The Athletic: Kansas State could ‘thrive’ in new-look Big 12 Conference

Tony Adame

The Athletic: Kansas State could ‘thrive’ in new-look Big 12 Conference image

One team might be poised to benefit from the new-look Big 12 Conference more than any other team in any revamped conference in the country — the Kansas State Wildcats. 

The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel singled Kansas State out as a team that might be able to break through and get a shot at playing for a national title after decades of frustration with the new, 12-team College Football Playoff field and the new, 16-team Big 12 that includes eight new teams in the last two years and no more Texas and Oklahoma after their exits to the SEC. 

From The Athletic: “K-State could thrive in the new world. It would have made the 12-team CFP four times since 2011. It has sneaky-good NIL support. The biggest challenge will be revenue-sharing. Only three public Power 5 schools made less in 2022.” 

Kansas State finished 9-4 in 2023 and closed the year with a 28-19 win over No. 19 North Carolina State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Kansas State opens the season on Aug. 31 at home against Tennessee-Martin.

Tony Adame

Tony Adame Photo

Tony Adame covers the Big 12 Conference for The Sporting News. He is a graduate of Southern Oregon University and has been a sports journalist for 20 years. He has won APSE Awards for breaking news, games stories and feature writing. He is also the writer and host of the Florida Society of News Editors Award-winning podcast The Sheriff: Murder, Lies & Revenge in Okaloosa County for USA Today/Gannett.