KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns while running for another score as the Chiefs rallied to beat the Browns 33-29. 

Tyreek Hill caught 11 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown, and Travis Kelce hauled in a pair of TD catches for Kansas City. One of them was the go-ahead score with 7:02 remaining. The Browns' last chance ended when Baker Mayfield threw an interception near midfield with just over a minute to go. 

Mayfield finished with 321 yards passing while Nick Chubb had two touchdown runs and Kareem Hunt and Jarvis Landry also scored.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns while running for another score as the Chiefs rallied to beat the Browns 33-29. Tyreek Hill caught 11 passes for 197 yards and a touchdown, and Travis Kelce hauled in a pair of TD catches for Kansas City. One of them was the go-ahead score with 7:02 remaining. The Browns' last chance ended when Baker Mayfield threw an interception near midfield with just over a minute to go. Mayfield finished with 321 yards passing while Nick Chubb had two touchdown runs and Kareem Hunt and Jarvis Landry also scored.

Chiefs rally for a win over the Browns

MANHATTAN, Kan. — What started out as a lively, electric environment inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium quickly turned south on Saturday.&nbsp;

Midway through the first quarter, K-State starting quarterback Skylar Thompson came up lame while blocking for teammate Deuce Vaughn on a broken play. After being attended to by K-State training staff, Thompson was assisted to the injury tent with an apparent knee injury.&nbsp;

Despite Thompson's injury, K-State was able to grit out and eight-point win over Southern Illinois, 31-23.&nbsp;

It's not clear at this point just how long Thompson will be out with this injury, but Head Coach Chris Klieman says he'll hope for the best.

"I visited with him at the time and I was pretty emotional, it's a pretty special kid to me," said Klieman on the injury. "I'm sick for the kid. Devastated. We'll pray for the best and we'll pray for the best and see what happens."

Will Howard took over under center for Kansas State, but the issues didn't stop there. Four first-half turnovers lead directly to 13 Southern Illinois points, and a 23-0 Saluki advantage in the second quarter gave K-State's FCS opponent a halftime lead.

"There were ups and downs for sure," said Howard in postgame. "You have to come in and be ready at all times, and you know, we won the game, always happy that we won, but there were things that we, and I, need to clean up and I know that more than anybody."

In the second half, K-State's defense was the story, shutting the Salukis out and forcing two key turnovers, and one that sealed the win.&nbsp;

A sack from Felix Anudike forcing a fumble recovered by Timmy Horne with under a minute to play allowed the Wildcats to kneel out the clock and move on to 2-0.

Linebacker Cody Fletcher assured media that he and his defensive counterparts didn't feel any added pressure to perform due to the offense's struggles, stating, "We believe in our offense 100-percent. They got us a lead, so if they give us a lead, you know, we should win the game because it's on us for sure."

As the old saying goes, "the best part of winning ugly is winning," but all things considered, K-State is left with nothing but questions now. Although Howard held steady in the second half, his play left much to be desired, and many wondering what lies ahead.&nbsp;

Following last year, where Thompson suffered a season-ending injury and a Howard-led K-State team lost its final five games, fans will certainly feel like it's deja vu, but Chris Klieman's faith hasn't wavered in his young quarterback, or his team.&nbsp;

"Yeah, we were down a quarterback, but shoot, we've got good players at all positions and we need to step up and play," said Klieman. "A win's a win, and I'm never going to not enjoy a win, we just have a lot of work to do."

Kansas State will now turn its attention to a Nevada team that's receiving votes in national polls, and already has one win over a power five opponent. Kickoff will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday in Bill Snyder Family Stadium, with live coverage on 1420 AM and 107.9 FM KJCK.

BY JACKSON SCHNEIDERMANHATTAN, Kan. — What started out as a lively, electric environment inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium quickly turned south on Saturday.&nbsp;Midway through the first quarter, K-State starting quarterback Skylar Thompson came up lame while blocking for teammate Deuce Vaughn on a broken play. After being attended to by K-State training staff, Thompson was assisted to the injury tent with an apparent knee injury.&nbsp;Despite Thompson's injury, K-State was able to grit out and eight-point win over Southern Illinois, 31-23.&nbsp;It's not clear at this point just how long Thompson will be out with this injury, but Head Coach Chris Klieman says he'll hope for the best."I visited with him at the time and I was pretty emotional, it's a pretty special kid to me," said Klieman on the injury. "I'm sick for the kid. Devastated. We'll pray for the best and we'll pray for the best and see what happens."Will Howard took over under center for Kansas State, but the issues didn't stop there. Four first-half turnovers lead directly to 13 Southern Illinois points, and a 23-0 Saluki advantage in the second quarter gave K-State's FCS opponent a halftime lead."There were ups and downs for sure," said Howard in postgame. "You have to come in and be ready at all times, and you know, we won the game, always happy that we won, but there were things that we, and I, need to clean up and I know that more than anybody."In the second half, K-State's defense was the story, shutting the Salukis out and forcing two key turnovers, and one that sealed the win.&nbsp;A sack from Felix Anudike forcing a fumble recovered by Timmy Horne with under a minute to play allowed the Wildcats to kneel out the clock and move on to 2-0.Linebacker Cody Fletcher assured media that he and his defensive counterparts didn't feel any added pressure to perform due to the offense's struggles, stating, "We believe in our offense 100-percent. They got us a lead, so if they give us a lead, you know, we should win the game because it's on us for sure."As the old saying goes, "the best part of winning ugly is winning," but all things considered, K-State is left with nothing but questions now. Although Howard held steady in the second half, his play left much to be desired, and many wondering what lies ahead.&nbsp;Following last year, where Thompson suffered a season-ending injury and a Howard-led K-State team lost its final five games, fans will certainly feel like it's deja vu, but Chris Klieman's faith hasn't wavered in his young quarterback, or his team.&nbsp;"Yeah, we were down a quarterback, but shoot, we've got good players at all positions and we need to step up and play," said Klieman. "A win's a win, and I'm never going to not enjoy a win, we just have a lot of work to do."Kansas State will now turn its attention to a Nevada team that's receiving votes in national polls, and already has one win over a power five opponent. Kickoff will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday in Bill Snyder Family Stadium, with live coverage on 1420 AM and 107.9 FM KJCK.FINAL STATS<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631414828330.png" alt="FINAL TEAM STATS" />
 <figcaption>FINAL TEAM STATS</figcaption>
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631414846899.png" alt="FINAL K-STATE STATS" />
 <figcaption>FINAL K-STATE STATS</figcaption>
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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631414883920.png" alt="SIU FINAL STATS" />
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K-State grinds out win, loses Thompson

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Kansas State Athletics officially opened its brand new addition to Bill Snyder Family Stadium and Bramlage Coliseum Saturday, celebrating with a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Shamrock Zone.&nbsp;

The $50 million facility offers an addition to the previously existing Legends room on the north side of Bramlage that ties in the south side of BSFS, offering 24 new concessions points of sale, new restrooms, and several suites.&nbsp;

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Kansas State Athletics officially opened its brand new addition to Bill Snyder Family Stadium and Bramlage Coliseum Saturday, celebrating with a ribbon cutting ceremony for the Shamrock Zone.&nbsp;The $50 million facility offers an addition to the previously existing Legends room on the north side of Bramlage that ties in the south side of BSFS, offering 24 new concessions points of sale, new restrooms, and several suites.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631397487566.jpeg" alt="Shamrock Zone ribbon cutting" />
 <figcaption>Shamrock Zone ribbon cutting</figcaption>
 </figure>

K-State opens Shamrock Zone

MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Manhattan High Indians defeated the Junction City Blue Jays 37-21 on Friday night, winning the Silver Trophy in front of a near capacity crowd at Bishop Stadium.&nbsp;

The victory was Manhattan's 8th win in the last 15 seasons over Junction City and was also Manhattan High Head coach Joe Schartz's 100th career victory.&nbsp;

MHS got off to a strong start forcing two early turnovers and racing out to a 21-7 lead after the first quarter. Junction City would battle back to within nine late in the third quarter, but a late touchdown run by Vinny Smith would put the game on ice for the Indians.

