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GAME OF THE WEEK #1: KANSAS STATE VS. IOWA STATE
(K-STATE NOTES)
Game 1
17/20 K-State vs. 22/21 Iowa State
Date: Saturday, August 23, 2024
Kickoff: 11 a.m. CT/5 p.m. IST
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Stadium: Aviva Stadium (47,000)
Series: Iowa State Leads, 54-50-4
TV: ESPN
Dave Pasch (Play-by-Play)
Dusty Dvoracek (Analyst)
Taylor McGregor (Sidelines)
K-State Radio: K-State Sports Network; k-statesports.com
Wyatt Thompson (Play-by-Play)
Stan Weber (Analyst)
Matt Walters (Sidelines)
SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ch. 84, and on the SiriusXM App
National Radio: Compass Media Networks
Gregg Daniels (Play-by-Play)
Chad Brown (Analyst)
Tim Cates (Studio Host)
Big 12 Radio on TuneIn
X Updates: @KStateFB
THE TOP 5
1) Coming off a third-straight season of at least nine wins, No. 17 Kansas State begins the 2025 campaign in style as the Wildcats take on Iowa State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Saturday inside Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. The game, which kicks off at 11 a.m. CT (5 p.m. IST), will be shown on ESPN with Dave Pasch (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek (analyst) and Taylor McGregor (sidelines) on the call.
2) This is only the second time in program history that the Wildcats are opening a season with a conference opponent. The first came in 1996 when K-State faced Texas Tech in the inaugural Big 12 game inside then-KSU Stadium in Manhattan. The trip across the Atlantic Ocean is the second time Kansas State will play on foreign soil as the Cats faced Nebraska in Tokyo, Japan, in 1992.
3) Quarterback Avery Johnson is set to make his 15th-career start under center. The Wichita, Kansas, product has led the Wildcats to a 10-4 record in his first 14 starts. A junior, Johnson returns after setting the school record with 25 touchdown passes in 2024. He is joined in the backfield by running back Dylan Edwards, who set a K-State bowl record with 196 yards in the 2024 Rate Bowl.
4) K-State’s receiving corps is headlined by its tight ends as four players combined for 13 receiving touchdowns last year, which was the most in the nation. At wide receiver, Jayce Brown is back after totaling 823 yards and five touchdowns a year ago, including a 106-yard, two-touchdown game at Iowa State. Transfers with experience in Jaron Tibbs (Purdue) and Jerand Bradley (Texas Tech/BC) enter the mix as well.
5) The Wildcats’ top two tacklers from a year ago are back in linebacker Austin Romaine (96) and safety VJ Payne (64). Alongside Romaine at linebacker is Des Purnell, who has started 26 career games and is coming off a season in which he had a career-high 9.5 tackles for loss. A combined 49 starts are back along the defensive line, headlined by tackle Damian Ilalio, who has 16 in his career after starting all 13 games in 2024.
STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS
4,140 – Miles “as the crow flies” between Manhattan and Dublin. It is the second-furthest game from MHK (Tokyo in 1992 – 6,127).
144 – Big 12 victories by K-State since the conference’s inception in 1996, the most among active programs.
13 – TD receptions by K-State’s tight end unit in 2024, the most in the nation; All players that accounted for those TDs are back.
4 – Victories last year when trailing in the fourth quarter, which were the second most in the nation (Illinois, 5).
1 – The Aer Lingus College Football Classic is the first NCAA football game of 2025 among all of Divisions I, II and III.
TEAM NOTES
GETTING THE PARTY STARTED
• K-State will play in the first Division I college football game of the 2025 season when the Wildcats take on Iowa State in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Saturday.
• That matchup is one of only five FBS games this week before the entire slate gets underway next week.
• The Wildcats will be playing abroad for just the second time in program history as they faced Nebraska in Tokyo, Japan, in 1992.
• This season will be the first ever Big 12 matchup in Ireland, the fourth edition of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic and the 10th college football game all-time played in Ireland.
• With K-State checking in at No. 17 and Iowa State at No. 22 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25, this is the first Aer Lingus College Football Classic featuring two ranked teams and believed to be the first international game to lay that claim.
EARLY START
• With the season opener being contested on August 23, it is tied for the earliest start to a campaign in program history with the 2003 opener.
• That season, K-State defeated California, 42-28, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri.
• K-State’s third game this season – a home game against Army – is on September 6. With Labor Day moving back in the calendar in 2026, the Cats’ 2016 season opener is slated for September 5.
CATS IN LID LIFTERS
• Entering its 130th year of football, Kansas State holds an all-time record of 89-35-5 (70.9%) in season openers, including a 31-4 (88.6%) mark since 1990.
• Chris Klieman, who enters his 13th year as a head coach, has earned a 10-2 (83.3%) record in season openers, and he has gone 5-1 in season openers as K-State’s head coach.
OPENING WITH A CONFERENCE FOE
• The 2025 Aer Lingus College Football Classic is just the second time in the 130-year history of K-State football that the Wildcats will open against a conference opponent.
• The only other time the Wildcats faced a league foe in the first game of a season was in 1996 when K-State defeated Texas Tech, 21-14, the first-ever Big 12 game held in Manhattan.
• This is the eighth time since 2000 that the Cats will open a season against a power-conference opponent, going 5-2 in the previous seven games.
TOWARD THE TOP IN CONSISTENCY
• K-State is one of only 10 Power 4 schools that have won at least nine games in each of the last three seasons, joining Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, LSU, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and Tennessee.
• Among those teams, only Kansas State, Alabama, Clemson, Georgia and Oregon have accomplished that feat in addition to winning a conference championship during that timeframe.
• The Wildcats rank 13th among Power 4 teams and are tops among current Big 12 programs with 28 total wins over the last three seasons.
AMONG THE NATION’S BEST
• K-State has a total of 231 victories since 1996, which is tied for 21st nationally.
• Among active Big 12 teams, the Wildcats rank fourth behind BYU (239), TCU (238) and Utah (233).
A WINNING TRADITION
• Kansas State has totaled 144 Big 12 victories since the conference’s formation in 1996, which stands as the most among active Big 12 programs.
• The Cats are also second among active Big 12 members in winning percentage since non-divisional play began in 2011. They sit at 59.5% (75-51), trailing only Oklahoma State (61.1%; 77-49).
