Reed Harris leads Big 12 receivers into Tempe

Kansas State has kept games closer

Against Power 4 opponents, Kansas State is -13 in point margin, 40th nationally and 10th in its conference. Arizona State is -85 in the same games, 81st nationally and 16th in its conference.

Kansas State gains 438 yards a game, 14th nationally, and allows 410, which ranks 53rd. Arizona State gains 355 and allows 434, ranking 41st and 63rd.

Kansas State holds the ball 31:34 a game, 17th nationally, to Arizona State's 30:34, and it is -1 in turnover margin against Arizona State's -4. The Sun Devils are the cleaner team, penalized 44 yards a game, 16th nationally and second in their conference, against 51 for Kansas State.

Where it's decided

When Kansas State has the ball, it runs it. The Wildcats average 210 rushing yards a game against Power 4 teams, third nationally and second in their conference. Arizona State allows 194 rushing yards a game, 72nd nationally and 13th in its conference. Kansas State also converts 51.2% of its third downs, fifth nationally, against a Sun Devil defense allowing 40.7%.

Quarterback Avery Johnson leads Kansas State in rushing yards with 462. He also leads the team in passing yards with 1,301, with 10 touchdowns, 3 interceptions and a 63.1 completion percentage. Running back Rodney Fields Jr. is second in rushing yards with 386 on 71 carries and has 5 touchdowns.

Jaron Tibbs leads Kansas State in receiving yards with 268 and in catches with 25, and Derrick Salley Jr. is second in receiving yards with 248 on just 13 catches. Arizona State's Julian Hugo leads the Sun Devils in sacks with 3.

When Arizona State has the ball, strength meets strength. The Sun Devils throw for 260 yards a game, 23rd nationally, into a Kansas State pass defense allowing 186, 13th nationally and second in its conference. Quarterback Cutter Boley leads Arizona State in passing yards with 1,353, with 13 touchdowns, 5 interceptions and a 61.9 completion percentage. Omarion Miller is second in receiving yards with 370 on 35 catches.

The ground game is the opening. Arizona State runs for only 96 yards a game, but Kansas State allows 224, 84th nationally and 15th in its conference. Kyson Brown leads Arizona State in rushing yards with 329, and Cardae Mack has 241 on 29 carries. Arizona State converts 27.6% on third down, 75th nationally, and safety Logan Bartley leads Kansas State in tackles with 34.

Arizona State's defense has given way late

Arizona State allows 43.3 points a game against Power 4 opponents, 16th in its conference. Those teams have outscored the Sun Devils 54-18 in the fourth quarter. Arizona State is 1-3 against Power 4 opponents, and the win came against Kansas.

One offense intact, one rebuilt

Kansas State returns 100% of its 2025 passing yards and 77% of its 2025 rushing yards. Arizona State returns none of its 2,889 passing yards from 2025 and 13% of its rushing yards. Boley, a Kentucky transfer, brought 2,160 passing yards from 2025 with him.

Wendell Gregory rebuilt the Kansas State rush

Kansas State returned only 17% of its 2025 sacks and 18% of its tackles for loss. Defensive end Wendell Gregory, a 4-star transfer from Oklahoma State, is tied for the Big 12 lead with at least 9.5 tackles for loss. He is tied for the Kansas State lead with 2.5 sacks.

Two milestones within reach for Avery Johnson

Johnson needs 128 passing yards to reach 7,000 for his career. He needs 2 touchdown passes to reach 60.

Coaches, transfers and departures

Collin Klein coaches Kansas State and has never faced Arizona State in 1 season as an FBS head coach. Kenny Dillingham coaches Arizona State.

Arizona State linebacker Owen Long, a Colorado State transfer, leads the Sun Devils with 52 tackles, third in the Big 12. Miller came from Colorado and edge rusher Jalen Thompson from Michigan State.

Kansas State added running back Jay Harris from Oregon, receiver Joshua Manning from Missouri, cornerback Kaleb Patterson from Illinois and safety Adrian Maddox from Georgia. Kansas State kicker Luis Rodriguez is tied for the Big 12 lead in field goal percentage at 100%.

Arizona State had 4 players drafted, a receiver, an offensive tackle, a cornerback and a linebacker, with 2 in the first two rounds. Receiver Jordyn Tyson went eighth overall to New Orleans and tackle Max Iheanachor 21st to Pittsburgh, while cornerback Keith Abney II went to Detroit and linebacker Keyshaun Elliott to Chicago, both in the fifth round.

Kansas State had 2 players drafted, a center and a safety, none in the first two rounds. Center Sam Hecht went to Carolina in the fifth round, and safety VJ Payne went to New York in the seventh.

Tempe has belonged to Arizona State

Arizona State leads the series 6-1 since 1964. The Sun Devils are 5-0 at home against Kansas State, and the Wildcats have never won in Tempe since their first visit in 1964.

Arizona State won the last meeting 24-14 at Kansas State in 2024, when Tyson had 176 receiving yards. That Arizona State team went 11-3, and that Kansas State team went 9-4.

Three things to watch

Harris against a top pass defense: his 8 touchdown catches lead the Big 12, and Kansas State allows 186 passing yards a game against Power 4 teams.

Kansas State after halftime: Power 4 opponents have outscored the Wildcats 35-13 in the third quarter.

Arizona State's path through kick returns: the Sun Devils average 27.8 yards a return against Power 4 teams, ninth nationally, and Kansas State's kick coverage allows 33.4, 15th in its conference.