Neither team looked its sharpest, but Manhattan was able to limit its mistakes when it mattered most to come away on top. The win pushes Manhattan to 2-0 on the young season, while Junction City falls to 1-1.&nbsp;

MANHATTAN, Kan. — The Manhattan High Indians defeated the Junction City Blue Jays 37-21 on Friday night, winning the Silver Trophy in front of a near capacity crowd at Bishop Stadium.&nbsp;The victory was Manhattan's 8th win in the last 15 seasons over Junction City and was also Manhattan High Head coach Joe Schartz's 100th career victory.&nbsp;MHS got off to a strong start forcing two early turnovers and racing out to a 21-7 lead after the first quarter. Junction City would battle back to within nine late in the third quarter, but a late touchdown run by Vinny Smith would put the game on ice for the Indians.Neither team looked its sharpest, but Manhattan was able to limit its mistakes when it mattered most to come away on top. The win pushes Manhattan to 2-0 on the young season, while Junction City falls to 1-1.&nbsp;

Manhattan bests Junction City, wins Silver Trophy

Bonner Springs 35, Shawnee Heights 34, OT

Burden Central 56, Cedar Vale/Dexter Co-op 0

Marais des Cygnes Valley 56, Southern Coffey 12

Maur Hill - Mount Academy 35, Oskaloosa 8

PREP FOOTBALL=Andale 32, Mulvane 6Anderson County 37, Wellsville 6Andover 41, Arkansas City 0Andover Central 21, Buhler 19Ashland 74, Pawnee Heights 38Atchison 47, Highland Park 36Atchison County 22, Pleasant Ridge 0Attica/Argonia 48, Udall 0Augusta 21, El Dorado 14Axtell 68, BV Randolph 6BV North 42, BV West 21BV Northwest 49, Bishop Miege 36BV Southwest 34, DeSoto 20Basehor-Linwood 42, Leavenworth 13Bennington 34, Washington County 28, OTBlue Valley 42, St. James Academy 13Bluejacket, Okla. 52, Chetopa 0Bonner Springs 35, Shawnee Heights 34, OTBucklin 56, Kiowa County 0Burden Central 56, Cedar Vale/Dexter Co-op 0Butler, Mo. 31, Fort Scott 22Cair Paravel 50, Wichita Home School 0Caldwell 72, South Haven 26Caney Valley 48, Neodesha 6Canton-Galva 54, Solomon 6Central Plains 44, Tescott 0Centralia 31, Troy 12Chanute 21, Pittsburg 7Chaparral 22, Hutchinson Trinity 14Chase County 44, Lebo 34Cheney 66, Belle Plaine 0Cherryvale 45, Bluestem 0Cimarron 26, Colby 14Clay Center 57, Jefferson West 0Columbus 40, Coffeyville 8Concordia 51, Abilene 20Conway Springs 40, Remington 28Coweta, Okla. 42, Frontenac 6Derby 50, Newton 17Dodge City 48, Liberal 12Eads, Colo. 52, Greeley County 46Elkhart 14, Syracuse 13Ell-Saline 35, Salina Sacred Heart 14Eureka 38, Erie 18Fowler 92, Burrton 46Frankfort 43, Wetmore 0Galena 20, Pittsburg Colgan 12Garden City 13, Hutchinson 7, OTGarden Plain 60, Sterling 0Girard 49, Baxter Springs 0Goddard-Eisenhower 24, Salina Central 14Goessel 46, Herington 0Halstead 38, Nickerson 24Hanover 70, Onaga 36Hays 51, Great Bend 0Hiawatha 21, Perry-Lecompton 7Hill City 49, Ness City 18Hillsboro 25, Hesston 14Hodgeman County 22, South Central 6Hoisington 27, Larned 14Holton 24, Chapman 14Hoxie 64, La Crosse 28Hugoton 21, Ulysses 13Humboldt 28, Fredonia 26Independence 52, Wichita North 6Inman 68, Ellinwood 0KC Piper 26, Eudora 23KC Washington 16, KC Sumner 14Kapaun Mount Carmel 29, Wichita East 22Kingman 42, Wichita Trinity 20Lakeside 64, Rock Hills 6Lansing 60, KC Turner 0Lawrence 37, SM North 7Lawrence Free State 49, SM South 14Lincoln 58, Fairfield 12Linn 48, Southern Cloud 26Little River 14, Clifton-Clyde 6Logan 58, Stockton 16Logan/Palco 58, Stockton 16Louisburg 34, Tonganoxie 28Lyndon 27, Pleasanton 0Madison/Hamilton 46, Hartford 0Maize 29, Wichita Campus 10Maize South 51, Salina South 14Manhattan 37, Junction City 21Marais des Cygnes Valley 56, Southern Coffey 12Marion 26, Douglass 18Maur Hill - Mount Academy 35, Oskaloosa 8McPherson 44, Circle 0Medicine Lodge 48, Pratt Skyline 42, OTMill Valley 35, Olathe South 14Moundridge 54, Macksville 36Natoma 53, Northern Valley 50Nemaha Central 49, Royal Valley 0Norwich 26, South Barber 24Oberlin-Decatur 18, Wallace County 12Olathe North 26, Gardner-Edgerton 0Olathe Northwest 13, Olathe East 6Olpe 53, Central Heights 0Osage City 51, Council Grove 0Osborne 46, St. John's Beloit-Tipton 0Ottawa 42, Baldwin 0Parsons 32, Iola 14Peabody-Burns 52, Hutchinson Central Christian 28Pembroke Hill, Mo. 35, KC Schlagle 0Plainville 37, Oakley 6Prairie View 48, Osawatomie 12Pratt 59, Mission Valley 22Pretty Prairie 78, St. John 24Quinter 36, Dighton 22Rawlins County 47, St. Francis 0Republic County 22, Ellsworth 15Richmond, Mo. 54, KC Bishop Ward 16Riley County 42, Minneapolis 21Riverton 32, Quapaw, Okla. 20Rose Hill 47, Clearwater 7Rossville 56, Rock Creek 14Ruskin, Mo. 32, KC Wyandotte 30Russell 23, Hays-TMP-Marian 17, 3OTSM West 8, SM East 0Sabetha 42, Riverside 0Scott City 14, Holcomb 12Sedan 60, Flinthills 14Sedgwick 52, Northern Heights 8Silver Lake 29, St. Mary's 28Smith Center 36, Phillipsburg 12Smoky Valley 20, Haven 8South Gray 66, Satanta 20Southeast 37, Jayhawk Linn 0Southeast Saline 36, Beloit 6Spearville 60, Minneola 22Spring Hill 42, Paola 14St. Joseph Le Blond, Mo. 56, Doniphan West 50St. Paul 68, Oswego 66St. Thomas Aquinas 53, Lutheran North, Mo. 39Stafford 49, Wilson 0Stanton County 42, Sublette 16Stratford, Texas 54, Lakin 0Sylvan-Lucas 42, Otis-Bison 16Texhoma, Okla. 19, Southwestern Hts. 6Thunder Ridge 62, Pike Valley 14Topeka Seaman 35, Topeka Hayden 14Topeka West 36, Emporia 32Trego 76, Wichita County 28Valley Center 28, Goddard 14Valley Falls 52, Cornerstone Family 6Victoria 68, Chase 6Wabaunsee 17, Uniontown 6Wamego 28, Marysville 7Washburn Rural 34, Topeka 7Waverly 26, Burlingame 20Weskan 54, Golden Plains 46West Elk 46, Oxford 22Wheatland-Grinnell 58, Kinsley 34Wichita Bishop Carroll 35, Wichita South 6Wichita Northwest 62, Wichita Heights 40Wichita West 48, Wichita Southeast 18Winfield 27, Labette County 7Yates Center 60, Altoona-Midway 0POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS=Burlington, Colo. vs. Goodland, ccd.KC Schlagle vs. KC Harmon, ccd.Mission Valley vs. West Franklin, ccd.Norton vs. Ellis, ccd.Rural Vista vs. Canton-Galva, ccd.Santa Fe Trail vs. Burlington, ccd.

Friday night high school football scores

The Manhattan High Indians (1-0) host rival Junction City (1-0) in MHS' first home game of the 2021 season. Live video will be available with a pregame show at 6:30 p.m. and kickoff at 7 p.m.