• During that stretch, the Wildcats are 42-21 (66.7%) at home in Big 12 play and 33-30 (52.4%) on the road/neutral.
RETURNING EXPERIENCE
• The 2025 Wildcats are tied for sixth in most returning letterwinners since 2003 with 45, which is impressive considering the roster limits that took effect over the summer.
• Among the group, K-State returns 13 starters from last season – which is tied for 10th in the nation – while its 15 returning starters from the Rate Bowl are tied for seventh in the nation.
STATE PRIDE
• Of the 13 returning starters, seven hail from the state of Kansas.
• On offense, the Kansans are quarterback Avery Johnson (Wichita), running back Dylan Edwards (Derby) and offensive linemen Taylor Poitier (Kansas City) and Sam Hecht (Shawnee).
• Defensively, the list includes defensive tackle Damian Ilalio (Manhattan), linebacker Des Purnell (Topeka) and defensive end Cody Stufflebean (McPherson).
NOCTURNAL CATS
• Kansas State played nine night games a year ago – going 6-3 in those contests – and the Wildcats will begin the season with each of their first four games kicking off at 5 p.m. local time or later.
• The season opener against Iowa State will kick off at 5 p.m. (Irish Standard Time), while K-State’s first two home games will each kick off at 6 p.m. (Central Time). Then, the Wildcats travel to face Arizona in a game that will kick off at 6 p.m. (Mountain Standard Time).
• Last season was the first time that K-State played nine night games during the regular season in the Big 12 era (1996).
A TRACK RECORD OF WINNING
• A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds a 120-41 career record, as his 74.5% career winning percentage ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that are in at least their 10th season. He is also one of just 15 current Power 4 head coaches with at least 100 career victories.
• Klieman, who is 48-28 since arriving at K-State, has led the Cats to five victories over teams ranked in the top 10 of the AP Top 25, the most of any active Big 12 program since 2019.
CARDIAC CATS
• Kansas State earned four come-from-behind wins in 2024 when trailing in the fourth quarter, tied for the second most in the country (Illinois, 5).
• The Wildcats’ four wins last season when trailing in the fourth quarter tied the school record originally set by the 2011 squad (Eastern Kentucky, Miami, Baylor, Texas A&M).
• At Tulane, a Dylan Edwards touchdown run and a Jack Fabris fumble return – the latter with 8:13 left – erased a 27-20 deficit in a 34-27 win.
• At Colorado, a 50-yard touchdown pass from Avery Johnson to Jayce Brown with 2:14 remaining swung a 28-24 deficit to a 31-28 victory in the Buffaloes’ lone home loss of the season.
• K-State trailed Kansas, 27-26, until Chris Tennant’s 51-yard field goal with 1:42 left earned the Wildcats a 29-27 win.
• Lastly, the Wildcats recorded their largest bowl come-from-behind victory in the 2024 Rate Bowl as they trailed Rutgers by 17 points in the third quarter and by 12 points in the fourth quarter before a 44-41 victory.
CATS TOPS IN NON-OFFENSIVE TDs
• K-State is the nation’s best in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 25-plus seasons as it has 135 since 1999, nine more than the next closest team (Alabama – 126) and 17 more than the next Big 12 program (Utah – 118).
• K-State recorded four non-offensive scores during the 2024 season, its most since also recording four in 2020.
• The four non-offensive scores a year ago were: a Ty Bowman blocked punt against UT Martin that was returned for a score by Colby McCalister, a 60-yard fumble return by Jack Fabris at Tulane, a 71-yard punt return by Dylan Edwards against Arizona, and a 43-yard interception return by Marques Sigle at West Virginia.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
WELLS LEADING THE CHARGE
• After spending the 2024 season coaching the K-State quarterbacks and serving as co-offensive coordinator, associate head coach Matt Wells is now the full-time play caller in 2025.
• All Wells did during his first season on staff was tutor Avery Johnson to a school-record 25 touchdown passes, while his sophomore signal caller ranked fifth in school history in passing yards (2,712) and completions (217).
• Wells and Johnson helped guide a K-State offense that finished in the top 15 nationally in four categories and in the top 10 of school history in 15 game or season categories.
GROUND AND POUND
• K-State finished the 2024 season ranking 11th nationally by averaging 215.5 rushing yards per game, while the Cats were second in the country by averaging a school-record 6.08 rushing yards per carry.
• The Cats rushed for at least 200 yards in eight games last year, the most in the Big 12 and the second most among Power 4 schools.
• The average was driven by 95 rushes of at least 10 yards to rank seventh in the nation, while K-State’s 34 rushing plays of 20 or more yards last season ranked second (UNLV, 36).
TOTAL OFFENSE
• K-State has totaled at least 375 yards of offense in 32 of the last 40 games dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season.
• That figure is tied for eighth among Power 4 programs and second among Big 12 schools. Georgia leads the way with 36, followed by LSU, Oregon, TCU, Texas and USC with 34, while Washington is at 33.
• During that stretch, K-State holds a 26-6 record when totaling at least 375 yards, while the Wildcats are 2-6 when going under that mark.
RED ZONE SUCCESS
• Since Chris Klieman’s first season at K-State in 2025, the Wildcats have been the best in the Big 12 in terms of converting red-zone opportunities into points.
• The Wildcats rank first in the Big 12 with a 90.0% (269-of-299) success rate in the red zone since 2019, just ahead of both Texas Tech (87.8%) and Oklahoma State (87.5%).
• K-State also ranks first in the league in touchdown success rate at 67.2% (201-of-299), ahead of Kansas (66.5%) and UCF (65.0%).
RED ZONE THREATS
• Kansas State’s tight end unit combined for 13 touchdown receptions in 2024, which led the nation.
• The 13 touchdowns came from four different players who are all returning in 2025 in Garrett Oakley (5), Will Anciaux (3), Will Swanson (3) and Brayden Loftin (2).
NEW – BUT EXPERIENCED – OL
• Kansas State brings back seven offensive linemen who have seen playing time in a Wildcat uniform but only three that have earned starts in Taylor Poitier (31 games, 16 starts), Sam Hecht (30 games, 13 starts) and Andrew Leingang (27 games, 2 starts).
