Kansas State enters the second half of the 2026 season at 4-3 overall and 1-3 in the Big 12 under first-year head coach Collin Klein. The Wildcats opened with dominant non-conference wins but dropped consecutive conference games to Cincinnati and Houston before rebounding with a 35-24 rivalry victory over Kansas that extended their streak in the series. Offense has ranked among the FBS leaders in total yards and rushing behind quarterback Avery Johnson and running back Joe Jackson, while the defense has shown inconsistency against Big 12 competition. Remaining games feature road tests at Colorado, TCU, and Iowa State plus home matchups against Oklahoma State and Arizona, a slate that aligns with preseason projections around seven or eight wins and shapes trader consensus on the 7.5 win total line.