2024-09-29 05:35:05
MANHATTAN — Kansas State football has developed a knack under coach Chris Klieman of not letting one bad performance turn into two.
Nowhere was that more evident than Saturday’s crucial Big 12 home opener against No. 25-ranked Oklahoma State, as the No. 25 Wildcats rolled to a 42-20 bounce-back victory at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
K-State is now 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12, while Oklahoma State fell to 3-2, 0-2.
Quarterback Avery Johnson followed a rough night at Brigham Young last week with the game of his young career, accounting for five touchdowns — two rushing and three passing — as he threw for 259 yards and gained 60 on the ground. DJ Giddens ran for 187 yards and a 66-yard touchdown and Jadon Jackson caught five passes for 55 yards with Jayce Brown grabbing four for 78 yards and a score.
The Wildcats finished with 559 total yards to 490 for Oklahoma State, but the Cowboys repeatedly settled for field goals in the first half when the game was close, and were derailed by a Jacob Parrish end zone interception after intermission.
K-State now has a bye week before heading to Colorado on Oct. 12.
Related:Untimely red zone penalties derailed Kansas State football’s offense in loss at BYU
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Related:Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman updates injury status of Wildcat tight end
Watch Kansas State football vs Oklahoma State live on Fubo (free trial)
Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson scores on a 13-yard run and the Wildcats lead 42-13 with 11:26 left. This has turned into a rout.
Kansas State gets and end zone pick from Jacob Parrish to preserve its lead as we head to the fourth quarter.
Kansas State redshirt freshman Will Anciaux catches a 2-yard touchdown pass from Avery Johnson to put K-State up 35-13 with 1:57 left in the third quarter.
Earlier, tight end Garrett Oakley caught his first touchdown pass this season, which means four Wildcat tight ends have found the end zone this season.
After K-State’s defense forced a three-and-out to start the second half, the Wildcats wasted little time adding to their lead.
DJ Giddens broke free up the middle and outran the Oklahoma State defense down the right sideline for a 66-yard touchdown to put the Wildcats up 28-13 with 13:07 left in the third. The drive took two plays, covering 73 yards in 50 seconds.
Kansas State reversed a couple of disturbing trends in the first half on the way to a 21-13 lead against Oklahoma State.
After settling for three field goals in last week’s 38-9 loss at Brigham Young, the Wildcats scored three touchdown against OSU before the break. The Wildcats also came up with a turnover on defense that set up the third score, a 55-yard pass from Avery Johnson to Jayce Brown.
K-State’s defense also flipped the script after getting no red zone stops at BYU, forcing Oklahoma State into three field goal tries, one of which missed. The Wildcats did give up a 77-yard touchdown on a flea flicker, which was a negative and the offense had a touchdown called back on a penalty and a 36-yard gain that could have led to a bigger halftime advantage.
K-State had 289 yards total offense in the half to 262 for Oklahoma State, which DJ Giddens rushing for 87 yards on just six carries and Johnson completing 13 of 19 passes for 176 yards and two scores, though he did throw an interception.
Oklahoma State’s Alan Bowman threw for 186 yards in the half and Ollie Gordon ran for 69.
We’re at halftime, with K-State in the lead.
Kansas State got the ball back when Oklahoma State’s Alan Bowman fumbled a low snap and Colby McCalister recovered at the Wildcats’ 31-yard line.
Two plays later, Avery Johnson hit an open Jayce Brown for a 55-yard touchdown to give the Wildcats a 21-13 lead with 3:18 left in the half.
K-State quarterback Avery Johnson bounced back from his interception to hit tight end Garrett Oakley with a 19-yard touchdown pass to give the Wildcats the lead back 14-13 with 6:54 left in the half.
The scoring drive covered 71 yards in two plays, with DJ Giddens breaking off a 37-yard run, plus a 15-yard horse collar penalty.
After Avery Johnson overthrew Keagan Johnson for his fifth interception of the year, K-State’s defense held Oklahoma State to a third field goal attempt. This time Logan Ward connected from 31 yards to give the Cowboys a 13-7 lead with 7:30 left in the half.
Kansas State’s defense was the victim on a flea flicker for the second straight week as Alan Boman hit an open De’Zhaun Stribling for 77 yards to give Oklahoma State a 10-7 lead with 10:07 left n the half.
On the next play, Avery Johnson throws and interception and OSU is back in business at the Wildcat 33.
Kansas State’s defense tightened in the red zone for a second time, and this one resulted in no points for Oklahoma State as Logan Ward missed a 34-yard field goal try with 12:32 left in the half.
K-State still leads 7-3.
K-State leads after one, but Oklahoma State is driving.
Oklahoma State moved the ball effectively on its opening drive until stalling at the K-State 19-yard line. Instead of going on fourth down and 2, the Cowboys stelled for a 35-yard Logan Ward field goal to cut the Wildcats’ lead to 7-3 with 5:36 left in the quarter.
The drive covered 65 yards in eight plays and consumed 3 minutes, 35 seconds.
Kansas State has a 33-yard Avery Johnson touchdown run called back on a penalty, but goes on to convert a fourth down and then scores five plays later on an 11-yard Johnson keeper to lead 7-0 with 9:17 left in the first quarter.
K-State’s opening drive covered 75 yards in 14 plays and took 5:43 off the clock. Now it’s Oklahoma State’s turn.
Kansas State’s offense will take the field first to start the game.
Oklahoma won the coin toss and deferred. The Cowboys will kick off and defend the north end zone.
The weather could not be more perfect for today’s game between No. 25 Kansas State and No. 20 Oklahoma State minutes before kickoff.
The temperature is 75 degrees under sunny skies with a northerly wind at 4 mph.
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Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.
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