• However, K-State is not void of experience as the Wildcats brought in four transfers that have combined 86 games played. The most experienced transfers are JB Nelson (31 games, 8 starts at Penn State) and Terrence Enos Jr. (27 games played, 5 starts at Pitt). The Wildcats also brought in George Fitzpatrick (20 games played at Ohio State) and Amos Talalele (8 games played, 1 start at USC).
SECOND-YEAR STARTER
• Quarterback Avery Johnson is back for his second year of starting duties after setting the school record for single-season touchdown passes at 25.
• Additionally, Johnson finished second in school history in passing yards by a sophomore (2,712), fourth in pass attempts (372), fifth in overall passing yards and completions (217), sixth in total offensive yards (3,317) and eighth in touchdown responsibility (32).
• A product of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson opens the 2025 season ranked in the top 10 in four career categories, while he is just outside the top 10 in several others (see page 49).
WINNING FROM A YOUNG AGE
• Despite only starting 14 career games, Avery Johnson has led the Wildcats to 10 wins to tie for 11th among K-State signal callers since 1990, while his 71.4% winning percentage ranks seventh among those that have started at least 10 games.
• His winning percentage also ranks second among active Big 12 quarterbacks that have started at least 10 games (Arizona State’s Sam Leavitt – 84.6%).
ONE OF A SELECT FEW
• Avery Johnson was one of only five players in the nation and one of three from Power 4 schools to record at least 2,700 passing yards and 600 rushing yards in 2024. He was joined on that list by Jalen Milroe (Alabama), Taylen Green (Arkansas), Devon Dampier (New Mexico), Riley Leonard (Notre Dame) and John Mateer (Washington State).
• Additionally, Johnson was one of nine signal callers nationally with at least 25 passing touchdowns and seven rushing touchdowns. The others to hit those marks were Cade Klubnik (Clemson), Rocco Becht (Iowa State), Alonza Barnett III (James Madison), Will Howard (Ohio State), Dillon Gabriel (Oregon), Jordan McCloud (Texas State), Caden Veltkamp (Western Kentucky) and Mateer.
A NEW ERA IN THE BACKFIELD
• Running back Dylan Edwards shined during his first opportunity as K-State’s primary running back in the 2024 Rate Bowl, and he looks to carry that momentum into 2025.
• All Edwards did was set a school bowl record with 196 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, while he had 27 receiving yards and another score en route to Offensive MVP honors.
• A native of Derby, Kansas, and former transfer from Colorado, Edwards finished second on the team last season with 1,117 all-purpose yards.
GOIN’ DEEP
• Wide receiver Jayce Brown enters his junior season ranked eighth in school history by averaging 17.0 yards per reception in his career.
• He finished the 2024 season tied for fourth nationally with seven receptions of 40 or more yards, while his four receptions of 50 or more yards tied for eighth.
• Brown finished his sophomore campaign of 2024 with 823 receiving yards, which were the most by a Wildcat since Tyler Lockett in 2014 and the most in school history by a sophomore.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
CONTINUITY ON THE STAFF
• Each of the Wildcats’ full-time coaches on the defensive side of the ball have been the same since 2020, as Kansas State and Iowa are the only two programs in the country to lay that claim.
• However, Iowa utilizes four positional coaches on defense, whereas K-State employs five.
• Safeties coach Joe Klanderman was promoted to defensive coordinator in 2020, the same year that cornerbacks coach Van Malone was elevated to assistant head coach and Steve Stanard joined the staff to coach the linebackers. Defensive tackles coach Mike Tuiasosopo and defensive ends coach Buddy Wyatt – along with Klanderman and Malone – were members of Chris Klieman’s original staff at K-State in 2019.
LIMITED POINTS PER GAME
• Since the K-State defense switched from a four-man front to a 3-3-5 alignment at the beginning of the 2021 season (53 games), the Cats are allowing just 21.8 points per game, which ranks 24th nationally and third among current Big 12 teams.
• Additionally, the Wildcats have allowed 131 offensive touchdowns (2.5 per game) over that time to rank 23rd in the nation.
• The Wildcats have finished each of the three previous seasons allowing less than 24.0 points per game, their longest streak since going 13-straight years from 1991 through 2003.
• Since head coach Chris Klieman’s first year of 2019, the Wildcats have held 42 of their 54 Big 12 opponents under their season average at the time it faces the Wildcats.
NONE OVER 200
• Kansas State did not allow a team to rush for 200 or more yards in any game last season, the first time the Wildcats accomplished that feat since 2016.
• K-State was one of only two Big 12 teams to not allow a 200-yard rushing game in 2024 (Arizona State).
• The Wildcats yielded minus-29 rushing yards last year at Colorado, which was the third fewest in school history, the second fewest allowed by an FBS team in 2024, the fewest allowed in a Big 12 game since 2006 and the fourth fewest allowed by any team in the nation over the last seven seasons.
CREATING TURNOVERS
• Over the last three seasons, K-State has totaled 62 forced turnovers, which is the most among active Big 12 teams and tied for 13th among Power 4 teams.
• Of the 62 turnovers, 39 have been via interception to also lead all active Big 12 programs and is tied for 13th among Power 4 teams.
BEHIND THE LINE
• K-State finished the 2024 season ranked 25th nationally and second in the Big 12 with 2.69 sacks per game.
• It was the Wildcats’ best national ranking since 2015 (No. 9) and highest sacks per game mark since 2020 (2.80).
• Kansas State’s 35 sacks a year ago resulted in 249 lost yards, which ranked 11th among Power 4 schools and first in the Big 12.
• It was the most sack yardage by the Wildcats since 2003 (345) and tied for the fifth most by any K-State team since 1996.
• K-State’s six sacks last year at Colorado resulted in 74 yards of loss, the fourth-most ever by a Big 12 team in a conference game and second most by a Big 12 team in any game since 2012.
• It was the most sack yardage accumulated by the Wildcats in a single game since at least 1995. Their previous best over that timeframe was 72 yards against Baylor in 2002.
ROMAINE LED THE WAY IN 2024
• Junior linebacker Austin Romaine, a 2024 All-Big 12 Second Team selection, returns after leading the Wildcats and ranking ninth in the conference with 96 tackles (7.38 per game).
