Kansas State football tackles logistical challenges of early opener

Kansas State football’s Desmond Purnell speaks at Big 12 media days

Check out what Kansas State football’s Desmond Purnell had to say while appearing at Big 12 Conference media days for the Wildcats this year.

For Kansas State football fans who will head to Dublin, Ireland, next month to watch the Wildcats’ season opener, it’s a dream vacation.

For coach Chris Klieman and his K-State team, the Aer Lingus Football Classic against Iowa State on Aug. 23 is a vacation buster.

“It stinks from a vacation standpoint, I’ll tell you that,” Klieman said Tuesday during Big 12 Media Days in Frisco, Texas. “Because we’re back to work a full week earlier than we would typically be. Time away from family and children, that’s the hard thing.

“I think our guys have another maybe 10 days of workouts and then we get rolling and get started. And so, vacations are a little bit shorter, but what an opportunity to showcase the Big 12. The benefit of it is we’re going to have the experience of a lifetime going over to Ireland and taking our players over there and support staff and all the people.”

The truth is K-State thought enough of the opportunity to sacrifice a Big 12 home game in order to ship the Farmageddon rivalry with Iowa State overseas. The national exposure in front of a national ESPN television audience to kick off the college football season was too much to pass up.

Actually, vacation time is the least of the Wildcats’ concerns. Starting a week early and opening against a Power Four conference rival presents enough logistical challenges.

“We’ve got to realize it’s not a bowl game,” Klieman said. “We have to get that across quickly, that it’s not the Rate…


Source link : https://www.cjonline.com/story/sports/college/cat-zone/2025/07/09/kansas-state-football-tackles-logistical-challenges-of-early-opener-ireland/84500167007/

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Publish date : 2025-07-09 08:03:00

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