The Manhattan High Indians (1-0) host rival Junction City (1-0) in MHS' first home game of the 2021 season. Live video will be available with a pregame show at 6:30 p.m. and kickoff at 7 p.m.<figure>
 <iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/mAW9HG-7DS0"></iframe>
 <figcaption>Junction City HS Football @ Manhattan High (9.10.21)</figcaption>
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Manhattan High vs. Junction City live video stream

The Big 12 Conference released a statement Friday morning regarding potential new members. That statement can be read below:

&nbsp; The Big 12 Conference Board of Directors this morning voted to extend membership invitations to Brigham Young University, the University of Central Florida, the University of Cincinnati, and the University of Houston to join the Conference. Today’s actions were in accordance with Big 12 Conference Bylaw 1.5.2.b.3 requiring an affirmative vote of a supermajority of Directors, and was approved unanimously by the eight continuing members. As necessary, institutional Boards will be in session today to act on Big 12 Conference membership. Videoconference announcements with Big 12 Board of Directors Chairman and Texas Tech University President Lawrence Schovanec, Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, and campus representatives are scheduled today at the following times: Houston – 11:00 a.m. CT BYU – 11:30 a.m. CT UCF – 2:45 p.m. CT Cincinnati – 3:30 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Big 12 Conference released a statement Friday morning regarding potential new members. That statement can be read below:&nbsp; The Big 12 Conference Board of Directors this morning voted to extend membership invitations to Brigham Young University, the University of Central Florida, the University of Cincinnati, and the University of Houston to join the Conference. Today’s actions were in accordance with Big 12 Conference Bylaw 1.5.2.b.3 requiring an affirmative vote of a supermajority of Directors, and was approved unanimously by the eight continuing members. As necessary, institutional Boards will be in session today to act on Big 12 Conference membership. Videoconference announcements with Big 12 Board of Directors Chairman and Texas Tech University President Lawrence Schovanec, Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby, and campus representatives are scheduled today at the following times: Houston – 11:00 a.m. CT BYU – 11:30 a.m. CT UCF – 2:45 p.m. CT Cincinnati – 3:30 p.m. CT&nbsp;&nbsp;

Big 12 extends invitations to new members

MANHATTAN, KAN. - The Manhattan High Indians opened their 2021 season Friday with a 21-6 road win over the Garden City Buffaloes.&nbsp;

It was MHS's third win over Garden City in the last two seasons, but the first of which that forced the Indians to make the 4.5+ hour trip to southwest Kansas. 

"I was pleased with the way the kids focused and performed under some difficult situations," said Schartz recapping the win. "You know, long bus ride, first game, and then the weather delay. Actually, we came out after the weather delay and warmed up better than we did the first time, so perhaps that helped us in a way."

This week, Manhattan will be much more comfortable, making their home debut against rival Junction City.&nbsp;The rivalry is one of the oldest and most historic in the state, and has been about as even as it possibly could be over the last 14 years, with each team winning seven times. On top of that, nine of the last dozen meetings have been decided by one possession, including last year's 36-28 Junction City win.

"It's been a long time since we've been able to have a full-capacity crowd and get the student body involved, so it's going to be a fun experience just to have the atmosphere of a Junction City and Manhattan football game," said Schartz. "It's just going to be a quality event all the way around."&nbsp;

According to Schartz, the Indians will rely on establishing the line of scrimmage, noting that the Blue Jays skilled and physical lines on both sides of the ball will create problem.

"Both teams want to be able to run the football," said Schartz. "It all starts up front, and we're just going to have to play mistake-free to give ourselves a chance."

The battle for the Silver Sportsman Trophy will take place Friday night at Bishop Stadium in Manhattan. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m..&nbsp;

For those unable to attend, a live radio broadcast will air on 1420 AM and 107.9 FM KJCK, as well as a live video stream on LittleApplePost.com

MANHATTAN, KAN. - The Manhattan High Indians opened their 2021 season Friday with a 21-6 road win over the Garden City Buffaloes.&nbsp;It was MHS's third win over Garden City in the last two seasons, but the first of which that forced the Indians to make the 4.5+ hour trip to southwest Kansas. "I was pleased with the way the kids focused and performed under some difficult situations," said Schartz recapping the win. "You know, long bus ride, first game, and then the weather delay. Actually, we came out after the weather delay and warmed up better than we did the first time, so perhaps that helped us in a way."This week, Manhattan will be much more comfortable, making their home debut against rival Junction City.&nbsp;The rivalry is one of the oldest and most historic in the state, and has been about as even as it possibly could be over the last 14 years, with each team winning seven times. On top of that, nine of the last dozen meetings have been decided by one possession, including last year's 36-28 Junction City win."It's been a long time since we've been able to have a full-capacity crowd and get the student body involved, so it's going to be a fun experience just to have the atmosphere of a Junction City and Manhattan football game," said Schartz. "It's just going to be a quality event all the way around."&nbsp;According to Schartz, the Indians will rely on establishing the line of scrimmage, noting that the Blue Jays skilled and physical lines on both sides of the ball will create problem."Both teams want to be able to run the football," said Schartz. "It all starts up front, and we're just going to have to play mistake-free to give ourselves a chance."The battle for the Silver Sportsman Trophy will take place Friday night at Bishop Stadium in Manhattan. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m..&nbsp;For those unable to attend, a live radio broadcast will air on 1420 AM and 107.9 FM KJCK, as well as a live video stream on LittleApplePost.com<div><iframe width="100%" height="300" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" allow="autoplay" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/1121915320&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true&visual=true"></iframe><div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509" title="Eagle Radio" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Eagle Radio</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/user-814667509/manhattan-football-coach-joe-schartz-previews-junction-city-9-9-21" title="Manhattan Football Coach Joe Schartz previews Junction City (9-9-21)" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;">Manhattan Football Coach Joe Schartz previews Junction City (9-9-21)</a></div></div>

Manhattan High Head Coach Joe Schartz previews Junction City

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State coach Chris Klieman knows better than just about anyone the perils of overlooking Southern Illinois.

Klieman spent most of his career in the Missouri Valley, first as a player and assistant coach at Northern Iowa and later as the head coach at North Dakota State. Along the way, Klieman's teams made it a habit of beating teams from Power Five conferences, including a road upset of the Wildcats when he was in charge of the Bison.

So it hardly matters that Kansas State looked so good in a season-opening win over Stanford last weekend. All that matters now is making sure there is no letdown with the Salukis coming to town for the Wildcats' home opener Saturday night.

“The Missouri Valley is a really good league. I think a lot of our teams in our league know that," Klieman said earlier this week, gazing out at a room full of skeptical reporters. “I wish you guys had the appreciation I do for the eight years I spent at NDSU and how good the football really was.”

Southern Illinois, the eighth-ranked team in the Football Championship Subdivision, certainly looked good in its opener. Its quarterback, Nic Baker, set a school record with 460 yards passing in a 47-21 blowout of Southeast Missouri State.

But just as Klieman knows the danger in overlooking the Salukis, so does Southern Illinois coach Nick Hill know that the Wildcats and Redhawks are hardly the same level of opponent. Kansas State rolled to a 24-7 win over the Cardinal last weekend, earning votes in the Top 25 for the Football Bowl Subdivision in Tuesday's poll.

“It's a great opponent,” Hill acknowledged. “Any time you play a Power Five opponent there's the obvious things: They've got more depth, more scholarships, all that kind of stuff. But we've been here before. This is our sixth season and we've always played FBS schools. This one happens to be as good as we've played. They proved that in Week 1.”

Good luck finding a more experienced team than Southern Illinois, which has 17 sixth-year seniors and two more fifth-year seniors on the roster. The Salukis also return all five offensive lineman who started the final three games of last season.

“Southern Illinois has a bunch of wrinkles in their offense, and they want to get the ball to the playmakers,” Kansas State linebacker Ryan Hennington said. “It just comes down to us being disciplined and playing our assignment, understanding what they’re trying to do, and how they’re trying to manipulate us.”

