Kansas State football: ESPN’s FPI favors Wildcats in just 3 games in 2021

ESPN’s Football Power Index isn’t expecting the Kansas State football team to have an amazing season in 2021.

As the 2021 Kansas State football season approaches, it’s fair to question how good the Wildcats will do in year three of the Chris Klieman era.

Klieman’s first season in Manhattan was solid as the Kansas State football team rebounded from a rough season in 2018 and went on to go 8-5 in 2019. However, year two wasn’t very special as the Wildcats managed to go just 4-6 in a season that was disrupted by a global pandemic and injuries.

2021 should hopefully be a better season for the Wildcats, but right now, ESPN’s Football Power Index isn’t exactly expecting a great season for K-State.

At the moment, ESPN’s FPI has Kansas State ranked as the 67th best team in the country. According to ESPN’s FPI, the Kansas State football team should end the season with a win-loss record of 4.6-7.4, which ranks as the 108th best projected record.

But, that doesn’t mean Kansas State can’t surpass these low expectations.

Kansas State football: ESPN’s FPI has Wildcats favored in three games this season

Here are the games the Kansas State football team is favored in, according to ESPN’s FPI:

• 9/11/21 vs. Southern Illinois – 93.2%
• 9/18/21 vs. Nevada – 72.6%
• 11/6/21 vs. Kansas – 76.9%

And these are the games the Kansas State football team is expected to lose, according to ESPN’s FPI:

• 9/4/21 vs. Stanford – 40.5%
• 9/25/21 at Oklahoma State – 16.1%
• 10/2/21 vs. Oklahoma – 6.5%
• 10/16/21 vs. Iowa State – 16.6%
• 10/23/21 at Texas Tech – 24.4%
• 10/30/21 vs. TCU – 25.6%
• 11/13/21 vs. West Virginia – 39.8%
• 11/20/21 vs. Baylor – 41%
• 11/26/21 at Texas – 8.1%

ESPN’s FPI isn’t projecting much of a fun season for Kansas State football fans, but these projections may not be right. The Wildcats will have plenty of chances to pull off some wins against teams that the computers don’t expect them to.

Games against Stanford, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, TCU, West Virginia, and Baylor are all very winnable.

It’s also worth noting that Klieman and Kansas State are currently 2-0 against Lincoln Riley and the Oklahoma Sooners. This coach, and this team, are known to upset their foes. So while ESPN’s FPI isn’t expecting much from this team, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Kansas State end up with a pretty solid season when it’s all said and done.