• Romaine was the first Wildcat with at least 90 tackles in a season since Jayd Kirby had 99 in 2017.
• A native of Hillsboro, Missouri, Romaine had two sacks at Tulane, the second of which caused a fumble that was returned for a 60-yard, game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.
• It was his first of two forced fumbles on the year that led directly to the game-winning points. He also had one against Kansas prior to the game-winning field goal in a two-point victory.
BRINGING THE PAYNE
• Senior safety VJ Payne enters his final season in a Wildcat uniform with 40 career games played and 30 starts, both of which are the most among returning players.
• Additionally, he has started a team-high 28-straight games, which dates back to the 2022 Big 12 Championship Game victory over TCU.
• The Buford, Georgia, product was around the football all year in 2024. Aside from his 64 tackles, he also had a pair of interceptions to halt potential scoring drives as he had one in the end zone with five seconds remaining to seal the win at Tulane and another in the red zone at Colorado.
• Payne also forced a fumble at Tulane and another against Kansas, the latter being on the final fourth-down stop of the game.
ANOTHER VETERAN STARTER
• Alongside Payne in the longevity department is linebacker Des Purnell, who has also played in 40 career games and is second among returning Wildcats with 26 career starts.
• A native of Topeka, Kansas, Purnell earned All-Big 12 Honorable Mention accolades two years ago when he had 52 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss. His total tackles dropped to 46 a year ago, but he had 9.5 tackles for loss to rank second on the team.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
SCORING IN THE THIRD PHASE
• The Wildcats continue to lead the nation in total return touchdowns since 2005 with 62, which is 22 more than the next closest team in Alabama (40) and 28 more than the next closest Big 12 programs, Oklahoma State and TCU (34).
• Of the 62 total returns, a nation-leading 31 are on kickoff returns, and the next closest team is Houston with 21.
SEVEN STRAIGHT
• K-State has blocked a punt in seven-straight seasons, tied for the longest streak in the nation with San Diego State.
• Oregon and Iowa State are tied for third at five-straight years.
BREAKING IN A NEW KICKER
• Kansas State will have a new place kicker in 2025 as Chris Tennant departed after serving as the primary place kicker each of the last three seasons.
• A few options are available for special teams coordinator/special assistant to the head coach Nate Kaczor, which includes community-college transfer Luis Rodriguez, sophomore Teagan Cobb and junior Leyton Simmering.
• Rodriguez came to K-State in July from College of the Canyons after being named to the California Community College Football Coaches Association (CCCFCA) All-America Team. In his lone season playing for the Cougars, Rodriguez was true on 21-of-25 field goals with a long of 54 yards, while he connected on 31-of-34 extra points.
• Cobb, a native of Rose Hill, Kansas, is in search of his first-career playing time. As a high school senior in 2022, Cobb was 11-of-13 on field goals – including a long of 43 – and 12-of-12 on extra points.
• Simmering, a native of Rosemount, Minnesota, is in his fourth year in the program. He made 1-of-2 extra-point attempts in 2023.
McCLANNAN IS BACK
• Although K-State will rely in the services of a new place kicker, the Wildcats do return their regular punter from a year ago in sophomore Simon McClannan.
• The Omaha, Nebraska, native is coming off a season in which he averaged 42.34 yards on 47 punts to rank third in the Big 12 in average among qualified punters and fifth in school history among freshmen (minimum 25 attempts).
• McClannan saved his best effort of 2024 for the final game as he tallied a career-best 46.5-yard average (minimum 3 attempts) in the Rate Bowl against Rutgers, which was the fourth-highest average in K-State bowl history.
DEFENSE ON KICK RETURNS
• K-State has not allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown since the 2013 season, going the last 151 games and 442 returns without allowing its opponent to find paydirt.
• The streak is the longest among the active Big 12 teams, 264 returns better than the next closest team (Arizona State – 178).
• Since K-State allowed its last kickoff-return touchdown, the Wildcats have scored 14 of their own.
(IOWA STATE NOTES)
J The 2025 season marks the 134th in program history and the 10th under Campbell, who becomes just the third football coach at ISU to coach 10 seasons at the school (Clay Stapleton, 10; Dan McCarney, 12). J Campbell, who agreed to a contract extension through 2032 last December, became ISU’s winningest football coach in 2024 … Campbell is tied as the third-longest active tenured coach in the Big 12 Conference and owns 50.6 percent of ISU’s all-time Big 12 wins (45-of-89). J ISU posted an 11-3 record in 2024, the program’s first double-digit win season … the Cyclones reached the school’s second-ever Big 12 Championship game and won the Pop-Tarts Bowl in a thriller against No. 15 Miami … it was ISU’s seventh bowl appearance in the last eight seasons. J The Cyclones are returning 53 letterwinners and 11 starters (six offense, five defense) from last year’s team … 15 starters return from the Pop Tarts Bowl, tied for the seventh-most among bowl-eligible teams. J Rocco Becht has cemented himself as one of the best quarterbacks at the FBS level … he is the FBS active leader with a TD pass in a school record 18-straight games and is just the fifth QB in school history to pass for 6,000 career yards … Becht has led the Cyclones to 18 wins the last two seasons, the best two-year stretch in school history. J Becht has thrown for 3,000 yards in back-to back seasons, the only Big 12 player to do so and one of just 12 active FBS players that can make that claim. J The Cyclones are never out of it with Becht running the offense … ISU has five wins in Becht’s career when trailing in the fourth quarter. J ISU had three players named to the Preseason All-Big 12 team … all three players came from the defensive side of the ball, tying the Cyclones with Texas Tech for the most in the league … defensive lineman Domonique Orange, cornerback Jontez Williams and safety Jeremiah Cooper were named to the team. J Iowa State won in the margins and it resulted in the Cyclones being one of just three Big 12 teams to win 11 games in 2024 … ISU was one of the nation’s least penalized teams with an average of 3.8 penalties per game (fourth nationally) … its 28.0 penalty yards per game were the fewest nationally and the least by a Cyclone team since 1962 … ISU had a +9 turnover margin, ranking among the nation’s Top 20 … the Cyclones picked off 15 passes and are one of just six teams nationally to intercept 15+ passes in each of the last two seasons.
