MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) It is inevitable in sports: Eventually, you will lose. That doesnt make Kansas States first loss any easier for Chris Klieman to stomach.
The Wildcats new coach had won 25 consecutive games stretching nearly than two years _ back to his days at North Dakota State _ before a 26-13 defeat at Oklahoma State last weekend. It came in his first Big 12 matchup and ended a perfect start to his career in the Flint Hills.
You take them harder. Ill be honest, said Klieman, whose team will try to rebound Saturday against unbeaten Baylor. At North Dakota State, every win felt like a relief, and thats terrible to say. It really is terrible to say that it was a relief because you were a target every week.
So when you did lose, Klieman continued, it just tore your heart out, and it does. Im a competitor by nature, and I was really frustrated in myself that we didnt win. I was frustrated in general that we didnt play our best football. But I think its going to reveal a lot of things from character, resolve, the leaders, and it starts with me.
Thats a good sign for Kansas State, considering Klieman is pretty good coming off a loss.
After their 33-21 loss to South Dakota State on Nov. 4, 2017, the Bison blew through the rest of their schedule before winning a national title. In fact, the only time Klieman has lost back-to-back games as a head coach was in 2005 during his single season coaching Loras, a Division III school.
Obviously it was a tough loss, Kansas State quarterback Skylar Thompson said, but the energy and spirit in our team is nothing is changed. Same with our coaches. We know we need to correct some things and get better at some things, so thats what were going to focus on.
Its not as if the road for Kansas State (4-1, 0-1) gets any easier.
Baylor (4-0, 1-0) is coming off a heart-stopping 23-21 victory over Iowa State in which the Bears blew a 20-point lead, only to kick a winning 38-yard field goal in the final seconds.
The win left Baylor coach Matt Rhule with a unique problem.
I have to make sure we are having enough fun, he said, because we are winning games and guys are going in and saying, We have to get better. And that is a good thing. But you have to enjoy winning, too. Its a balance. I like where our heads are, and we have to get a lot better this week because Kansas State does not give you a thing.
