Ben Leber was not surprised when Kansas State was slotted seventh in the Big 12’s preseason media poll. As a former Wildcats linebacker turned college football analyst, he is used to seeing his alma mater picked to finish near of the bottom of the conference race.
Often undeservedly so.
With 27 conference victories since 2011, K-State has won more Big 12 games than any other team in the league, topping Baylor and Oklahoma, which both have won 26. Yet it has not been picked to finish better than third in any of those years.
In 2011, the Wildcats were picked eighth and finished second.