The Kansas State Wildcats are coming off an 8-5 season capped off with a win over Michigan in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, but the season did not start off the way they would have liked.

Kansas State dropped their season opener at home against North Dakota State 24-21. Coach Bill Snyder was asked if he has brought that up with this years team Tuesday during his first weekly press conference.

“I certainly have made the point on numerous occasions, but it’s not anything that I’m going to dwell on,” Snyder explained. “Part of taking things for granted, so to speak, part of it is just is not always the opponent. Sometimes its just your own personal performance level, and that’s always a concern.”

Snyder did go on to say that he has been reassured by the players that they are not taking this years season opener against Stephen F. Austin Saturday for granted.

“They feel like they have not taken this opening ball game or their performance level or anything else for granted. That’s the feeling of our players right now.”

This year Jake Waters is entering his Senior campaign at Kansas State as the undoubted starting quarterback, compared to last year as a junior college transfer fighting for the starting position against sophomore Daniel Sams.

Waters explained that it will be vital this year to start out on the right foot.

“Last year we started off on that wrong foot and we kind of tumbled, stumbled a little bit for a while but then we finally got going. We want to start fast, first drive, first play, we want to get everything rolling. That will kind of help us with the season,” says Waters.

The Wildcats will open the season at home on Saturday against Stephen F. Austin.

The game is scheduled for a 6:10 p.m. kick off. You can catch that game on KJCK 1420 AM starting at 4:00 p.m. Saturday.