Kansas State coach Collin Klein returns to his home state Saturday when the Wildcats visit the Colorado Buffaloes at Folsom Field.
The Loveland native is in his first season as a head coach after Kansas State hired him Dec. 4, 2025. A former Wildcats quarterback, Klein helped lead the program to the 2012 Big 12 Championship and finished that season as a Heisman Trophy finalist.
Kansas State enters Saturday's noon MT kickoff at 4-3 overall and 1-3 in conference play. Colorado is 2-5 and seeking its first Big 12 victory.
Klein's career brought him back to Kansas State
Klein led the Wildcats to a combined 21-5 record as their starting quarterback in 2011 and 2012. His senior season included a Fiesta Bowl berth and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award.
He later coached Kansas State's quarterbacks and
served as offensive coordinator during the Wildcats' 2022 conference championship season. After two years coordinating Texas A&M's offense, he returned to lead his alma mater.
Ties to Loveland and Boulder
Saturday marks Klein's first appearance as head coach at Folsom Field. Klein played quarterback for Kansas State at Folsom Field in 2010, coming off the bench and rushing for two touchdowns as Kansas State lost to Colorado 44-36.
His family connections include Boulder, where his father grew up, although his childhood family interests leaned toward Colorado State.
"My first college game was Colorado State," Klein said Monday at his KSU press conference. "My dad actually grew up in Boulder. A lot of family all through the Front Range, but he was more of a Colorado State fan."
Klein expects family in attendance as he prepares his Wildcats team decimated by quarterback injuries.
"It will be great that there will be a lot of family there," he said. "The focus is on our team and our guys and doing everything we can to make sure that we make the progress and do the things necessary to win the game."
Follow James Carnes on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
Contact/Follow us @BuffaloesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Colorado news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Buffaloes Wire: Who is Kansas State coach and Colorado native Collin Klein?
