Kansas State pays Nicholls a $500,000 guarantee for the season opener

Kansas State will host Nicholls for its 2026 season opener at Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 5. The Wildcats are providing the Colonels a guaranteed payment of $500,000 for the matchup. Guarantee payments of this nature are standard for non-conference games that do not feature a return date at the visiting team's venue. Kansas State originally scheduled Missouri State for this date, but that agreement was canceled after the Bears opted to play at Texas A&M for a $1.2 million guarantee. This upcoming game marks the start of the Wildcats' 2026 non-conference schedule, which also includes a road trip to face Washington State in 2029. Nicholls relies on these guaranteed payments as a significant portion of its athletics department budget.

• 8:06 AMYahoo Sports — Kansas State football is cutting a big check for its 2026 opener. Here's how much.