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Kansas State is the No. 1 ranked team in the country. The Wildcats are 10-0 with two games left in the regular season. Collin Klein is a frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy.
Everyone seems to be going K-State's way in its run to a national title. Now, Klein is on the cover of this week's Sports Illustrated.
Klein is the first Wildcat football player to grace the magazine's cover. He has 2,020 passing yards with 12 touchdowns and only three interceptions.
So what about the Sports Illustrated 'curse'?
It's been said individuals or teams featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated are jinxed.
The 'curse' dates back to August 16, 1954 when Eddie Mathews became the first person to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated. A broken hand later caused him to miss eight games for the Milwaukee Braves.
Other incidents include:
- 1964 - Pat O'Connor dies on the first lap of the Indy 500, four days after appearing on the cover.
- 1969 - Lee Trevino makes the cover and then misses the cut in the U.S. Open.
- 1984 - Jack Lambert's "Man of Steel" cover comes before a toe injury and his ultimate retirement.
- 1989 - College player Tony Mandarich turns into the NFL's "Incredible Bust."
- 2001- Nomar Garciaparra is on the cover. He breaks his wrist a week later and his career is never the same.
This year, Oregon's DeAnthony Thomas appeared on the cover of an issue. He was called "The Fastest Man in Football."
At the time, Thomas was averaging 17.53 yards per game and had seven touchdowns. Since the magazine, he's scored just four times and averaged double-digit carries just once.
What does this mean for K-State and Collin Klein? Maybe nothing. Maybe something. We'll find out in the next few weeks.