Kansas vs Kansas State 2026: 35–24 Sunflower Showdown Recap
Kansas State beat Kansas 35–24 on Oct. 17, 2026. Read the confirmed Sunflower Showdown result, key team stats and matchup context.
Kansas vs Kansas State 2026: 35–24 Sunflower Showdown Recap
Kansas State beat Kansas 35–24 on October 17, 2026, at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, extending its Sunflower Showdown football winning streak to 18 games. The Wildcats gained 568 total yards, including 359 rushing yards, and outscored the Jayhawks 10–0 in the fourth quarter. Those confirmed numbers explain the result more clearly than a generic rivalry recap.
At a glance
| Item | Verified information |
| Final | Kansas State 35, Kansas 24 |
| Date | October 17, 2026 |
| Venue | Bill Snyder Family Stadium |
| Kansas State total yards | 568 |
| Kansas State rushing yards | 359 |
Final score and the four quarters
Kansas led 17–7 after the opening quarter, a difficult beginning for the home crowd. Kansas State answered with 11 points in the second period, making the halftime score 18–17. Both teams scored seven in the third, then the Wildcats added 10 in the fourth while holding Kansas scoreless. The final was 35–24, with Kansas State 4–2 immediately after the win.
This sequence is worth stressing because the game did not begin as a wire-to-wire Kansas State win. The Wildcats had to recover from a ten-point first-quarter deficit. The second-quarter shift and shutout in the fourth were different phases of a comeback, not one continuous offensive surge.
How Kansas State moved the ball
The official box score credits Kansas State with 359 rushing yards and 209 passing yards for 568 total. Running back Joe Jackson led the Wildcats with 159 rushing yards, while quarterback Avery Johnson passed for 209. Kansas recorded 319 total yards, with 168 rushing and 151 passing. The rushing gap stands out even before examining individual drives.
Kansas State finished with 25 first downs to Kansas's 18. The Wildcats also had the ball for 36:13, compared with 23:47 for the Jayhawks. Possession time alone does not win games, but alongside the yardage edge and fourth-quarter shutout it shows how Kansas State was able to control significant stretches of play.
The rivalry context
The school described the result as the Wildcats' 18th consecutive win over Kansas in the rivalry. That streak is a football-specific achievement. This October 17 result is a college football rivalry game, not the teams’ basketball series.
Kansas entered the game having struggled in conference play, but that does not make the home comeback less relevant. For Kansas State, the win followed consecutive conference defeats and provided its first Big 12 victory of the season. Its record improved to 4–2 overall and 1–2 in league competition.
Why the result mattered for the next weeks
After the Sunflower Showdown, Kansas State traveled to Arizona State on October 24 and Colorado on October 31. That meant the rivalry victory served as a reset before difficult road assignments rather than the end of the Big 12 story. The next week's 28–17 loss at Arizona State also shows why momentum cannot be assumed to continue automatically.
The 35–24 result and the official performance figures are the reliable record of the rivalry game. The season schedule can cite the result, while Kansas State–Colorado remains its own contest. That structure gives readers one trustworthy answer for each game without multiple pages targeting the same final score.
A second look at efficiency
Kansas State converted six of thirteen third downs and Kansas converted three of eleven, according to the official game center. The Wildcats’ time-of-possession advantage was more than twelve minutes. When paired with the rushing-yardage gap, these numbers help explain how the home team kept Kansas from matching its fast start.
The result was decided by offense and defense together. Kansas scored 17 in the opening quarter but none in the second or fourth; Kansas State scored in every quarter and ended with ten unanswered points. That is the clearest quarter-by-quarter account of the comeback.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Kansas vs Kansas State in 2026?
Kansas State won 35–24 on October 17, 2026.
How many rushing yards did Kansas State gain?
359, according to the official team box score.
Where was the 2026 Sunflower Showdown played?
Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas.
Related Kansas State and Colorado coverage
Kansas State Football Schedule 2026: Dates, Opponents and Results