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Michigan State football: Power ranking head coaching candidates after Week 12

By Connor Muldowney

Nov 18, 2023; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Washington Huskies head Coach Kalen DeBoer (left) and Oregon State Beavers head coach Jonathan Smith meet after a game at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 18, 2023; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; Washington Huskies head Coach Kalen DeBoer (left) and Oregon State Beavers head coach Jonathan Smith meet after a game at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports /
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Kansas State’s head coach Chris Klieman walks along the sidelines before the game against Texas Tech, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Kansas State’s head coach Chris Klieman walks along the sidelines before the game against Texas Tech, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, at Jones AT&T Stadium. /

Kansas State’s Chris Klieman is making another appearance on this list because I think people are really overlooking just how impressive of a head coach he is.

While Kansas State is not quite as tough of a job as Kansas, he did take over in a time of uncertainty and he’s done nothing but succeed outside of the 2020 season. He has won eight games three times (including this year) and he went 10-4 in 2022 with a Big 12 title. No one expected the Wildcats to beat TCU for the conference crown, but he defied the odds.

And now Kansas State is off to an 8-3 start and it’s flirting with the Big 12 title game again. The Wildcats would either need some tiebreakers or both Oklahoma State and Oklahoma to lose.

Kansas State is also ranked No. 19 in the playoff poll after beating a ranked Kansas team on the road in Week 12. That was a statement win that really impressed me.

Klieman is a winner as shown by his previous job at North Dakota State where he went 69-6 and won four FCS national titles in five years. He’s now 38-23 at Kansas State with a conference title.

This man just wins.

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