Kansas State will wait for guidance from Big 12 before deciding its bowl fate
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- K-State will consult the Big 12 before deciding whether to accept a bowl invite.
- Coach Klieman has retired; K-State may play under Collin Klein or interim staff.
- Seven players entered the transfer portal; roster losses could affect bowl availability.
For now, it remains unclear whether the Kansas State football team will finish its season in a bowl game.
The Wildcats are eligible to play in a bowl after they concluded the regular season with six victories. But they may not want to accept an invitation now that Chris Klieman has retired and new head coach Collin Klein has been hired as his replacement.
On Friday, K-State athletic director Gene Taylor said the Wildcats will wait to discuss their options with the Big 12 before they make a decision.
“We’re still working through it,” Taylor said. “I didn’t have a team meeting. I talked to team leadership. We didn’t have a vote. We kind of got their sense of things. I texted with Coach Klieman this morning, and now I’ve got to talk to the Big 12. We haven’t had a chance to do that, just to kind of let them know where we are and then see where they are. So I’ve still got a little more work to do.”
Translation: K-State will consider declining a bowl invitation if the Big 12 allows the Wildcats to do so. But if the Big 12 encourages them to play, they may find a way to make it work with or without Klieman on the sideline.
Taylor said he isn’t sure if Klieman would be willing to coach one more game.
“We’re still talking about that,” Taylor said. “He’s in a position right now where he has kind of made his decision. So if that’s the case then I’m not going to force him. We’ll figure it out.”
Seven K-State football players have announced plans to enter the transfer portal. That could also complicate matters if K-State looks to play in a bowl game.
But it is rare for an entire team to opt out of a bowl game. These days it is commonplace for teams to play in bowls with depleted rosters and interim coaching staffs.
The Wildcats could ask offensive coordinator Matt Wells or defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman to coach the bowl game with a small roster.
K-State was considered a prime candidate for the Independence Bowl at 1 p.m. on Dec. 30 in Shreveport, Louisiana. But the Wildcats are also in contention for the Liberty Bowl, Rate Bowl and others.
If K-State declines a bowl invitation, Rice is expected to become bowl eligible at 5-7 based on its Academic Progress Rate.
This story was originally published December 5, 2025 at 7:15 PM.