FARMAGEDDON? MORE LIKE ‘FARM O’GEDDEN’ AS NO. 22 IOWA STATE AND NO. 17 KANSAS STATE CLASH IN DUBLIN
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A showdown of Big 12 rivals that ultimately could shape the conference championship game come December in Dallas will take place on Saturday, more than 4,700 miles away at Aviva Stadium on Lansdowne Road in Dublin, Ireland.
The annual matchup between Iowa State and Kansas State has come to be known over the years as “Farmageddon.”
This year, the Aer Lingus Classic might as well be called “Farm O’gedden.”
“The one thing is, as uniquely challenging as this opportunity is, the word ‘opportunity’ is right,” Cyclones coach Matt Campbell said this week. “I think for both programs, both teams, college football — the opportunity to take your program over to Ireland — what a great opportunity, especially for the families and the universities, to play in this setting. I think it’s really special.”
There have been college football games played on the Emerald Isle for nearly four decades, going back to a matchup between Boston College and Army in 1988. Notre Dame has played three games in Ireland over the years, including a win over Navy two years ago, while Georgia Tech beat Florida State on a walk-off field goal just last year.
But rarely has a college football game played overseas carried such high stakes.
The No. 22 Cyclones have their sights set on a second straight Big 12 title game berth, while the No. 17 Wildcats aim to get back for the second time in four years. And given that the conference champion is guaranteed a berth in the expanded College Football Playoffs, the ability to start the season 1-0 as opposed to 0-1 carries a lot more weight than usual for them.
“It’s not a one-off game and then you take a month off, or go into an offseason. It’s the first game, a conference game, a valuable, important game,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “All of our attention is on this football game, without a doubt.”
This will be the first time that Iowa State has played overseas. Kansas State is headed out of the country for the first time since 1992, when the Wildcats led by then-coach Bill Snyder lost to Nebraska in the Tokyo Dome in Japan.
Yet as strange as the surroundings might be, there is a whole lot of familiarity between the two programs. They have split the past 10 matchups, though Iowa State has won the past two, and both programs bring back a plethora of talent in an era of roster upheaval that has prognosticators believing the Cyclones and Wildcats can both crash the playoff party.
Iowa State returns quarterback Rocco Becht, who threw for more than 3,500 yards with 25 touchdown passes and only nine interceptions last season. And while he no longer has standout wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, he does have a veteran offensive line and deep backfield headlined by Carson Hansen and Abu Sama III.
Kansas State likewise returns its quarterback, Avery Johnson, who emerged last season as one of the most potent run-pass threats in college football. He also has a veteran line to go with do-everything running back Dylan Edwards and perhaps the best group of tight ends in college football, led by Garrett Oakley and Will Swanson.
“I feel like we were just in spring ball talking about this game,” Becht said. “When you play Kansas State, you have to be ready, prepared, really good at the little things. I think we’ve done a great job in fall camp and throughout the summer to be ready.”
Rather than zipping cars and trucks up and down Interstates 35 and 70, which connect the two campuses, Iowa State and Kansas State fans have been boarding flights to Ireland all week. By all accounts, they have begun to flood the bars in Dublin, taking advantage of an overseas trip that is all fun for them and all business for their programs.
“We had some activities for them Thursday prior to our practice, a pretty nice dinner on Thursday night, and we’ll see a little bit of the city,” Klieman said. “Friday night, we have a pep rally. I think that will be a really cool deal. But then, you know, we’re going to enjoy the time when we’re doing those types of things but then we have to have a business attitude.
“When we get to 6 o’clock Friday night, it’s pretty much like what our kids in the program know. It’s time for game day.”
NO. 16 SMU PREPARES FOR ENCORE AFTER SMASHING ACC DEBUT THAT INCLUDED PLAYOFF SPOT
DALLAS (AP) — Kevin Jennings looks back on SMU’s lopsided loss to Penn State in the College Football Playoff last season as a necessary step on a path to go even further than the Mustangs did in their sparkling Atlantic Coast Conference debut.
“I took a lot from that game,” said Jennings, who threw two pick-6s early in a 38-10 first-round loss on a frigid day in Pennsylvania. “I tell myself all the time, honestly, I needed that game. I needed a bad game like that to bounce back and come back in and remind myself that I can play at this level.”
Comparisons figure to come fast and furious after the Mustangs’ undefeated run through their first ACC regular season, the first time in nearly 30 years they were part of a power conference. Coach Rhett Lashlee senses it coming off an 11-3 season, and with SMU ranked in The Associated Press preseason poll for the first time in 40 years at No. 16.
“It’s a brand new team,” Lashlee said when practice started in late July. “It has nothing to do with the past.”
Jennings wasn’t the starting quarterback when the 2024 season began, 29 years after the demise of the Southwest Conference left SMU in league purgatory.
He made his first start in the fourth game, a 66-42 victory over crosstown rival TCU, and didn’t lose until the Mustangs’ stirring comeback fell short in a 34-31 loss to Clemson in the ACC title game. The rally helped SMU get picked over Alabama and Mississippi for the final spot in the first 12-team CFP.
Now, Preston Stone, the starter at the beginning of last season, has moved on and won the job at Northwestern. And Jennings is the established guy trying to build on momentum the Mustangs haven’t seen since the 1980s, before the program was shut down for recruiting violations in the only so-called death penalty the NCAA ever administered.
“We have enough remnants to say, ‘Guys, this is how we do things,’” Lashlee said. “So that’s the foundation you hope carries over and then at the same time, it’s a brand new team. This team’s personality will be different than any we’ve ever had.”
The remnants
Among those remnants are three returning starters in the offensive line in tackles Savion Byrd and PJ Williams and left guard Logan Parr. Tight end RJ Maryland was poised for a big year before a knee injury ended his season after seven games.
The Mustangs have to replace running back Brashard Smith, who ran for 1,332 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. There are several candidates to become the lead back.
Safety Isaiah Nwokobia is the most notable returning player from last season’s No. 1 scoring defense in the ACC. SMU has signed eight defensive linemen since the end of last season.
“I think if this team can reach its potential, then we’ll be competing,” Lashlee said. “How that ends, I don’t know, but we’ll have a chance to compete for something meaningful in November. But boy, we’re a long way from that, and we got a lot of things in front of us before then.”
