Video surfaces of altercation between father of Kansas State QB Avery Johnson and brother

The 2025 college football season kicked off with a bang Saturday afternoon as No. 22 Iowa State held off No. 17 Kansas State 24-21 in the Aer Lingus Classic in Dublin, Ireland. The game was tied 14-14 heading into the fourth quarter, but the Cyclones outscored the Wildcats 10-7 over the final 15 minutes to steal the win.

Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson was solid in the loss, as he completed 21/30 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 21 yards and another score.

The loss must have hit the Johnson family especially hard however, as 247Sports‘ Tim Fitzgerald reported Saturday night that Johnson’s father, Mark, and his older brother got into a physical confrontation postgame.

“GoPowercat.com has confirmed that there was a postgame confrontation at Aviva Stadium involving Mark Johnson, father of Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson, and another man believed to be Mr. Johnson’s eldest son,” Fitzgerald wrote. “According to witnesses, the conflict turned physical. According to one source, no arrests were made stemming from this incident. There is reportedly video of the disagreement and at least one eye witness is tied to Kansas State athletics.”

Just minutes after Fitzgerald’s report, footage emerged online of the incident.

Johnson’s failed fourth-down conversion was big in KSU loss

Johnson was at the center of a controversial fourth-down attempt with just over eight minutes remaining in the game, while the score was still 17-14 in favor of Iowa State. Kansas State was faced with a 4th & 1 at its own 30-yard line and decided to attempt the fourth-down conversion. Johnson kept it himself and rolled out left, but was tackled a half-yard short of the first-down line.

Iowa State took over at the Kansas State 30-yard line and scored just four plays later, making it 24-14 Cyclones. Head coach Chris Klieman defended the decision to attempt to roll Johnson out on the fourth-down conversion postgame.

“I would do the same thing again, based on how the game was going with us struggling to slow those guys,” Klieman said via Kellis Robinett of the Kansas City Star.

Kansas State scored on its next offensive play courtesy of a 65-yard passing touchdown from Johnson to wide receiver Jerand Bradley, making it a 24-21 game. Iowa State however successfully ran the clock out to secure the season-opening Big 12 win.

Klieman and his team’s inability to secure the fourth-down conversion did not quite come back to cost them the game, but it certainly was extremely instrumental. It appeared as if Johnson may have actually churned enough to reach the yard to gain, but the referees ruled in favor of the Cyclones.

Following the loss, Kansas State opens the season 0-1 for the first time since 2020 (lost to Arkansas State in season opener). Even more importantly however, it already finds itself one game back in the race for the Big 12 crown. The Wildcats were the odds on favorite to win the conference heading into the season.