Kansas State vs Cincinnati head-to-head: position-by-position star ratings, experience, and composite grades on CFB Matchup. They meet Week 4, Saturday, September 26, 2026.
The Breakdown
Kansas State's 64 composite edges Cincinnati's 59; the Wildcats' 3.5★ D-line overmatches a 2.4★ Bearcat offensive line.
When Kansas State has the ball: A 3.2★ offensive line against Cincinnati's 2.3★ D-line: clean pockets for Avery Johnson, room for Joe Jackson.
When Cincinnati has the ball: Zion Johnson's 4★ talent tests 3★ linebackers, but the 2.4★ O-line must survive Kansas State's 3.5★ D-line.
Swing factor: Avery Johnson, 4★ and three years in, outranks JC French IV — a 3★ fourth-year portal arrival.
X-factor: Kansas State on the road for a late-September Saturday; Cincinnati's home crowd is the only tiebreaker left.