2026 Kansas State vs 2026 Kansas

Kansas State
3–2 · 11.0 (31st of 138)
vs
Kansas
2–3 · SP+ 7.2 (50th of 138)

Hypothetical

Kansas by 3.6

60% to win

High confidence — 4 games in — see our accuracy

Hypothetical forecast · SBR sbr-2r

Why this number

Kansas StatePreseason baseline +11.3In-season results −2.0
KansasPreseason baseline +6.7In-season results +3.7
Kansas home field +2.5

How they're built

0–100 percentile · higher is stronger

Compare the whole profile, then explore each dimension.

2026 Kansas State Offense · SP+ 2026: 33.5, 80th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 Kansas State Defense · SP+ 2026: 22.7, 67th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 Kansas State Special teams · SP+ 2026: 0.2, 69th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 Kansas State Recruiting · 2026 signing class: 207.8 pts, 64th percentile (2026 signing class)2026 Kansas State Experience · returning production 2026: 71% returning, 85th percentile (2026 roster)2026 Kansas Offense · SP+ 2026: 29.4, 65th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 Kansas Defense · SP+ 2026: 22.3, 69th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 Kansas Special teams · SP+ 2026: 0.1, 50th percentile (2026 season to date)2026 Kansas Recruiting · 2026 signing class: 197.0 pts, 56th percentile (2026 signing class)2026 Kansas Experience · returning production 2026: 18% returning, 25th percentile (2026 roster)0100Offense · SP+ 2026Defense · SP+ 2026Special teams · SP+ 2026Recruiting · 2026 signing classExperience · returning production 2026
  • 2026 Kansas State Offense · SP+ 2026: 33.5, 80th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 Kansas Offense · SP+ 2026: 29.4, 65th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 Kansas State Defense · SP+ 2026: 22.7, 67th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 Kansas Defense · SP+ 2026: 22.3, 69th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 Kansas State Special teams · SP+ 2026: 0.2, 69th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 Kansas Special teams · SP+ 2026: 0.1, 50th percentile (2026 season to date)
  • 2026 Kansas State Recruiting · 2026 signing class: 207.8 pts, 64th percentile (2026 signing class)
  • 2026 Kansas Recruiting · 2026 signing class: 197.0 pts, 56th percentile (2026 signing class)
  • 2026 Kansas State Experience · returning production 2026: 71% returning, 85th percentile (2026 roster)
  • 2026 Kansas Experience · returning production 2026: 18% returning, 25th percentile (2026 roster)
Emphasize a team

Offensive production relative to that season’s field. Compare an offense with the opposing defense in the scouting report.

Recruiting and experience add context; the five axes aren't equal weights in the forecast.

The numbers behind the profiles

Measure2026 Kansas State2026 Kansas
Offensive / play0.2782nd percentile0.2580th percentile
PPA allowed / play0.0842nd percentile−0.0377th percentile
Points per game35.674th percentile5 games33.664th percentile5 games
per game19.272nd percentile5 games21.861st percentile5 games

Programs don't stand still

SP+ percentile among FBS teams, by season. The marked point is each compared season.

2026 Kansas State2026 Kansas
Kansas State 2026: 77th percentileKansas 2026: 64th percentile2000200520102015202020250255075100

Momentum

Kansas State↘ falling (−11 pctl over 3 seasons)
Kansas→ steady (+3 pctl over 3 seasons)

Talent in, results out

Recruiting-class percentile feeding each roster, compared with its SP+ result.

2026 Kansas State
Average signing-class percentile, classes 2023–2026
68th percentile
SP+ percentile, 2026
77th percentile
Matching its talent (+8)
2026 Kansas
Average signing-class percentile, classes 2023–2026
54th percentile
SP+ percentile, 2026
64th percentile
Matching its talent (+10)

Campus distance

75 miles apart

There's more to the matchup.

Supporting context, ready when you want it.

