Senior defensive end for Kansas State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′3″ · 278 lb · Tomball, TX · Tomball
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
sack · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 sacks, 1 TFL, 1 tackles, vs Washington State
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Senior defensive end for Kansas State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
The full story, with sourcesTravis Bates
Holds up snap after snap without a weakness to attack. Travis Bates has played for two head coaches in three seasons at Kansas State. One game to point at: 1 tackles, 1 sacks against Washington State — Week 2, 2026.
2 TACKLES · 1 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2024–2026
2 coachesCoaching transition mid-career: Chris Klieman → Collin Klein. Worth noting in scheme + development context.
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kansas State | 2 | 2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Kansas State | 20 | 13 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1 | -- | -- |
| 2024 | Kansas State | 13 | 6 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 1 | -- | -- |
| Career | 35 | 21 | 8.0 | 5.5 | 2 | -- | -- |
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 71-3vs Nicholls | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 34-7vs Washington State | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 31-20vs Tulane | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 2 | 2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 71–3
vs Nicholls
1 tackles for loss · 1 tackles · 1 solo tackles
Dominant 68-point win at home against Nicholls.
With A. Johnson — 199 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · 23 rush yds (4 car) · 1 TD · B. White — 7 rush yds (1 car)
Since week 2: +1 hurry.
Season context · Team result + system
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: sacks (84th percentile). Strength: tackles for loss (80th percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home3g | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Collin Klein
Pass share
43.2%
89 pass / 117 run
Plays / game
68.7
3 games
Team sack rate
0.0%
89 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Run-leaning.
Player standing · 2025
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Production · CFB Index Score
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big 12
Based on 2025: #11 of 22 Big 12 DEs
22% estimated, 95% confidence interval 19–25%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Play style
No single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board.
CFB Index positional classification
Player DNA
No single standout number, but nothing missing either — competent across the board.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Malik Vann’s 2023 season.
Matches Malik on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Jack Harris's junior season at Mississippi State (2022).
Matches Jack on
Player DNA
CAREER HONORS • 2025 Academic All-Big 12 • 2023 Freshman All-American (Phil Steele) 2025: A regular member of the playing rotation, seeing time on 390 defensive snaps over the 12-game season… Recorded 20 tackles, 2.0 sacks and a pass breakup on the season… Tied his career high with six tackles…
14 more on the roster · Kansas State team page