It’s a good thing EA Sports ranked Kansas State 24th in their preseason Top 25 defenses, otherwise you might not think you could find Manhattan, Kansas on a map.
Earlier this week, EA Sports released four top 25 lists ranking the toughest places to play, offense, defense and the overall top 25. Defense is the only place the Wildcats made the list.
Ranking the toughest places to play is an impossible task. Every top program considers their venue the toughest. College football is all about game-day pageantry. It’s about tradition and bringing together many generations on a fall Saturday. It’s a special event no matter where you are, but it’s even more exciting when your team is in the top 25.
On game day in Manhattan, K-State will be unbeatable.
Sure, most college football fans would say football at SEC schools is in a league of its own, but saying that four of the top five toughest places to play are in the SEC is a bit of a stretch.
According to EA Sports, the University of Utah (No. 18) is the only Big 12 Conference school ranked in the top 25 for toughest opponents.
With Oklahoma and Texas moving to the SEC, there are now 12 schools ranked in the top 25.
K-State also did not rank in EA Sports’ offensive and overall power rankings in the top 25. K-State not being in the top 25 power rankings is odd at best, considering Colorado is 16th and Kansas is 22nd. The last time the Jayhawks beat K-State, Kansas high school juniors and seniors were toddlers.
Kansas State coach Chris Klieman undoubtedly continued the Bill Snyder coaching tradition by defeating the University of Kansas and winning college football for Kansas.
David Boyce is a K-State On SI contributor and can be reached at davidboyce95@gmail.com.
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