Here’s the catch
Jennings lost three of his top four receiving threats from last season, not counting Maryland. The Mustangs hope Jordan Hudson and Romello Brinson can fill the void. Hudson scored five TDs last season.
The schedule
The Mustangs missed Clemson and Miami during the regular season in their ACC debut. They have to play both in Year 2, the fourth-ranked Tigers on the road Oct. 18 and the 10th-ranked Hurricanes at home two weeks later. After the opener against East Texas A&M, two of the remaining three nonconference opponents are old rivals Baylor and TCU, a pair of Big 12 teams coming off solid seasons.
NO. 10 MIAMI, NOW WITH CARSON BECK, ENTERING ANOTHER YEAR OF GREAT EXPECTATIONS
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Carson Beck came to Miami knowing this much: The offense works.
The Hurricanes led the nation last season in yards per game and yards per play. They finished tied with national champion Ohio State in offensive touchdowns, with the Buckeyes playing three more games. And Cam Ward — last season’s Miami quarterback who became the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft — led a unit that rewrote the Hurricanes’ record book.
Beck gets his chance now. The Georgia transfer takes over for Ward, set for a season that could see Miami contending for Atlantic Coast Conference honors and possibly more.
“We’ve made a lot of progress over the last three years,” said Miami coach Mario Cristobal, who is entering his fourth season leading the team at his alma mater. “Year 1, our roster was not really built to take on Power Four football, and those were some lopsided games and those were tough. Year 2, everything was competitive, and we won a couple more. Then last year we had a chance to win every single game, but we didn’t.”
A 10-2 regular season, even with the top-ranked offense in America, wasn’t enough to get Miami into the College Football Playoff. And the Hurricanes are still chasing their first ACC title.
Changes were made with hopes of getting Miami closer to those levels. A big move was hiring Corey Hetherman from Minnesota as defensive coordinator. Hetherman was defensive coordinator for one season at Minnesota and led dramatic improvements.
Hetherman replaces Lance Guidry, who was fired after the Hurricanes lost three of their final four games — giving up at least 38 points and 500 yards in each of the final two games, those being losses to Syracuse and then Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
“The only thing that’s stopping us is us, honestly,” defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. said. “If we don’t get in the way of ourselves, we’ll be just fine. I mean, the mindset we have is pretty good so far.”
Beck’s numbers
Beck spent five seasons at Georgia, the last two as the Bulldogs’ primary starter. He completed 68% of his passes — 628 of 923 — for 7,912 yards, 58 touchdowns and 12 interceptions at Georgia in 39 games.
In 27 appearances over the last two seasons, Georgia went 24-3.
Ward set Miami single-season records in 2024 with 305 completions, 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns.
“His success is undeniable,” Beck said. “Obviously, I don’t really know him very well. I’ve been able to meet him a couple times … but what he was able to do is undeniable.”
The line
Offensive line will be a strength for Miami, which has four key returnees in left tackle Markel Bell, left guard Matt McCoy, right guard Anez Cooper and right tackle Francis Mauigoa. Transfer James Brockermeyer, who formerly played at Alabama and TCU, takes over at center.
“Experience gives you old eyes,” offensive line coach Alex Mirabal said. “Old eyes allow you to adjust and correct and do things that younger guys get burned by.”
New kicker
Transfers Carter Davis (FAU) and Bert Auburn (Texas) were brought in to take over at kicker, replacing the stellar Andy Borregales — who graduated as Miami’s all-time scoring leader. Borregales was 18 for 19 on field goals last season and made all 62 of his extra-point tries.
Home record
The Hurricanes were 6-0 at home last season, the only ACC team with an unbeaten record on their own field in 2024. It was Miami’s first perfect home regular season since going 7-0 in 2017. The Hurricanes lost the Orange Bowl on their home field to end that season.
Schedule matters
No. 10 Miami hosts No. 6 Notre Dame in Week 1, the first time the Hurricanes will face a fellow top 10 team to open a season since 2004.
There are eight home games, including a visit from Florida on Sept. 20 and a weird quirk — two bye weeks in a three-week span. Miami gets a bye before facing Florida State on Oct. 4, then another bye before playing Louisville on Oct. 17.
Miami doesn’t play a game outside of Florida until visiting SMU on Nov. 1.
REVAMPED FLORIDA STATE IS ‘DESPERATE TO WIN’ AND EAGER TO CLIMB BACK INTO ACC CONTENTION
Coming off the program’s worst season in 50 years, Florida State could have used a soft opening.
Instead, the Seminoles will host college football’s premier powerhouse, eighth-ranked Alabama, while showcasing a $265 million stadium renovation, a revamped offense and a retooled defense.
It’s a daunting task, no doubt. But it’s also an unbelievable opportunity for FSU and coach Mike Norvell to kickstart the team’s climb from the bottom of the Atlantic Coast Conference standings.
The ‘Noles finished 2-10 in 2024, with wins against Cal and lower-division Charleston Southern. It was FSU’s fewest victories since going 1-10 in 1974 and prompted Norvell to fire offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Alex Atkins, defensive coordinator Adam Fuller and receivers coach Ron Dugans.
It was a stunning slide for a team that went 13-1 in 2023, won the ACC and would have made the College Football Playoff if not for a gruesome injury to all-everything quarterback Jordan Travis.
And it left the ’Noles in rebuilding mode.
“There’s not going to be a player who stands up and says they want to be mediocre or they want to be average,” Norvell said. “Everybody’s going to say the same things. It’s like every team when they report: ‘This is the year; this is the time.’ It all sounds the same. But on a daily basis, what shows up? Are you truly willing to give everything?”
Norvell changed just about everything in hopes of delivering a quick turnaround and quieting speculation about his future in Tallahassee. He hired former UCF and Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator and brought in Nebraska’s Tony White as defensive coordinator.
Norvell then signed 23 players out of the transfer portal, which ranked sixth nationally according to 247Sports. The group included former Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos, three plug-and-play receivers and four starting offensive linemen.
Their goal is to improve an offense that averaged 15.4 points a game and ranked 131st out of 134 Football Bowl Subdivision teams.
“We’re not going to look in the future and make expectations and stuff like that,” Castellanos said. “We’re just going to focus on one day at a time and we’re going to earn it and we’re going to work.
