Kansas State football RB Joe Jackson continues to make case for 2026

NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...

MANHATTAN — When Kansas State football is good, it typically has a star in the backfield at running back.

Darren Sproles, Deuce Vaughn, and DJ Giddens, to name a few, have helped give the Wildcats a physical identity well known across the country.

Dylan Edwards was supposed to be that running back heading into the season, but he was hurt before taking his first handoff. The uncertainty over his availability hurt the Wildcats amidst a poor start to the season, while the team also struggled to run the football.

In the first half of the season, Joe Jackson was the primary ball-carrier, but he lacked consistency. But over the last six games, the sophomore has found something the Wildcats may be able to build on heading into their bowl game and beyond.

“Joe Jackson is becoming one of the best running backs in the conference, which is fun to watch,” K-State coach Chris Klieman declared after the Wildcats’ 24-14 win over Colorado on Saturday, Nov. 29.

Jackson had three 110-plus-yard performances over the final six games of the regular season. His 142 yards and three touchdowns against the Buffaloes followed a week in which he broke Darren Sproles’ single-game school record by going for 293 yards and three scores against Utah.

The Wildcats went from desperately needing to find a running back in the transfer portal in 2026 to knowing they have a reliable option moving forward. While more depth and a possible starting-caliber back could still be added this offseason, Jackson’s showcased development over the last two weeks has made a case.

“I just kept trusting my guys up front and believed that we were going to make things work,” Jackson said. “I just had to keep that mindset of not going off-track and to just keep trusting.”

Jackson’s game against Colorado differed from the one he had at Utah. Against the Utes, he had broken away for gains of 24, 33, 44, 66, and 80, but he only had one attempt that went for more than 20 yards against the Buffaloes. Instead, the Wildcats grinded it out and wore Colorado’s defense down.

Another big game for Jackson culminated with him scoring a 17-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach. He hit an open hole, broke a pair of tackles, started to spin at the five-yard line, somehow kept his feet, and dove into the endzone while reaching for the plane.

Kansas State might have found something in someone who continued to trust in the process.

“Joe’s such a humble kid that you would have never guessed that he ran for 290-something yards and set the record and all that stuff,” Klieman said. “I just see the confidence growing so much with him.”

Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Joe Jackson continues to break out for Kansas State football

More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos