K-State says it's ascending. But is it too late?

MANHATTAN — Kansas State football walked off the field in Arizona coming off as ugly a loss as you could imagine.

It capped off a four-game stretch in which the Wildcats were embarrassed. A loss to Iowa State at the start of the year in Ireland snowballed into needing to rally to beat FCS North Dakota, followed by a loss to Army and then their defeat in Tucson.

A team with high expectations was suddenly being compared to the nation's laughingstocks, such as Bill Belichick's North Carolina team and the dumpster fire that has been Oklahoma State.

It was bad.

"It's been hard," K-State coach Chris Klieman said. "I just keep telling them to keep improving, and I believe in them. I love them, and if we stay the course and keep fighting for each other, because I still think we have a rea