Last week’s surprise loss at Houston may not have knocked Kansas State football out of the college football playoff photobut it certainly made for a much steeper climb.
Additionally, some media pundits have dropped the Wildcats, 21st in the standings (7-2, 4-2 Big 12) in the pecking order of Big 12 affiliated bowls.
That said, if K-State wins to finish the regular season, beating Arizona and Cincinnati at home and Iowa State on the road, advancing to the Big 12 championship game isn’t out of the question. But to get to Arlington on Dec. 7, the Wildcats would also need Colorado (6-2, 4-1) to lose at least once.
A win at Iowa State (7-1, 4-1) would give the Wildcats the head-to-head advantage against the Cyclones and Colorado, although they lost to first-place finisher Brigham Young (8-0, 5-0). K-State was ranked No. 19 in the CFP selection committee’s first poll Tuesday.
Two weeks ago, K-State was almost unanimously expected to play in the Alamo Bowl on Dec. 28 in San Antonio, Texas, according to predictions from various media outlets. This possibility remains, although participation in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando, also on December 28, or the Texas Bowl in Houston, on December 31, also exists.
As the Wildcats try to use a bye week to get back on track, here’s where several media outlets are profiling them in December.
Related: Chris Klieman refuses to use weather as excuse for Kansas State football’s loss to Houston
Related: Kansas State Football Report Card: Evaluating Wildcats’ Performance in Upset Loss
CBS Sports, ESPN, Bleacher Report: Kansas State football vs. Washington State at the Alamo Bowl
CBS Sports’ Jerry Palm, ESPN’s Mark Schlabach and Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon agree that not only is K-State headed to San Antonio and the Alamo Bowl, but the Wildcats will face Washington State.
It would be the first-ever meeting between the Wildcats and the Cougars, one of two teams remaining in the Pac-12 after a mass exodus to the Big 12 and Big Ten. All former Pac-12 teams will honor their previous bowl games through next season.
USA Today: Pop-Tarts Bowl vs. Clemson
USA Today’s Erick Smith, who two weeks ago had K-State ranked for the CFP, now has the Wildcats back in Orlando, where last year they beat North Carolina State, 28-19, in the starting debut of Avery Johnson as quarterback.
ESPN: Pop-Tarts Bowl vs. Pittsburgh
ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura disagreed with his colleague Schlabach, instead sending K-State back to Orlando, but this time to face Pittsburgh.
Sports Illustrated: Pop-Tarts Bowl vs. Syracuse
SI’s Patrick Andres also plans a return trip to Florida for the Wildcats, only he has time to line up against Syracuse.
Action Network: Texas Bowl vs. Arkansas
K-State is no stranger to the Texas Bowl either, and Brett McMurphy believes the Wildcats will be in Houston on New Year’s Eve to take on Arkansas.
Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett Network. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X (formerly Twitter) at @arnegreen.
This article was originally published on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State football bowl prospects: What are the latest projections?
