 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. But moving the ball felt like a chore otherwise, as Texas Tech created three fumbles and piled up 12 tackles for loss.
The Wildcats lost their first four games by a combined total of 13 points. But this one got away from them in the fourth quarter and left zero doubt about which team was superior.
It was the sort of result that might prompt some to question what will motivate K-State for the remainder of the regular season.
“We’re going to play for pride,” K-State offensive lineman Andrew Leingang said. “I don’t think anyone is going to hang up their hat. We still have a lot of football in front of us. We are going to continue to play for the guy next to you and for the coaching staff. That is the K-State way. We play for each other and learn from times of adversity.”
K-State won’t play its next game until Nov. 15 at Oklahoma State. After that is a trip to Utah and then a home game against Colorado. The Wildcats figure to be big favorites against both the Cowboys and the Buffaloes.
If they take care of business in those games, they will extend their bowl streak. If they win out, they can finish in the top half of the Big 12.
Those aren’t the goals that K-State had when the Wildcats were ranked No. 17 in the preseason.
But they still think they are a good football team. They want to prove it over the next month, even after a humbling loss to Texas Tech.
“We got beat by a really good football team,” Klieman said. “It’s November 1. It’s not November 30. There’s still a story and a legacy to write for the 2025 team.
“It’s easy to say, ‘Oh, we’ve got three losses and we’re out of the race.’ But, man, we’re going to have tough things in life ... don’t let your circumstance dictate how you show up on Monday, because I expect those guys to show up on Monday ready to go back to work.”
This story was originally published November 1, 2025 at 8:45 PM with the headline "Kansas State Wildcats vow to keep fighting after humbling loss to Texas Tech."