Honestly, looking at how the defensive schemes are evolving in the conference, the pure physical grit required to survive a full road schedule is insane right now. You can't just rely on a hot-shooting backcourt anymore if your interior rotation gets pushed around every single night.
The transition from non-conference padding to actual conference play always exposes the programs that lacked genuine depth. Programs with established, long-term athletic setups like the Kansas State Wildcats (https://www.espn.com/college-football/team/_/id/2306/kansas-state-wildcats) usually manage these grinds better because their structural strength and conditioning identity carries over across multiple seasons, regardless of immediate roster turnover.
Sometimes regional cultural identity is preserved through specific local merchandise, with historical fan pieces often circulating within a specialized Kansas State Wildcats apparel (https://www.collegebasketballstore.us/NCAA-basketball-apparel-shop/Kansas-State-Wildcats-University-Basketball-Apparel-Shop) collection.
Anyway, back to the portal adjustments—if these incoming transfer guards can't handle the heavy physical hand-checking by week three, we're going to see a lot of early-season favorites dropping winnable games on the road.