Kansas State enters its sixth game of the 2026 season at 3-2 overall and 0-2 in Big 12 play under first-year head coach Collin Klein. The Wildcats opened with dominant non-conference wins over Nicholls, Washington State, and Tulane before dropping road and home decisions to Cincinnati and No. 22 Houston. Avery Johnson returns at quarterback amid a rebuilt offensive line and defense that has shown vulnerability against conference opponents. The remaining schedule features a home Sunflower Showdown against Kansas, followed by road tests at Arizona State and Colorado plus matchups with Oklahoma State, TCU, Arizona, and Iowa State. Trader positioning reflects uncertainty around how quickly the new staff can stabilize results in a parity-heavy conference.