Can Kansas State University Football Reclaim Its Championship Legacy in 2024?

The question hanging over the Flint Hills this offseason isn’t just about playbooks or personnel; it’s about legacy. Can Kansas State University football, a program built on the gritty, underdog ethos of the Bill Snyder era, truly reclaim its championship pedigree in 2024? It’s a weighty query, one that feels particularly resonant when you look at the parallel narratives unfolding in other sports. I’ve been covering collegiate athletics long enough to see how the absence of a single, pivotal figure can redefine a team’s entire trajectory. Take, for instance, the situation with the Creamline Cool Smashers in the Philippine Premier Volleyball League. The reporting that there’s “STILL no Jia de Guzman for Creamline - for now, at least” is more than just a roster update; it’s a storyline of uncertainty that any fan can understand. That lingering “for now” encapsulates the hope and the anxiety of a team in waiting. In many ways, Kansas State is in its own version of that holding pattern, not waiting for a star setter, but for its own identity to fully crystallize under Coach Chris Klieman.

Let’s be clear about what “championship legacy” means in Manhattan. We’re not talking about the distant past. The glory isn’t sepia-toned. I vividly remember the electric atmosphere in 2012 when Collin Klein led the Cats to a Big 12 title, punching their ticket to the Fiesta Bowl and finishing the season ranked No. 1 in the BCS standings—a feat that still gives me chills. That’s the modern benchmark. The 2022 season, where they again seized the Big 12 championship, proved the blueprint under Klieman is valid. But last year’s 8-4 campaign, while solid, felt like a slight step back, a season of what-ifs, especially in those close losses. The core challenge for 2024, in my view, isn’t just about talent—they have that—it’s about transcending from being a tough out to being the undeniable, week-in, week-out bully of the conference. It’s the difference between competing for a title and reclaiming one.

The optimism starts, as it often does, at quarterback. Avery Johnson isn’t just a returning starter; he’s a phenomenon waiting to happen. His dual-threat capability is the perfect engine for Klieman’s system. I’ll go out on a limb here and say he has the potential to put up numbers we haven’t seen since Klein, perhaps rushing for over 800 yards and passing for another 2,800. That’s a ceiling few teams in the country can match from the QB position. But here’s where the Creamline analogy subtly fits. Jia de Guzman is the orchestrator, the floor general whose presence stabilizes everything. For K-State, Johnson is that, but his supporting cast must step up to avoid the “for now” uncertainty. The offensive line, replacing three starters, is the biggest question mark. In the trenches is where championships are won in the Big 12, and if that unit gels by, say, Week 3 against Arizona, this offense could be explosive. The defense, anchored by a disruptive force like defensive end Nate Matlack, who I believe is poised for a 10-sack season, has the pieces to be top-25 nationally. Coordinator Joe Klanderman has a knack for developing hard-nosed units that force turnovers, and they’ll need to create short fields for Johnson and company.

However, the schedule presents a brutal reality check. The new-look Big 12 is a gauntlet, and the non-conference slate isn’t a walk in the park. An early road trip to Tulane could be a trap game, and hosting Arizona in the conference opener is a massive test. The path to Arlington for the Big 12 title game likely runs through games at Iowa State, at West Virginia, and of course, the Sunflower Showdown against Kansas, which has morphed from a guaranteed win into a genuine rivalry clash. To me, the season hinges on a critical three-week stretch in October: Colorado at home, followed by trips to Iowa State and West Virginia. Navigating that at 2-1 or better is an absolute necessity for championship aspirations. It’s about durability and depth, avoiding the injury bug that can derail any campaign just as surely as the absence of a key player can.

So, can they do it? My heart says yes, but my analyst’s mind preaches cautious optimism. The pieces are there. The culture, instilled by Klieman, is arguably stronger and more player-led than it’s been in years. They have the difference-maker at QB. But “can” and “will” are separated by inches in college football—a fumble here, a missed assignment there. Reclaiming a championship legacy isn’t about replicating 2022; it’s about building something more sustained. It’s about ensuring that the talk in August isn’t about potential, but about expectation. Unlike Creamline’s waiting game for their star, K-State’s key piece is already on the field in Avery Johnson. The question is whether the entire machine can operate at a championship level around him for twelve grueling games. I’m leaning into the hope. I think this team has a 70% chance to reach the Big 12 title game, and in a one-game scenario, with Johnson’s magic, anything is possible. The legacy of Snyder and the 2012 squad isn’t a ghost; it’s a blueprint. And in 2024, Kansas State has the architects and the building materials to follow it once again. The waiting, the “for now,” ends on September 7th. The journey to reclaim what’s theirs begins.