UCF opponent previews: Defending league champ Kansas State to welcome Knights to Big 12

• Nickname: Wildcats

• Location: Manhattan, Kan.

• Enrollment: 19,722

• Home field: Bill Snyder Family Stadium (Capacity: 50,000)

• Conference: Big 12

• 2022 record: 10-4, 7-2 Big 12

• All-time series record vs. UCF: 1-0

• Last meeting: Sept. 25, 2010 (Kansas State won 17-13)

Editor's note: This is the fourth installment in a 12-part series highlighting UCF's 2023 football opponents.

UCF's debut Big 12 football game figures to be a baptism by fire — nearly 1,400 miles away from home, likely in front of a sold-out crowd, against the conference's defending champion.

Kansas State will welcome the Knights, one of the league's four newcomers this fall, for an anticipated showdown on Sept. 23. The Wildcats took down TCU in overtime last December to clinch its first title since sharing the splendors with Oklahoma back in 2012.

UCF Week 1 opponent: Kent State undergoes roster overhaul under new coach Kenni Burns

UCF Week 2 opponent: Boise State seeks Mountain West redemption behind QB Taylen Green

UCF Week 3 opponent: Experience, upset-minded Villanova eyes return to FCS playoffs

ESPN listed Kansas State 18th in its top-25 power rankings at the start of May. The Wildcats return seven projected offensive starters, five on defense and one on special teams.

The Big 12 is well represented in ESPN's rankings — Texas holds the No. 10 spot, national runner-up TCU is 16th and rejuvenated Texas Tech checks in 20th. That should serve as a good illustration for the week-to-week grind that awaits the Knights once they approach late September.

Let's learn more about the Wildcats, and whether or not they can repeat as the best of the Big 12.

Chris Klieman recommits coaching future to Kansas State

Chris Klieman continued North Dakota State's dominance within the Football Championship Subdivision, lifting four national championships in his five years in charge of the Bison before Kansas State came calling. And the 55-year-old Iowan has steadily built K-State back into a contender.

Klieman has a 30-20 record during his four-year stint in the Little Apple, guiding the Wildcats to three bowl appearances and the league title. Last season marked Kansas State's best AP poll finish in 11 years, and their highest final ranking in the College Football Playoff poll.

In May, Klieman recommitted his future to Kansas State by signing a new eight-year contract through 2030 with an average annual salary of $5.5 million. The Wildcats produced four NFL draft picks this past year, including Kansas City Chiefs first-round edge rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah and All-American running back Deuce Vaughn.

"Chris has done an unbelievable job building a program in four years that not only has won a Big 12 championship, but even more importantly, one that players have taken great pride in and helped sustain a championship culture," athletic director Gene Taylor said in a statement.

"He is a tremendous fit for K-State and Manhattan, and we want to continue to ride the momentum that he and his staff have fostered. We are excited that Chris will be the leader of our football program for many years to come."

QB Will Howard, all 5 lineman return for K-State offense

Key Offensive Returners: OL Cooper Beebe, WR Phillip Brooks, OL Christian Duffie, RB DJ Giddens, OL Haden Gillum, QB Will Howard, OL KT Leveston, OL Handley Panzer

Key Defensive Returners: EDGE Khalid Duke, LB Daniel Green, LB Austin Moore, DL Brendan Mott, DB Kobe Savage, DB Jordan Wright

Kansas State possessed one of the most balanced offenses in college football last season, totaling 2,947 passing yards and 2,916 rushing yards on its way to the Sugar Bowl. Vaughn and quarterback Adrian Martinez, the team's top two rushers, are gone — but all five linemen that started the Big 12 championship game are back.

Cooper Beebe has earned All-Big 12 first team honors each of the last two seasons and is one of the top guards in the sport. Will Howard split time with Martinez behind center in 2022, tossing 15 touchdowns against just four interceptions in his seven appearances.

Defensively, the linebacking unit should be a strength for K-State. Austin Moore led the team with 87 tackles, Khalid Duke registered three sacks in a hybrid role off the edge and Green needs just 31 tackles to become the program's 27th player with 250 in his career. There are immediate holes to fill along the defensive line and in the secondary.

Turnover margin is crucial to K-State's success; the Wildcats went 10-1 last season when committing one or fewer turnovers, and 0-3 with two or more. Additionally, they generated two or more takeaways on nine occasions.

FSU transfer Treshaun Ward could fill the rushing void

Transfer Portal Additions: EDGE Jevon Banks (Mississippi State), WR Keagan Johnson (Iowa), QB Jacob Knuth (Minnesota), DB Tyler Nelome (Southeast Missouri State), DB Marques Sigle (North Dakota State), RB Treshaun Ward (Florida State)

Transfer Portal Losses: DL Cartez Crook-Jones (Northern Iowa), DB Omar Daniels (Georgia Tech), RB Jax Dineen, LB Gavin Forsha (South Alabama), TE Konner Fox (Texas State), EDGE Kirmari Gainous, WR Brenen Hawkins (Austin Peay), LB Krew Jackson (Arizona State), OL Jalen Klemm (Washington), QB Jaren Lewis (Kent State), OL Witt Mitchum (North Alabama), DB TJ Smith (Georgia Southern)

Plant City native Treshaun Ward looks the likeliest player to benefit from K-State's returning road-graders, and Vaughn's exit for the Dallas Cowboys. The 5-foot-10, 194-pound senior rushed for 649 yards and seven touchdowns for Florida State, and was considered a four-star entry into the NCAA's transfer portal.

Ward should form a solid 1-2 punch with returning sophomore DJ Giddens (89 carries, 518 yards, six TDs).

Wide receiver Keagan Johnson started nine times for Iowa as a true freshman in 2021, but missed 10 games last fall due to injury. Jevon Banks and Marques Sigle could be immediate starters for the Wildcats' defense.

Jalen Klemm's departure for Washington could hurt the depth along the offensive line, and Jaren Lewis could still end up facing UCF this season as he's locked in a position battle for the starting QB spot at Kent State.

In-state, 4-star recruits Avery Johnson, Jordan Allen stay home

Top incoming freshmen: EDGE Jordan Allen (Olathe, Kan.), QB Avery Johnson (Maize, Kan.), RB Joe Jackson (Davenport, Fla.), DB Donovan McIntosh (St. Louis, Mo.), ATH Asa Newsom (Waverly, Iowa), WR Tre Spivey (Chandler, Ariz.)

Under Armour All-American quarterback Avery Johnson became Kansas State's 10th-highest rated recruit in the modern era, per 247Sports' composite rankings. Johnson, who starred about two hours southeast at Maize High, was the No. 99 overall player in the 2023 class — throwing for 2,768 yards with 29 touchdowns and three interceptions, and rushing for 817 yards and 15 TDs.

He's one of three consensus four-star prospects who have enrolled at K-State this year, along with Asa Newsom and Jordan Allen, who registered 45 solo tackles, five TFLs and two sacks for Olathe South.

Kansas State dipped into Florida for three prospects, including Ridge Community's highly productive running back Joe Jackson. He rushed for 1,143 yards and 16 scores as a senior for the Davenport school.

Other notable newcomers in K-State's 2023 signing class include the junior college additions of linebacker Rex Van Wyhe, safety Will Lee and linebacker Terry Kirksey, and three-star interior offensive lineman Camden Beebe — younger brother of aforementioned all-conference guard Cooper Beebe.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: UCF opponent previews: Road trip to Kansas State opens Big 12 play