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State coach Chris Klieman knows better than just about anyone the perils of overlooking Southern Illinois.Klieman spent most of his career in the Missouri Valley, first as a player and assistant coach at Northern Iowa and later as the head coach at North Dakota State. Along the way, Klieman's teams made it a habit of beating teams from Power Five conferences, including a road upset of the Wildcats when he was in charge of the Bison.So it hardly matters that Kansas State looked so good in a season-opening win over Stanford last weekend. All that matters now is making sure there is no letdown with the Salukis coming to town for the Wildcats' home opener Saturday night.“The Missouri Valley is a really good league. I think a lot of our teams in our league know that," Klieman said earlier this week, gazing out at a room full of skeptical reporters. “I wish you guys had the appreciation I do for the eight years I spent at NDSU and how good the football really was.”Southern Illinois, the eighth-ranked team in the Football Championship Subdivision, certainly looked good in its opener. Its quarterback, Nic Baker, set a school record with 460 yards passing in a 47-21 blowout of Southeast Missouri State.But just as Klieman knows the danger in overlooking the Salukis, so does Southern Illinois coach Nick Hill know that the Wildcats and Redhawks are hardly the same level of opponent. Kansas State rolled to a 24-7 win over the Cardinal last weekend, earning votes in the Top 25 for the Football Bowl Subdivision in Tuesday's poll.“It's a great opponent,” Hill acknowledged. “Any time you play a Power Five opponent there's the obvious things: They've got more depth, more scholarships, all that kind of stuff. But we've been here before. This is our sixth season and we've always played FBS schools. This one happens to be as good as we've played. They proved that in Week 1.”AGED TO PERFECTIONGood luck finding a more experienced team than Southern Illinois, which has 17 sixth-year seniors and two more fifth-year seniors on the roster. The Salukis also return all five offensive lineman who started the final three games of last season.“Southern Illinois has a bunch of wrinkles in their offense, and they want to get the ball to the playmakers,” Kansas State linebacker Ryan Hennington said. “It just comes down to us being disciplined and playing our assignment, understanding what they’re trying to do, and how they’re trying to manipulate us.”

K-State is set to play Southern Illinois

MANHATTAN, Kansas&nbsp;– As K-State football fans prepare to descend upon Manhattan for the home opener Saturday against Southern Illinois, they should be aware of two current road construction projects in the city that could cause congestion on gamedays this fall.

According to k-statesports.com reconstruction of Kimball Avenue between Candlewood Drive and Seth Child Road (K-113) west of Bill Snyder Family Stadium has reduced traffic on Kimball to two lanes head-to-head in that area. Additionally, for pregame incoming southbound traffic, the exit off Seth Child approaching Kimball is closed. Fans driving from the north are asked to continue south to Claflin Road before exiting Seth Child and utilize College Avenue to the stadium.

Postgame, Manhattan residents are advised that law enforcement will divert eastbound traffic on Kimball for a short time to allow exiting football traffic to utilize both lanes through the construction zone onto Scenic Drive out to K-18 and I-70. Also, because the northbound entrance ramp to Seth Child is closed, traffic wishing to go northbound will be diverted at Browning Avenue to Marlatt Avenue, then west to Seth Child.

This portion of construction on Kimball is expected to be completed in mid-October. The rebuilding of the intersection of Kimball and College at Bill Snyder Family Stadium was completed last spring. All lanes and entrances to the parking lots at the stadium are fully open.

The other major construction currently in progress is the Wildcat Creek bridge replacement project on Fort Riley Boulevard (K-18) near the intersection of Richards Drive which has reduced traffic to two lanes head-to-head in that area.&nbsp; The project is expected to be completed in mid-November.

K-State officials are expecting a near-capacity crowd in Bill Snyder Family Stadium for Saturday’s 6 p.m., kickoff against Southern Illinois. Prior to the football game,&nbsp;<a>the K-State volleyball team wraps up its K-State Invitational with a match against Fresno State at 11 a.m., in Bramlage Coliseum. Admission to the match is free. Volleyball fans are advised that football parking priority will be in effect on Saturday and only fans with Ahearn Fund football reserved parking passes will be permitted to park in the east and west lots of the Sports Complex. A shuttle for volleyball fans will be available from parking lot D-1 west of Memorial Stadium on campus beginning at 9:30 a.m. Pickup is located on the west side of the lot near Sunset Avenue and drop-off is on Kerr Drive on the southeast side of Bramlage Coliseum. Upon arrival, fans utilizing the shuttle should enter Bramlage at the Coliseum’s Northeast Entrance.</a>

All parking lots around Bill Snyder Family Stadium open at 1 p.m., Saturday, five hours prior to kickoff.&nbsp; Parking in the east and west lots of the stadium is reserved for members of the Ahearn Fund and requires a pass for entry.&nbsp; Paid parking for fans with disabilities is available on a first-come, first-served basis in the east and west stadium lots. To gain entry, guests must display a state-issued accessible license plate or hangtag and present a disability card along with a form of personal identification.&nbsp; All other general public parking is limited to grass parking in Lot&nbsp;9 east of the stadium, in&nbsp;the paved lot of the Peters Recreation Center, near the Equine Center north and east of the fire station on Denison Avenue or in private satellite lots and parking areas on campus. General public parking fees are $20 for cars.

MANHATTAN, Kansas&nbsp;– As K-State football fans prepare to descend upon Manhattan for the home opener Saturday against Southern Illinois, they should be aware of two current road construction projects in the city that could cause congestion on gamedays this fall.According to k-statesports.com reconstruction of Kimball Avenue between Candlewood Drive and Seth Child Road (K-113) west of Bill Snyder Family Stadium has reduced traffic on Kimball to two lanes head-to-head in that area. Additionally, for pregame incoming southbound traffic, the exit off Seth Child approaching Kimball is closed. Fans driving from the north are asked to continue south to Claflin Road before exiting Seth Child and utilize College Avenue to the stadium.Postgame, Manhattan residents are advised that law enforcement will divert eastbound traffic on Kimball for a short time to allow exiting football traffic to utilize both lanes through the construction zone onto Scenic Drive out to K-18 and I-70. Also, because the northbound entrance ramp to Seth Child is closed, traffic wishing to go northbound will be diverted at Browning Avenue to Marlatt Avenue, then west to Seth Child.This portion of construction on Kimball is expected to be completed in mid-October. The rebuilding of the intersection of Kimball and College at Bill Snyder Family Stadium was completed last spring. All lanes and entrances to the parking lots at the stadium are fully open.The other major construction currently in progress is the Wildcat Creek bridge replacement project on Fort Riley Boulevard (K-18) near the intersection of Richards Drive which has reduced traffic to two lanes head-to-head in that area.&nbsp; The project is expected to be completed in mid-November.K-State officials are expecting a near-capacity crowd in Bill Snyder Family Stadium for Saturday’s 6 p.m., kickoff against Southern Illinois. Prior to the football game,&nbsp;<a>the K-State volleyball team wraps up its K-State Invitational with a match against Fresno State at 11 a.m., in Bramlage Coliseum. Admission to the match is free. Volleyball fans are advised that football parking priority will be in effect on Saturday and only fans with Ahearn Fund football reserved parking passes will be permitted to park in the east and west lots of the Sports Complex. A shuttle for volleyball fans will be available from parking lot D-1 west of Memorial Stadium on campus beginning at 9:30 a.m. Pickup is located on the west side of the lot near Sunset Avenue and drop-off is on Kerr Drive on the southeast side of Bramlage Coliseum. Upon arrival, fans utilizing the shuttle should enter Bramlage at the Coliseum’s Northeast Entrance.</a>All parking lots around Bill Snyder Family Stadium open at 1 p.m., Saturday, five hours prior to kickoff.&nbsp; Parking in the east and west lots of the stadium is reserved for members of the Ahearn Fund and requires a pass for entry.&nbsp; Paid parking for fans with disabilities is available on a first-come, first-served basis in the east and west stadium lots. To gain entry, guests must display a state-issued accessible license plate or hangtag and present a disability card along with a form of personal identification.&nbsp; All other general public parking is limited to grass parking in Lot&nbsp;9 east of the stadium, in&nbsp;the paved lot of the Peters Recreation Center, near the Equine Center north and east of the fire station on Denison Avenue or in private satellite lots and parking areas on campus. General public parking fees are $20 for cars.

