1968 was a significant year in Wildcat football history. KSU Stadium debuted as the new home for the football team, which moved from
Memorial Stadium. The team was led by sophomore quarterback
Lynn Dickey and finished the season as the best passing offense in the Big Eight.
1968 was also significant for the fact that the Wildcats were ranked for only the second time in school history (the first since
1953), and for the first time in the
AP Poll. The team was ranked #20 going in its game against #4
Penn State. Wildcats went on to lose the game, 25–9, and would not be ranked the rest of the season, although they would return to the rankings in the 1969 season.
1968 was also the last time the Wildcats beat
Nebraska until the
1998 season, and the last time K-State beat Nebraska in
Lincoln until
2003.