In the trenches · both directions
MatchupO-lineD-line
2026 Kansas State OL vs 2026 Kansas DL305.2 lbs282.6 lbs
2026 Kansas OL vs 2026 Kansas State DL310.3 lbs279.0 lbs

2026 Kansas State line yards 3.33 · 2026 Kansas stuff rate 27.6%

2026 Kansas line yards 3.58 · 2026 Kansas State stuff rate 21.4%

Fans swear big lines win games. They're half right — big-line teams do win more, but only because good programs recruit big linemen. Once we account for talent and last season, line size adds nothing to the prediction. Across 11 seasons, no measurable effect on margin.

Roster size is context. It isn't a forecast advantage.

Backtested effect: 0.42 pts at 1σ.

Head-to-head · Kansas State leads 22–4 since 2000

Kansas State has won 17 straight

SeasonScoreVenue
2025Kansas State 42–17 KansasMemorial Stadium · Kansas home
2024Kansas State 29–27 KansasBill Snyder Family Stadium · Kansas State home
2023Kansas State 31–27 KansasMemorial Stadium · Kansas home
2022Kansas State 47–27 KansasBill Snyder Family Stadium · Kansas State home
2021Kansas State 35–10 KansasMemorial Stadium · Kansas home
2020Kansas State 55–14 KansasBill Snyder Family Stadium · Kansas State home
2019Kansas State 38–10 KansasMemorial Stadium · Kansas home
2018Kansas State 21–17 KansasBill Snyder Family Stadium · Kansas State home
2017Kansas State 30–20 KansasMemorial Stadium · Kansas home
2016Kansas State 34–19 KansasBill Snyder Family Stadium · Kansas State home
2015Kansas State 45–14 KansasMemorial Stadium · Kansas home
2014Kansas State 51–13 KansasBill Snyder Family Stadium · Kansas State home
2013Kansas State 31–10 KansasMemorial Stadium · Kansas home
2012Kansas State 56–16 KansasBill Snyder Family Stadium · Kansas State home
2011Kansas State 59–21 KansasMemorial Stadium · Kansas home
2010Kansas State 59–7 KansasMemorial Stadium · Kansas home
2009Kansas State 17–10 KansasBill Snyder Family Stadium · Kansas State home
2008Kansas State 21–52 KansasMemorial Stadium · Kansas home
2007Kansas State 24–30 KansasBill Snyder Family Stadium · Kansas State home
2006Kansas State 20–39 KansasMemorial Stadium · Kansas home
2005Kansas State 12–3 KansasBill Snyder Family Stadium · Kansas State home
2004Kansas State 28–31 KansasMemorial Stadium · Kansas home
2003Kansas State 42–6 KansasBill Snyder Family Stadium · Kansas State home
2002Kansas State 64–0 KansasMemorial Stadium · Kansas home
2001Kansas State 40–6 KansasBill Snyder Family Stadium · Kansas State home
2000Kansas State 52–13 KansasKansas home
Coaching & program context
2026 Kansas State

HC

  • Collin Klein (First season as Kansas State's head coach)

OC

  • Sean Gleeson

career average +24.1 SP+ offense

Scheme: Pro spread (listed on Wikipedia)

Style: Balanced, up-tempo (threw on 48% of its run–pass plays, 65th percentile of 2026 FBS; 71.2 plays a game, 77th percentile)

DC

  • Jordan Peterson

career average +24.7 SP+ defense

Scheme: 3-high safety / odd stack (listed on Wikipedia)

2026 Kansas

HC

  • Lance Leipold

OC

  • Andy Kotelnicki
  • Jim Zebrowski
  • Matt Lubick (co-OC)

career average +31.0 SP+ offense

Scheme: Pro spread (listed on Wikipedia)

Style: Run-heavy, up-tempo (threw on 42% of its run–pass plays, 26th percentile of 2026 FBS; 73.0 plays a game, 88th percentile)

DC

  • D. K. McDonald

career average +27.5 SP+ defense

Scheme: 4–2–5 (listed on Wikipedia)

A new coordinator feels like it should swing a game. Across 11 seasons, the change doesn't move the final margin beyond what the roster already tells us. Shown as context, not a factor in our number.

Run-heavy team meets a defense that can't stop the run — feels like extra points waiting. Across 7 seasons the matchup adds nothing beyond what the two ratings already say; if anything the point estimate leans the other way.

Watching the next one?

Kansas at Kansas State · October 17, 2026

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