Road Construction Update for Football Traffic

ORLANDO - According to multiple reports, the University of Central Florida has filed an application for membership with the Big 12 Conference.&nbsp;

UCF becomes the second team from the American Athletic Conference to submit its application to the Big 12 on Wednesday, joining Cincinnati.&nbsp;

ORLANDO - According to multiple reports, the University of Central Florida has filed an application for membership with the Big 12 Conference.&nbsp;UCF becomes the second team from the American Athletic Conference to submit its application to the Big 12 on Wednesday, joining Cincinnati.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It&#39;s done. I posted in the Dungeon first. Wednesday was always the plan. Friday is expected to be the official announcement. If you aren&#39;t already a <a href="https://t.co/WBnJOTyC4r">https://t.co/WBnJOTyC4r</a> subscriber, there&#39;s no better time than the present. <a href="https://t.co/VbMj3oBA6I">https://t.co/VbMj3oBA6I</a> <a href="https://t.co/O69Q7B7aL3">https://t.co/O69Q7B7aL3</a>&mdash; Brandon Helwig (@UCFSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/UCFSports/status/1435690498921009154?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script</div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BREAKING: UCF has officially submitted its application to join the Big 12, per <a href="https://twitter.com/UCFSports?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UCFSports</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/Andy_Staples?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Andy_Staples</a> <a href="https://t.co/vE9pxcFCmv">pic.twitter.com/vE9pxcFCmv</a>&mdash; PFF College (@PFF_College) <a href="https://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1435720419731021824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

REPORT: UCF submits application to join Big 12

MANHATTAN, Kansas&nbsp;- Wildcat fans can attend a special ribbon-cutting&nbsp;ceremony for the new Shamrock Zone project prior to the Southern Illinois football game on Saturday.

When stadium gates open at 4 p.m., fans are welcome to attend the ceremony inside Gate D of Bill Snyder Family Stadium. &nbsp;The short ceremony will include President Richard Myers, Athletics Director Gene Taylor, head basketball coaches Bruce Weber and Jeff Mittie, representatives from HOK Architects and JE Dunn Construction and donors to the Shamrock Zone project.

“Saturday will be a special day as we not only welcome back a full crowd to Bill Snyder Family Stadium but also cut the ribbon on what has already become a significant addition to our facility infrastructure,” Taylor said. “The Shamrock Zone provides our fans new amenities for gameday while also providing a first-class space to utilize for football, basketball and volleyball games and recruiting. So many people made this project a reality and we appreciate their support, most notably the Ryan family and Shamrock Corporation.” As part of the&nbsp;Building Champions&nbsp;capital initiative, the Shamrock Zone has transformed the south concourse and includes permanent concessions and restrooms for the first time in the history of Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Two new video boards have been added to the SW and SE corners of the stadium to mirror the two video boards on the north end of the stadium, along with a new ribbon board underneath the Shamrock Zone Club level. Most notably, the Shamrock Zone includes a 13,500 square-foot club space that offers a unique gameday experience of 318 club seats, 10 loge boxes, and 10 suites that span the south end of Bill Snyder Family Stadium while providing an enhanced lounge area to be utilized for volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball games.

Other improvements as a part of this project include extending Bramlage Coliseum entrances at the NW and NE points of entry, which adds 4,500 square feet of new concourse to Bramlage, as well as faster access.&nbsp; A new dining terrace has been constructed on the north end of the Bramlage Coliseum arena that will be utilized for upcoming men’s and women’s basketball seasons.

The Shamrock Zone was a $50 million project that began in February of 2019.&nbsp; Funding for this project was raised through generous philanthropic gifts by donors and friends of K-State Athletics.&nbsp; No University or state funds were used in the construction of this facility.&nbsp; The project began prior to the COVID pandemic and stayed on budget and on schedule through the pandemic.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631125004722.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kansas&nbsp;- Wildcat fans can attend a special ribbon-cutting&nbsp;ceremony for the new Shamrock Zone project prior to the Southern Illinois football game on Saturday.When stadium gates open at 4 p.m., fans are welcome to attend the ceremony inside Gate D of Bill Snyder Family Stadium. &nbsp;The short ceremony will include President Richard Myers, Athletics Director Gene Taylor, head basketball coaches Bruce Weber and Jeff Mittie, representatives from HOK Architects and JE Dunn Construction and donors to the Shamrock Zone project.“Saturday will be a special day as we not only welcome back a full crowd to Bill Snyder Family Stadium but also cut the ribbon on what has already become a significant addition to our facility infrastructure,” Taylor said. “The Shamrock Zone provides our fans new amenities for gameday while also providing a first-class space to utilize for football, basketball and volleyball games and recruiting. So many people made this project a reality and we appreciate their support, most notably the Ryan family and Shamrock Corporation.” As part of the&nbsp;Building Champions&nbsp;capital initiative, the Shamrock Zone has transformed the south concourse and includes permanent concessions and restrooms for the first time in the history of Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Two new video boards have been added to the SW and SE corners of the stadium to mirror the two video boards on the north end of the stadium, along with a new ribbon board underneath the Shamrock Zone Club level. Most notably, the Shamrock Zone includes a 13,500 square-foot club space that offers a unique gameday experience of 318 club seats, 10 loge boxes, and 10 suites that span the south end of Bill Snyder Family Stadium while providing an enhanced lounge area to be utilized for volleyball and men’s and women’s basketball games.Other improvements as a part of this project include extending Bramlage Coliseum entrances at the NW and NE points of entry, which adds 4,500 square feet of new concourse to Bramlage, as well as faster access.&nbsp; A new dining terrace has been constructed on the north end of the Bramlage Coliseum arena that will be utilized for upcoming men’s and women’s basketball seasons.The Shamrock Zone was a $50 million project that began in February of 2019.&nbsp; Funding for this project was raised through generous philanthropic gifts by donors and friends of K-State Athletics.&nbsp; No University or state funds were used in the construction of this facility.&nbsp; The project began prior to the COVID pandemic and stayed on budget and on schedule through the pandemic.

Shamrock Zone ribbon cutting is set for Saturday

CINCINNATI - According to an article written by the Cincinnati Enquirer, the University of Cincinnati has officially applied to become a member of the Big 12 Conference.&nbsp;

View the article <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincinnati.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Fcolumnists%2F2021%2F09%2F08%2Fsources-cincinnati-bearcats-submit-application-big-12-conference%2F5770273001%2F">HERE</a> (requires paid subscription).

Cincinnati, as well as the University of Central Florida, University of Houston, and BYU are all expected to begin the process of joining the Big 12 in coming weeks, according to multiple reports.

CINCINNATI - According to an article written by the Cincinnati Enquirer, the University of Cincinnati has officially applied to become a member of the Big 12 Conference.&nbsp;View the article <a href="https://www.cincinnati.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cincinnati.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Fcolumnists%2F2021%2F09%2F08%2Fsources-cincinnati-bearcats-submit-application-big-12-conference%2F5770273001%2F">HERE</a> (requires paid subscription).Cincinnati, as well as the University of Central Florida, University of Houston, and BYU are all expected to begin the process of joining the Big 12 in coming weeks, according to multiple reports.

REPORT: University of Cincinnati applies for Big 12 membership

WAMEGO, Kan. — Manhattan High School's girls golf team took 4th place at the Wamego Country Club on Tuesday with a team total of 387. Team total wise, MHS tied with Wamego; however, Manhattan High's 5th golfer posted a lower score, breaking the tie and giving MHS 4th place outright.&nbsp;

Head Coach Paige McCarthy was pleased with her team's effort, stating that it sets her team up for the rest of the season.&nbsp;

"We left a lot of shots out there, but Wamego Country Club is a very tough course," said McCarthy. "And with our youth and lack of varsity experience, it was a good day and will be great to build upon."