Castellanos brings an edge to FSU’s huddle
Castellanos raised eyebrows over the summer when he said the Crimson Tide “don’t have (coach) Nick Saban to save them. I just don’t see them stopping me.” He hasn’t backed down since.
“I said what I said, and we stand on that,” he said. “I don’t mean no disrespect to none of those guys at Alabama or anything like that. I just have confidence in my guys and the work we have been putting in and preparing and the preparation we’ve been putting together.”
FSU’s defense got overhauled, too
The Seminoles added five defensive transfers who are expected to start, including well-traveled linebackers Elijah Herring (Memphis/Tennessee), Stefon Thompson (Nebraska/Syracuse) and James Williams (Nebraska/Iowa Central). FSU is expected to have at least seven defensive starters who came from elsewhere, including nose tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. (Miami/Maryland) and safety Earl Little Jr. (Alabama).
“Desperate to win, desperate to eat, just desperate to succeed,” Little said. “We hit on that every day. You come here to be desperate and to succeed and put that logo on your chest and play for your last name and the school.”
A tough start and a formidable finish
As challenging as it is to start against the Crimson Tide — FSU has lost six of its last eight openers — the team’s toughest stretch might come in November.
The Seminoles close out the regular season with three of four on the road, including games at No. 4 Clemson, at North Carolina State and at rival and 15th-ranked Florida. They also host No. 10 Miami in early October.
AP’S DREAM ROAD TRIP: HOW TO SEE EVERY PRESEASON TOP 25 TEAM AT LEAST ONCE IN 2025
Forget about easing your way into college football this year.
The schedule includes several enticing matchups before September even starts, including a clash of ranked Big 12 teams facing off in Ireland this weekend, plus multiple top-10 matchups.
All of these were considered in AP’s annual attempt to map out college football’s hypothetical dream road trip. Reviewing the rules:
— We must see every team in the AP’s preseason Top 25 at least once.
— Travel between games must be reasonable in the time available. Long drives and even flights are OK, but if you’re at a night game in California, you’re not getting to Florida for an early afternoon kickoff the next day.
This season’s 17-game journey looks like this:
No. 17 Kansas State vs. No. 22 Iowa State (Aug. 23 in Dublin, Ireland)
The Big 12 now stretches from Arizona to West Virginia, so why not have a game in Ireland as well? The league exports the “Farmageddon” rivalry to Dublin, and in a conference that received only one College Football Playoff bid last season, any matchup of ranked teams looms large.
No. 1 Texas at No. 3 Ohio State (Aug. 30)
The defending national champs against this year’s preseason No. 1. At the Horseshoe. In a rematch of last season’s semifinal. This is about as good as August college football can get, even if Buckeyes fans have had their fill of noon kickoffs. The good news is that it gives you plenty of time to travel for next day’s kickoff in South Florida.
No. 6 Notre Dame at No. 10 Miami (Aug. 31)
This on-again, off-again series is back for the first time since 2017 and only the fifth time post-1990. The Fighting Irish haven’t won at Miami since 1977.
Bonus stop: TCU at North Carolina (Sept. 1)
Nobody is ranked in this one, but you have time and Bill Belichick’s debut at North Carolina is a fascinating matchup against an accomplished offensive mind in Sonny Dykes. Recall that Dykes and the Horned Frogs were also the opponent for Deion Sanders’ first game as Colorado’s coach — and that didn’t go well for TCU.
No. 14 Michigan at No. 18 Oklahoma (Sept. 6)
After their rivals (Ohio State and Texas) take center stage in Week 1, the Wolverines and Sooners face a big test after a middling — or in Oklahoma’s case, downright mediocre — 2024 season. The Top 25 voters believe both will be better.
No. 5 Georgia at No. 24 Tennessee (Sept. 13)
Nico Iamaleava’s departure for UCLA left the Volunteers facing some real uncertainty at quarterback. The young Bulldogs received one first-place vote in the AP poll, but they didn’t have anyone on the preseason All-America first team aside from punter Brett Thorson.
No. 12 Illinois at No. 20 Indiana (Sept. 20)
These two teams went a combined 21-5 last season, with the Hoosiers making the playoff. There’s a decent chance both will be undefeated when they meet up for an early Big Ten clash.
No. 7 Oregon at No. 2 Penn State (Sept. 27)
This rematch of last season’s Big Ten title game is also Penn State’s White Out night. The Nittany Lions return quarterback Drew Allar, plus running backs Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen.
No. 25 Boise State at No. 6 Notre Dame (Oct. 4)
Even after losing Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty, Boise State is a threat to earn the Group of Five’s spot in the playoff again. The glamour game on the Broncos’ schedule is easy to identify.
No. 15 Florida at No. 19 Texas A&M (Oct. 11)
It looked like Billy Napier’s days as Florida’s coach were numbered after the Gators lost to Texas A&M at home last year, but they played well down the stretch. Florida heads to Kyle Field for a rematch right in the middle of this year’s SEC grind.
No. 23 Texas Tech at No. 11 Arizona State (Oct. 18)
Just about anything could happen in the Big 12 race — Arizona State went to the CFP last season a year after winning three games. Texas Tech had to deal with some preseason adversity when running back Quinten Joyner went down with a knee injury.
No. 14 Michigan at Michigan State (Oct. 25)
This game isn’t essential because we already saw Michigan back in September. If another matchup this weekend catches your eye, feel free to substitute it. But the Wolverines and Spartans have one of the better in-state rivalries around, even if it occasionally crosses the line.
No. 13 South Carolina at No. 21 Mississippi (Nov. 1)
Two programs that punch above their weight a bit when it comes to the game day experience. The Rebels host this year’s matchup, and once the tailgaters head from The Grove to the stadium, they can brace for an afternoon of running and passing by Gamecocks star LaNorris Sellers.
No. 9 LSU at No. 8 Alabama (Nov. 8)
Two SEC powers that missed the playoff last season. Brian Kelly and Kalen DeBoer would be well advised to correct that.
No. 1 Texas at No. 5 Georgia (Nov. 15)
We saw both these teams early in the season, and now it’s time to check in on them again between the hedges. Georgia beat Texas twice last season, once on the road and once in Atlanta for the SEC championship.
Louisville at No. 16 SMU (Nov. 22)
The Mustangs are ranked in the preseason poll for the first time since 1985, before the program received the NCAA “death penalty” and entered a lengthy period of irrelevance.
