Image courtesy of Tanner Colvin

Kansas State began the Collin Klein era with a dominant performance, as the Wildcats posted their most points since 2000 in a 71-3 season-opening win over Nicholls on Saturday night before a sold-out crowd of 51,719 fans at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

The 71 points tied for the fourth-most points scored in a single game and were the most since scoring a school-record 76 points against Ball State in 2000. It was also the most points scored in a season opener.

The Wildcats (1-0) accumulated 559 yards of total offense, including 312 on the ground with six different players – quarterbacks Avery Johnson and Jacob Knuth and running backs Rodney Fields Jr., Joe Jackson, Jay Harris and Monterrio Elston Jr. – scoring a rushing touchdown to break a school record and tie the Big 12 mark.

Johnson also tossed three touchdowns, including one on the game’s first drive to wide receiver Jaron Tibbs for 7 yards. He added a 43-yarder to Jackson in the second quarter before his third to wide receiver Josh Manning midway through the third quarter. He finished the day with 199 yards on 15-of-21 passing to go with 23 yards on the ground.

Fields, playing his first game after transferring from Oklahoma State, led all rushers with 101 yards on 14 carries, while Elston added 76 yards on the ground.

Wide receiver Brandon White also impressed his debut as a Wildcat, returning a first-quarter punt 65 yards for a touchdown. It was the Wildcats’ first punt return score since 2024 against Arizona.

The defense also did their part to make Klein’s debut success, holding Nicholls (1-1) to just 122 offensive yards, which were the fewest allowed in a full game since allowing only 109 yards against Tennessee Tech in 2009.

Sophomore safety Logan Bartley led the team in tackles with 5, including 4 solo stops.