The Lady Indians were led by freshman Kaitlyn Lagabed, who tied for 17th with a 94. Sophomore Rylee Wisdom was close behind, posting a 95 and tying for 20th. Emily Wuggazer, another MHS freshman placed 25th with a 98, junior Lexi Smith shot an even 100 to tie for 29th, and senior Lizzy Tauschek placed 38th with a 103.&nbsp;

The Lady Indians' next varsity tournament will be Tuesday, September 14th at the Hayden Invitational at Shawnee Country Club.&nbsp;

BY JACKSON SCHNEIDERWAMEGO, Kan. — Manhattan High School's girls golf team took 4th place at the Wamego Country Club on Tuesday with a team total of 387. Team total wise, MHS tied with Wamego; however, Manhattan High's 5th golfer posted a lower score, breaking the tie and giving MHS 4th place outright.&nbsp;Head Coach Paige McCarthy was pleased with her team's effort, stating that it sets her team up for the rest of the season.&nbsp;"We left a lot of shots out there, but Wamego Country Club is a very tough course," said McCarthy. "And with our youth and lack of varsity experience, it was a good day and will be great to build upon."The Lady Indians were led by freshman Kaitlyn Lagabed, who tied for 17th with a 94. Sophomore Rylee Wisdom was close behind, posting a 95 and tying for 20th. Emily Wuggazer, another MHS freshman placed 25th with a 98, junior Lexi Smith shot an even 100 to tie for 29th, and senior Lizzy Tauschek placed 38th with a 103.&nbsp;The Lady Indians' next varsity tournament will be Tuesday, September 14th at the Hayden Invitational at Shawnee Country Club.&nbsp;

MHS Girls Golf places 4th

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Kansas State opened up its 2021 football season Saturday with a 24-7 victory over Stanford. The game was tabbed the AllState Kickoff Classic and held inside of AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, home to the Dallas Cowboys.&nbsp;

Senior Linebacker and Junction City-native Ryan Hennington said the game was the experience of a lifetime.&nbsp;

"It was truly incredible, kind of like a dream come true," said Hennington, who tallied three tackles in the win. "It's something kind of cool to start your senior season out. The stadium was an amazing experience and the fans were incredible."&nbsp;

Ryan added that he knew the stadium was a lot bigger than Bill Snyder Family Stadium, but with as many Wildcat fans that traveled, the atmosphere was certainly special.

"I did my best not to focus on the crowd. Obviously, the Dallas Cowboy stadium is huge, but K-State fans did an amazing job of showing out. They made it feel like a home atmosphere, so it was great," he said. "I think I speak for the entire team, we're ready to roll. Especially with our new pregame tradition, this place is going to be off the hook."

Hennington's role was tweaked slightly in the offseason, with the Wildcats and Defensive Coordinator Joe Klanderman adding a three-man front into the mix of defensive play calls.&nbsp;

According to Hennington, the staff told him back in January there were a few twists that would allow the 'Cats to play faster. The seemingly biggest of those changes, a three-man defensive front, appeared in the win on Saturday. That change slid Hennington to Linebacker, where he says he thinks he's a great fit.&nbsp;

"The new position is a great fit. Linebacker is a great fit in just the way that we're able to run to the ball and run through our leverage," said Hennington. "It's just a lot better fit for our defense."

The Wildcats will certainly need speed on Saturday, with the upcoming task in Southern Illinois, a team that K-State Head Coach Chris Klieman said is very experienced and will throw some tricks at you.

“Tremendous, tremendous skill on offense, really good quarterback. Probably the best reverse team in the country. You're going to see some reverses out of different formations and reverse passes and gadgets and Wildcat. They make you defend sideline to sideline with everybody. You better not just key in on a couple of guys. They've got some tremendous players, but they hit reverses on everybody.," said Klieman. "So, we've got to make sure and have discipline within our defense. Then their defense, they're older, experienced guys. Have played a lot of football and had success last year, making it long ways in the playoffs and had a big road win.”

Hennington echoed his coach's thoughts, “Southern Illinois has a bunch of wrinkles in their offense, and they want to get the ball to the playmakers. I think it just comes down to us being disciplined and playing our assignment, understanding what they're trying to do, and how they're trying to manipulate us," he said. "So, if we can stick to our rules and principles, we can eliminate some of those explosive plays.”

Week-to-week, every opponent K-State will face will be vastly different, but Klieman added that because of the gadget plays and reverses that the Salukis utilize, his team will have to stay very disciplined in order to come out on top.

“Well, we were so prepared to play the run against Stanford and we had guys coming downhill. There were some times in big people that they'd have that we had everybody with the corner coming downhill at the run, and we can't do that this week because of the amount of gadgets and trick plays and double moves and just really variety of offense," said Klieman. "Stanford didn't give us that variety that Southern Illinois is going to. So, I think it's more of just the discipline of doing your technique and discipline of getting back to more spread-out football. Stanford wasn't as much spread-out football. These guys are going to run RPOs, and we're going to have all different personnel groupings. So it’s kind of back to what we did in fall camp versus our own offense that does so many different things. We have to get back to that because we had 12 full practices of nothing but Stanford. That's a different mindset playing those guys than it is playing a lot of teams.”

The Wildcats will welcome full capacity back into Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Saturday, when K-State and Southern Illinois face off for the first time in the history of the two programs. Kickoff will be just after 6p.m., with live coverage available on 1420 AM/107.9 FM KJCK.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631048847416.jpeg" alt="K-State SR Linebacker Ryan Hennington, image courtesy to K-State Athletics" />
 <figcaption>K-State SR Linebacker Ryan Hennington, image courtesy to K-State Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>BY JACKSON SCHNEIDERMANHATTAN, Kan. - Kansas State opened up its 2021 football season Saturday with a 24-7 victory over Stanford. The game was tabbed the AllState Kickoff Classic and held inside of AT&amp;T Stadium in Arlington, home to the Dallas Cowboys.&nbsp;Senior Linebacker and Junction City-native Ryan Hennington said the game was the experience of a lifetime.&nbsp;"It was truly incredible, kind of like a dream come true," said Hennington, who tallied three tackles in the win. "It's something kind of cool to start your senior season out. The stadium was an amazing experience and the fans were incredible."&nbsp;Ryan added that he knew the stadium was a lot bigger than Bill Snyder Family Stadium, but with as many Wildcat fans that traveled, the atmosphere was certainly special."I did my best not to focus on the crowd. Obviously, the Dallas Cowboy stadium is huge, but K-State fans did an amazing job of showing out. They made it feel like a home atmosphere, so it was great," he said. "I think I speak for the entire team, we're ready to roll. Especially with our new pregame tradition, this place is going to be off the hook."Hennington's role was tweaked slightly in the offseason, with the Wildcats and Defensive Coordinator Joe Klanderman adding a three-man front into the mix of defensive play calls.&nbsp;According to Hennington, the staff told him back in January there were a few twists that would allow the 'Cats to play faster. The seemingly biggest of those changes, a three-man defensive front, appeared in the win on Saturday. That change slid Hennington to Linebacker, where he says he thinks he's a great fit.&nbsp;"The new position is a great fit. Linebacker is a great fit in just the way that we're able to run to the ball and run through our leverage," said Hennington. "It's just a lot better fit for our defense."The Wildcats will certainly need speed on Saturday, with the upcoming task in Southern Illinois, a team that K-State Head Coach Chris Klieman said is very experienced and will throw some tricks at you.“Tremendous, tremendous skill on offense, really good quarterback. Probably the best reverse team in the country. You're going to see some reverses out of different formations and reverse passes and gadgets and Wildcat. They make you defend sideline to sideline with everybody. You better not just key in on a couple of guys. They've got some tremendous players, but they hit reverses on everybody.," said Klieman. "So, we've got to make sure and have discipline within our defense. Then their defense, they're older, experienced guys. Have played a lot of football and had success last year, making it long ways in the playoffs and had a big road win.”Hennington echoed his coach's thoughts, “Southern Illinois has a bunch of wrinkles in their offense, and they want to get the ball to the playmakers. I think it just comes down to us being disciplined and playing our assignment, understanding what they're trying to do, and how they're trying to manipulate us," he said. "So, if we can stick to our rules and principles, we can eliminate some of those explosive plays.”Week-to-week, every opponent K-State will face will be vastly different, but Klieman added that because of the gadget plays and reverses that the Salukis utilize, his team will have to stay very disciplined in order to come out on top.“Well, we were so prepared to play the run against Stanford and we had guys coming downhill. There were some times in big people that they'd have that we had everybody with the corner coming downhill at the run, and we can't do that this week because of the amount of gadgets and trick plays and double moves and just really variety of offense," said Klieman. "Stanford didn't give us that variety that Southern Illinois is going to. So, I think it's more of just the discipline of doing your technique and discipline of getting back to more spread-out football. Stanford wasn't as much spread-out football. These guys are going to run RPOs, and we're going to have all different personnel groupings. So it’s kind of back to what we did in fall camp versus our own offense that does so many different things. We have to get back to that because we had 12 full practices of nothing but Stanford. That's a different mindset playing those guys than it is playing a lot of teams.”The Wildcats will welcome full capacity back into Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Saturday, when K-State and Southern Illinois face off for the first time in the history of the two programs. Kickoff will be just after 6p.m., with live coverage available on 1420 AM/107.9 FM KJCK.

