Kansas State Football: Scouting Report, prediction for Wildcats’ 2024 opener and More

MANHATTAN — Kansas State football kicks off its 2024 regular season this Saturday with a night game against FCS opponent Tennessee-Martin.

The game is set to begin at 6 p.m. at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and can be streamed live on Big 12 Now/ESPN+.

This marks the sixth season for coach Chris Klieman, with the No. 17-ranked K-State coming off a 9-4 campaign in 2023 and predicted to finish second in the Big 12 according to the preseason media poll. UT Martin ended last season with an 8-3 record.

The Wildcats will also honor their new athletics hall of fame class during the game.

K-State is heavily favored by 37.5 points against the Skyhawks, who participate in the Big South-Ohio Valley Conference.

Here are five key points to know, along with a prediction for Saturday’s game.

More about UT-Martin
The Skyhawks have been on a winning streak recently, capturing three consecutive conference championships. They won the Big South title in 2021 and 2022, then tied for first in last year’s inaugural Big South-OVC season with a 5-1 record.

Jason Simpson is beginning his 19th season as head coach, all with UT-Martin, and holds a record of 115-87.

While the Skyhawks frequently face FBS opponents, they have struggled in those contests, losing 18 straight since 2013. Their last win against an FBS team was a 20-17 victory over Memphis in 2012.

All eyes on the K-State backfield

The season opener will feature the much-anticipated first regular season start for K-State sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson. He played in eight games as a true freshman and started in the Wildcats’ Pop-Tarts Bowl win against North Carolina State, but this will be his first game as QB1.

Also noteworthy is the K-State debut of sophomore Dylan Edwards, who transferred from Colorado, and how he will share the workload with junior DJ Giddens. Last season, Giddens rushed for 1,226 yards and 10 touchdowns, in addition to catching 29 passes for 323 yards. Edwards, meanwhile, started six games, rushing for 321 yards and one touchdown, along with 36 receptions for 299 yards and four TDs.

UT-Martin players to watch

Offensively, UTM welcomes back super-senior starting quarterback Kinkhead Dent, who threw for 2,295 yards and 25 touchdowns with eight interceptions last season. His top target is super-senior wide receiver DeVonte Tanksley, a preseason all-conference selection who made 54 receptions for 698 yards and four touchdowns.

On the defensive side, senior safety Oshae Baker is a consensus FCS preseason All-American, recording 49 tackles, including 6.5 for loss, along with 10 pass breakups last year. He has six career interceptions and is just two pass breakups shy of the school record with a total of 28.

Conor Riley takes over as K-State offensive coordinator

Offensive line coach Conor Riley stepped in as the acting offensive coordinator in December after Collin Klein departed for Texas A&M, leading the Wildcats to a 28-19 win against NC State.

Since officially taking on the role, Riley has had a full spring and preseason camp to refine the offense. The Wildcats also brought in Matt Wells to coach the quarterbacks and serve as co-coordinator, with Wells on the sideline while Riley calls the plays from above.

This marks Riley’s first significant opportunity to shape the offense in his own style.

Wildcats feature a veteran lineup on defense

Last season, K-State excelled defensively in the Big 12, finishing second in points allowed at 21 per game and third in total defense with 372.5 yards per game. The Wildcats also topped the conference in turnover margin, averaging +0.85.

This season, they are expected to maintain that strong performance, as eight starters from the defense return. Key players include super-senior linebacker Austin Moore and free safety Marques Sigle, who each recorded 63 tackles, tying for the team lead. Moore also notched a team-high 12.5 tackles for loss, while Sigle had nine pass breakups. Cornerback Jacob Parrish led the team with four interceptions and 13 passes defended.

Prediction: Kansas State 45, UT-Martin 10

K-State is expected to find it easy to score against UT-Martin. The main question is when the Wildcats might ease up, particularly if they bring in their backups. The K-State defense is likely to control the game, but UT-Martin may be able to score some points late when the Wildcats rotate in their substitutes.