No. 4 Clemson at No. 13 South Carolina (Nov. 29)
The Tigers are the last ranked team we haven’t seen yet, and this matchup at Williams-Brice Stadium figures to be electric, especially if it has playoff implications for both schools.
NO. 4 CLEMSON BRINGS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE, NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ASPIRATIONS
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — The Clemson Tigers have a Hall of Fame level coach in Dabo Swinney, a Heisman Trophy hopeful in quarterback Cade Klubnik and one of the most experienced teams in the country.
So it’s little wonder the fourth-ranked Tigers are overwhelming favorites to repeat as Atlantic Coast Conference champions. At the league media days in Charlotte, 167 of the 183 media members pegged Clemson to win its ninth ACC title in the last 11 years.
Of course, the Tigers have their eye on a bigger prize — a third national title in 10 years after losing to Texas in the College Football Playoff last season.
“The guys have put the work in,” Swinney said. “We’ve been around a lot of good teams, and this team has the ingredients to be a really good team, but we’ve got to go do the work. We can’t talk about it or predict our way into it.”
The Tigers return eight starters on both sides of the ball, including Klubnik, who threw for 3,639 yards and 36 touchdowns and ran for 463 yards and seven scores as a junior. He is 19-9 overall at Clemson’s starting quarterback, leading the school to conference titles in 2022 and 2024.
High retention rate
ESPN puts Clemson’s return production rate at 80%, the highest in Division I football.
The only starters they lost from last season were running back Phil Mafah, tight end Jake Briningstool and offensive lineman Marcus Tate on offense, and defensive tackle Payton Page, linebacker Barrett Carter and safety R.J. Mickens on defense.
Swinney likes to reminds his players that “experience doesn’t come at a discount.”
In other words, they have to earn it on the field.
Receiver room
Clemson has produced high-level receivers like DeAndre Hopkins, Tee Higgins, Mike Williams, Sammy Watkins and Hunter Renfrow. After some recent down years at the position, the Tigers look loaded at the position this year.
Clemson’s top returning target is Antonio Williams, who bounced back from an injury-riddled second season with a career-high 75 receptions for 904 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. He also ran and threw for a touchdown.
The Tigers return Bryant Welch and T.J. Moore, who became the first freshman duo in a Power Four conference since 2000 to each record at least 650 yards receiving and five TDs. Tyler Brown, the school’s leading receiver in 2023 as a freshman, is back too after receiving a medical redshirt.
Junior Cole Turner and FCS transfer Tristan Smith are viewed as capable starters by Swinney, too.
Klubnik looks for encore season
Klubnik decided to return to college for his senior season rather than enter the NFL draft, giving the Tigers a smart, reliable signal caller.
While some fans wanted to run Klubnik out of town following the 2023 season during which the Tigers had their streak of 10-win seasons snapped at 12, Swinney threw his support behind him. Then came a huge junior season for Klubnik, now considered one of the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy.
Klubnik said some of his focus this offseason has been spent improving his ability to make plays on the move.
‘“I was good on the run last year in terms of throwing the football, but just trying to become elite and not scared to make any throw,” Klubnik said. “I want to be more explosive downfield, too.”
Bringing the heat
The Tigers should have one of the nation’s best defensive lines, led by T.J. Parker.
Parker had 11 sacks and 28 quarterback hurries in 2024, numbers that ranked him among the most disruptive edge defenders in the nation.
Peter Woods will move back into his more natural position as a defensive tackle this season. Purdue transfer Will Heldt gives the Tigers another proven pass rusher coming off the edge, and Stephiylan Green and veteran DeMonte Capehart will bolster the run game inside.
Playoff ready
Playoff experience could pay dividends for the Tigers. Between conference championship games, bowl games and the college football playoff, Clemson has won at least one postseason game in 14 straight seasons, the longest active stretch in the nation.
The schedule
The Tigers open the season with perhaps their toughest game, hosting No. 9 LSU on Aug. 30. Clemson hosts SMU on Oct. 18 in a rematch of last year’s ACC championship game,. On Oct. 4, Swinney faces off against North Carolina’s Bill Belichick and North Carolina but the ACC schedule does not include Miami and Florida State is a home game. The Tigers close the season at rival South Carolina on Nov. 29.
SEC APPROVES 9-GAME CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BEGINNING IN 2026, JOINING BIG TEN AND BIG 12
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference is moving to a nine-game conference schedule beginning in 2026, ending a yearslong debate and potentially easing a path toward another expansion of the College Football Playoff.
The change was approved by conference presidents and chancellors Thursday. It previously had been recommended by league athletic directors.
“Adding a ninth SEC game underscores our universities’ commitment to delivering the most competitive football schedule in the nation,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said. “This format protects rivalries, increases competitive balance, and paired with our requirement to play an additional Power opponent, ensures SEC teams are well prepared to compete and succeed in the College Football Playoff.”
The SEC has played eight conference games each season since 1992 when the conference expanded to 12 teams with the addition of Arkansas and South Carolina. The Atlantic Coast Conference still plays eight league games. The Big 12 and the Big Ten already play nine.
Getting to nine should improve strength of schedule arguments for the SEC moving forward, even though the conference has said for years its eight-game slate is more daunting than other leagues’ nine games. The change came one day after the CFP selection committee said it will place more emphasis on strength of schedule when determining which teams make the 12-team field.
The committee said the schedule strength metric has been adjusted to apply greater weight to games against strong opponents. An additional metric, record strength, has been added to go beyond a team’s schedule strength to assess how a team performed against that schedule.
Under the SEC’s new format:
— The league will continue with a single-standings, non-divisional structure;
— Each school will play three annual opponents focused on maintaining many traditional rivalries;
— Each team’s remaining six games will rotate among the remaining conference schools; and
— Each team will face every other SEC program at least once every two years and every opponent home and away in four years.
SEC teams are required to schedule at least one additional non-conference game against a team from the Atlantic Coast, Big Ten or Big 12 conferences — or Notre Dame.
“The SEC has established itself as the leader in delivering the most compelling football schedule in college athletics,” Sankey said. “Fans will see traditional rivalries preserved, new matchups more frequently, and a level of competition unmatched across the nation.”