K-State's Klieman, Hennington reflect on season-opening win, look ahead to SIU

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;K-State fans can cheer on the football team before they even take the field at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, as tailgaters and fans are encouraged to congregate and welcome the team as it arrives at the stadium prior to each home game.

The Wildcats will arrive on the west side of the stadium approximately two hours and 30 minutes prior to each home game beginning with the home opener against Southern Illinois, as the team will be at the stadium at approximately 3:30 p.m. this Saturday. The busses will drop the Wildcats off at the intersection of the parking lot lanes for Gates 3 and 5 in the west parking lot, and the team will walk into Gate B of Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

Also on site to help welcome the team into the stadium will be the Pride of Wildcat Land, as they will perform from the steps around Gate B of the stadium, in addition to Willie Wildcat, cheerleaders and Classy Cats.

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;K-State fans can cheer on the football team before they even take the field at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, as tailgaters and fans are encouraged to congregate and welcome the team as it arrives at the stadium prior to each home game.The Wildcats will arrive on the west side of the stadium approximately two hours and 30 minutes prior to each home game beginning with the home opener against Southern Illinois, as the team will be at the stadium at approximately 3:30 p.m. this Saturday. The busses will drop the Wildcats off at the intersection of the parking lot lanes for Gates 3 and 5 in the west parking lot, and the team will walk into Gate B of Bill Snyder Family Stadium.Also on site to help welcome the team into the stadium will be the Pride of Wildcat Land, as they will perform from the steps around Gate B of the stadium, in addition to Willie Wildcat, cheerleaders and Classy Cats.

Fans invited to team arrival prior to each home game

ARLINGTON, Tex. — Skylar Thompson rushed for two scores and Deuce Vaughn added another, and the Kansas State Wildcats opened their 2021 season with a 24-7 victory over the Stanford Cardinal in the All-State Kickoff Classic.&nbsp;

Kansas State's win snapped a five-game losing streak dating back to the end of the 2020 year, it also marked the Wildcats first-ever win inside of AT&amp;T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.&nbsp;

K-State's defense answered a variety of the questions that surrounded it on the outset of the season, shutting down Stanford and holding the Cardinal scoreless until the final three minutes of the game.&nbsp;

The defensive effort earned worlds of praise from K-State Head Coach Chris Klieman.

"We needed to be better on defense this year," said Klieman. "And we worked both our four down and our three down the entire spring, and just kind of learned the three down from some people that I'm pretty close to in the profession."

The effort from K-State's defense clearly frustrated the Cardinal as well. "You know, we seem disjointed," said Stanford Head Coach David Shaw. "We had opportunities. We didn't take advantage of those."

The Wildcats out-gained Stanford 344-233 in the contest and running back Deuce Vaughn led K-State's ground attack with 124 yards on 13 carries, just one yard shy of his career-high.&nbsp;Vaughn also ripped off a 59-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, the longest touchdown run in the history of the All-State Kickoff Classic.&nbsp;

Vaughn wasn't the only Wildcat that saw success on the ground either. The Wildcat offense as a whole rushed for 6.5 yards per carry in the effort, which also set an All-State Kickoff Classic record.

The Wildcats will now take their 1-0 record into its home-opener at Bill Snyder Family Stadium against the Southern Illinois Salukis.&nbsp;

By Jackson SchneiderARLINGTON, Tex. — Skylar Thompson rushed for two scores and Deuce Vaughn added another, and the Kansas State Wildcats opened their 2021 season with a 24-7 victory over the Stanford Cardinal in the All-State Kickoff Classic.&nbsp;Kansas State's win snapped a five-game losing streak dating back to the end of the 2020 year, it also marked the Wildcats first-ever win inside of AT&amp;T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.&nbsp;K-State's defense answered a variety of the questions that surrounded it on the outset of the season, shutting down Stanford and holding the Cardinal scoreless until the final three minutes of the game.&nbsp;The defensive effort earned worlds of praise from K-State Head Coach Chris Klieman."We needed to be better on defense this year," said Klieman. "And we worked both our four down and our three down the entire spring, and just kind of learned the three down from some people that I'm pretty close to in the profession."The effort from K-State's defense clearly frustrated the Cardinal as well. "You know, we seem disjointed," said Stanford Head Coach David Shaw. "We had opportunities. We didn't take advantage of those."The Wildcats out-gained Stanford 344-233 in the contest and running back Deuce Vaughn led K-State's ground attack with 124 yards on 13 carries, just one yard shy of his career-high.&nbsp;Vaughn also ripped off a 59-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, the longest touchdown run in the history of the All-State Kickoff Classic.&nbsp;Vaughn wasn't the only Wildcat that saw success on the ground either. The Wildcat offense as a whole rushed for 6.5 yards per carry in the effort, which also set an All-State Kickoff Classic record.The Wildcats will now take their 1-0 record into its home-opener at Bill Snyder Family Stadium against the Southern Illinois Salukis.&nbsp;

K-State beats Stanford 24-7

Center, Mo. 34, Christ Preparatory Academy 6

Lafayette (St. Joseph), Mo. 50, Atchison 21

Lee's Summit Community Christian, Mo. 49, Fort Scott 0

Pretty Prairie 16, Hutchinson Central Christian 14

St. John's Beloit-Tipton 38, Sylvan-Lucas 20

St. Thomas Aquinas 28, St. James Academy 7

Parsons vs. Anderson County, ppd. to Sep 6th.

Winfield vs. Arkansas City, ppd. to Sep 6th.

PREP FOOTBALLAndale 57, Rose Hill 6Andover Central 10, Newton 6Augusta 48, Coffeyville 0Ava, Mo. 45, Humboldt 0Axtell 62, Wheatland-Grinnell 16Basehor-Linwood 27, Tonganoxie 6Bucklin 22, Spearville 6Buhler 42, Goddard 14Caldwell 30, Oxford 0Caney Valley 49, Fredonia 18Canton-Galva 56, Goessel 8Center, Mo. 34, Christ Preparatory Academy 6Central Heights 34, West Franklin 13Chaparral 32, Wichita Trinity 0Chapman 24, Sabetha 22Cheney 34, Kingman 14Cheylin 67, Golden Plains 12Circle 20, Chanute 12Clearwater 48, Belle Plaine 0Colby 35, Hugoton 7Commerce, Okla. 40, Galena 14Concordia 41, Wamego 40, OTCunningham 58, Rolla 8DeSoto 62, KC Turner 8Doniphan West 54, BV Randolph 8El Dorado 36, Independence 0Eureka 12, Neodesha 0Flinthills 48, Cedar Vale/Dexter Co-op 0Frankfort 60, Washington County 34Girard 33, Pittsburg Colgan 7Hanover 44, Pike Valley 0Hays 35, Wichita East 6Hesston 45, Haven 8Hillsboro 50, Nickerson 22Hodgeman County 48, Satanta 0Hutchinson 34, Valley Center 6Jackson Heights 45, Oskaloosa 6KC Piper 56, Ottawa 7Kapaun Mount Carmel 55, Wichita South 0Kinsley 38, Central Plains 6Lafayette (St. Joseph), Mo. 50, Atchison 21Larned 41, Lyons 19Leavenworth 20, Shawnee Heights 13Lee's Summit Community Christian, Mo. 49, Fort Scott 0Little River 62, Peabody-Burns 6Madison/Hamilton 52, Burlingame 6Manhattan 21 Garden City 7Marion 26, Ell-Saline 7McPherson 24, Salina South 14Medicine Lodge 52, Triplains-Brewster 34Mill Valley 35, Gardner-Edgerton 14Moscow 26, Fowler 0Natoma 87, Deerfield 0Odessa, Mo. 35, Lansing 0Olathe Northwest 28, Olathe West 21Olathe South 7, SM West 6Perry-Lecompton 40, Jefferson West 6Pittsburg 28, Labette County 0Plainville 34, Phillipsburg 7Pratt 68, Hoisington 18Pretty Prairie 16, Hutchinson Central Christian 14Quinter 38, Rawlins County 8Riley County 17, St. Mary's 14Riverton 52, Baxter Springs 0Rossville 38, Centralia 0Royal Valley 16, Riverside 13SM East 28, SM North 7Salina Central 44, Wichita Campus 6Scott City 36, Ulysses 27Sedan 50, St. Paul 0Silver Lake 34, Rock Creek 28Smith Center 26, Norton 7Smoky Valley 20, Halstead 16Solomon 46, Linn 0Southeast Saline 50, Minneapolis 0St. John's Beloit-Tipton 38, Sylvan-Lucas 20St. Thomas Aquinas 28, St. James Academy 7Topeka Hayden 22, Emporia 2Topeka Seaman 71, Highland Park 6Valley Falls 34, Wetmore 20Victoria 52, La Crosse 26Washburn Rural 45, Topeka West 6Wellsville 26, Burlington 6West Elk 48, Udall 0Wichita County 56, Hoxie 6Wray, Colo. 30, Goodland 0^POSTPONEMENTS AND CANCELLATIONS=Columbus vs. Frontenac, ppd. to Sep 4th.Parsons vs. Anderson County, ppd. to Sep 6th.Solomon vs. Rural Vista, ccd.Valley Heights vs. Marysville, ccd.Winfield vs. Arkansas City, ppd. to Sep 6th.

