Big 12 Football: 3 least appealing schools for PAC-12 expansion

Kansas State

Actually, among the three football programs on this list of the remaining Big 12 schools, the Kansas State Wildcats have the most sustained success over the course of the last three decades. But the problem that Kansas State could face is sustaining this success without legendary head coach Bill Snyder at the helm.

Now, it’s up to the former North Dakota State Bison head coach Chris Kleiman to continue Kansas State’s success. Kleiman did do well for Kansas State for the most part since taking over for Snyder two years ago. But last year was definitely a step back in the midst of a tough season for the Wildcats. Kleiman had his win total cut in half last season.

We’ll see where Kansas State trends this fall to see if the program can get back on track in the win column.

What makes it so difficult for a head coach to succeed with Kansas State following the Snyder era is the lack of traditional recruiting success and an overall lack of resources compared to the competition in the Big 12. Kansas State often competes for recruits out of the states of Texas and Oklahoma, which doesn’t often bode well for the program.

Kansas State doesn’t have the most storied football program, the biggest brand, or the most recruiting prowess. That combined with the lack of an in-state pairing that appeals in football makes it tough for the PAC-12 to find Kansas State desirable in this round of conference realignment.