While the transfer portal window officially closed on January 16, player movement has not stopped. Although no new players can enter the portal, those already in it are still free to transfer. One such move has now been completed, and it has not gone down well with Collin Klein’s Kansas State fans, as the program has lost a running back to a rival.

Running back Dylan Edwards has transferred to the University of Kansas ahead of the 2026 season. Edwards’ 2025 campaign was cut short by a significant ankle injury, which ultimately led him to take a medical redshirt. Although he briefly returned and showed flashes of his explosiveness, particularly against UCF, the injury proved too severe for a full comeback.

Edwards appeared in just four games during the 2025 season, finishing with 34 carries for 205 rushing yards and two touchdowns. The year prior, he was far more productive, rushing for 546 yards and five touchdowns for Kansas State. He also added 19 receptions for 133 yards and two receiving scores, while contributing on special teams with a punt return touchdown, highlighting his versatility.

Now joining head coach Lance Leipold at Kansas, Edwards will look to revitalize his career after an injury-interrupted season. A former four-star recruit, he began his college career at Colorado under head coach Deion Sanders, where he was often a human highlight reel. During his lone season in Boulder, Edwards rushed for 321 yards across 12 games and made an even bigger impact as a receiver, recording 36 catches for 299 yards and four touchdowns.

From a career standpoint, the move to Kansas makes sense for Edwards. For fans, however, seeing a talented and versatile playmaker land with a rival program has been far more difficult to accept.

Fans didn’t like Dylan Edwards’ move to an in-state rival

The reaction from Kansas State Wildcats fans was never going to be positive. Losing a player to a direct rival is about as unforgivable as it gets, and that sentiment quickly spilled into the comment sections after Dylan Edwards’s move. One fan summed up the general mood bluntly: “Going to a rival school is crazy work.”

Another took a far harsher tone, writing, “Perfect fit for him, honestly. The losing team with no culture brings in a diva with a cancer mindset. Love it!!” The comment reflected the deep hostility between the fanbases, with Edwards now likely to be a lightning rod if the teams meet next season.

Others questioned the move from a broader perspective. “At some point, schools are going to place a bigger emphasis on players sticking around longer,” one fan wrote. Another added sarcasm to the pile: “Maybe, and hear me out… he’s just not as good as we all expected.”

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That is an underlying issue with the current structure of college football. With no contracts in place, the players can simply move on if they don’t get snaps or are not being paid their worth. From a fan’s perspective, this hits at the core value of fandom. Loyalty. Players are becoming less loyal to the teams that draft them from high school. In a different era, the thought of going to a direct rival would not have crossed a player’s mind.

Some fans even turned their attention to Kansas Jayhawks fans, offering a warning rather than an insult. “KU fans shouldn’t be excited over this, lol,” one comment read. “His last option, and in videos and pictures, he looks defeated. Good luck with him, Jayhawks.”

Fair or not, the reaction made one thing clear: Edwards’ transfer didn’t just cost Kansas State a running back; it reopened a rivalry wound fans weren’t interested in seeing healed.