Friday night high school football results

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jason Bean connected with Lawrence Arnold for the second time in the game with 1:12 remaining Friday night, allowing Kansas to escape with a 17-14 victory over South Dakota in coach Lance Leipold’s debut with the Jayhawks. The Coyoteshad pulled ahead when Kansas native Travis Theis ran 25 yards for a go-ahead score with 5:16 to go. The student section rushed the field to celebrate the end of a 13-game skid — albeit against an FCS opponent — and the Jayhawks’ first win since beating Texas Tech on Oct. 26, 2019.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Jason Bean connected with Lawrence Arnold for the second time in the game with 1:12 remaining Friday night, allowing Kansas to escape with a 17-14 victory over South Dakota in coach Lance Leipold’s debut with the Jayhawks. The Coyoteshad pulled ahead when Kansas native Travis Theis ran 25 yards for a go-ahead score with 5:16 to go. The student section rushed the field to celebrate the end of a 13-game skid — albeit against an FCS opponent — and the Jayhawks’ first win since beating Texas Tech on Oct. 26, 2019.

Kansas defeats South Dakota

The Manhattan Indians opened their high school football season in southwest Kansas with a 21-7 win over the Garden City Buffaloes. The Indians host Junction City next Friday.

The Manhattan Indians opened their high school football season in southwest Kansas with a 21-7 win over the Garden City Buffaloes. The Indians host Junction City next Friday.

Manhattan defeats Garden City

WAMEGO, Kan. — Leading 40-34, Wamego's defense faced a 4th and goal with the game on the line, but a read option run opened up just enough space for Concordia to tie the game.&nbsp;

An extra point later, and the Panthers would take a 41-40 win in 5 overtimes.&nbsp;

The Red Raiders fall to 0-1, while the Panthers are 1-0.&nbsp;

WAMEGO, Kan. — Leading 40-34, Wamego's defense faced a 4th and goal with the game on the line, but a read option run opened up just enough space for Concordia to tie the game.&nbsp;An extra point later, and the Panthers would take a 41-40 win in 5 overtimes.&nbsp;The Red Raiders fall to 0-1, while the Panthers are 1-0.&nbsp;

Wamego drops 5OT thriller to Concordia

The Big 12 is moving quickly on an expansion plan that could have the conference at 12 schools after Texas and Oklahoma leave, with BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston as the “most intriguing” candidates. 

Three people familiar with the Big 12′s talks say the eight schools being left behind by the Longhorns and Sooners are working to rebuild by adding four new members. One person says invitations to new members could go out as soon as next week. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Big 12 was not making its internal discussions public.

The Big 12 is moving quickly on an expansion plan that could have the conference at 12 schools after Texas and Oklahoma leave, with BYU, Central Florida, Cincinnati and Houston as the “most intriguing” candidates. Three people familiar with the Big 12′s talks say the eight schools being left behind by the Longhorns and Sooners are working to rebuild by adding four new members. One person says invitations to new members could go out as soon as next week. The people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Big 12 was not making its internal discussions public.

Big 12 moving in a hurry to try and add new members

WATCH: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-IJOCGlcBZ-1dvRZO_9_fA">Clay Center @ Abilene</a>&nbsp;(5 Star Studios)

WATCH: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/whslive">Concordia @ Wamego</a>&nbsp;(Red Raider Network)

WATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/rock-creek-high-school-westmoreland-ks/gam092c88ddd3">Silver Lake @ Rock Creek</a> (NFHS Network) *subscription required

WATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/wakefield-high-school-wakefield-ks/gam9ecb6d9cdc">Bennington @ Wakefield</a>&nbsp;(NFHS Network) *subscription required

WATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/frankfort-high-school-frankfort-ks/gam7b010bb07c">Washington Co. @ Frankfort</a>&nbsp;(NFHS Network) *subscription required

WATCH: <a href="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/290010?windowed=true">Marysville @ Beloit&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;(Beloit Trojan Channel)

WATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/mission-valley-high-school-eskridge-ks/gam11d2b269a6">Wabaunsee @ Mission Valley</a>&nbsp;(NFHS Network) *subscription required

WATCH: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-IJOCGlcBZ-1dvRZO_9_fA">Clay Center @ Abilene</a>&nbsp;(5 Star Studios)WATCH: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/whslive">Concordia @ Wamego</a>&nbsp;(Red Raider Network)WATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/rock-creek-high-school-westmoreland-ks/gam092c88ddd3">Silver Lake @ Rock Creek</a> (NFHS Network) *subscription requiredWATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/wakefield-high-school-wakefield-ks/gam9ecb6d9cdc">Bennington @ Wakefield</a>&nbsp;(NFHS Network) *subscription requiredWATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/frankfort-high-school-frankfort-ks/gam7b010bb07c">Washington Co. @ Frankfort</a>&nbsp;(NFHS Network) *subscription requiredWATCH: <a href="https://vcloud.blueframetech.com/broadcast/embed/290010?windowed=true">Marysville @ Beloit&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;(Beloit Trojan Channel)WATCH: <a href="https://www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/mission-valley-high-school-eskridge-ks/gam11d2b269a6">Wabaunsee @ Mission Valley</a>&nbsp;(NFHS Network) *subscription required

Area HS football broadcasts (Fri., Sep. 3)

GARDEN CITY, Kan. — The Manhattan High School Indians and Head Coach Joe Schartz open their season Friday night on the road against the Garden City Buffaloes.&nbsp;

The Indians will make the 4.5 hour bus trip to southwest Kansas for the contest, but for those unable to caravan out west to watch, a live video stream is available courtesy of Garden City High School and its Buffalo Broadcasting, a student-managed program.&nbsp;

Kickoff is set for 7p.m., and you can watch the live video coverage <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_kHxIr4b34P28sjtglbiEg">HERE</a>.

GARDEN CITY, Kan. — The Manhattan High School Indians and Head Coach Joe Schartz open their season Friday night on the road against the Garden City Buffaloes.&nbsp;The Indians will make the 4.5 hour bus trip to southwest Kansas for the contest, but for those unable to caravan out west to watch, a live video stream is available courtesy of Garden City High School and its Buffalo Broadcasting, a student-managed program.&nbsp;Kickoff is set for 7p.m., and you can watch the live video coverage <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_kHxIr4b34P28sjtglbiEg">HERE</a>.

Manhattan High football to be live-streamed Friday night

Junction City 34, Topeka 0 ( Game called at halftime due to inclement weather )

Wichita Bishop Carroll 37, Wichita Northwest 27

BV North 51, Bishop Miege 24Iola 38, Osawatomie 0Junction City 34, Topeka 0 ( Game called at halftime due to inclement weather )Lawrence 28, Olathe East 7Lawrence Free State 49, SM Northwest 21Stafford 52, Fairfield 6Weskan 42, Pawnee Heights 30Wichita Bishop Carroll 37, Wichita Northwest 27