Welcome to the show, Collin Klein. Making his first career start at quarterback on Senior Day, the sophomore led the Kansas State Wildcats to an impressive 39-14 victory over the Texas Longhorns. The impressive fact about Klein’s performance was that he did it with only four passing attempts, for a whopping nine yards passing.
The Longhorns were unable to stop the running game for the Wildcats from beginning to end. Daniel Thomas started the fun with a 34 yard touchdown run in the first minute of the first quarter. It went on nonstop from there. Klein running the ball, followed by Thomas running the ball. The Longhorns had no answer.
K-State scored again in the first quarter off of a Garret Gilbert interception, which set up a Josh Cherry field goal. The Kansas State defense was able to keep the Texas offense at bay for a couple more series when Thomas and Klein combined 9 carries for 54 yards ending in a 12 yard touchdown run by Klein, giving the wildcats a 17-0 advantage early in the second.
Texas seemed to be desperate at that point. The Longhorns got into K-State territory, only to throw three consecutive incomplete passes setting up a 4th and 10 from the Wildcats 37 yard line. The Longhorns tried some trickery and failed. The Wildcats creamed punter Justin Tucker on a fake punt attempt, forcing the Longhorns to a turnover on downs.
Texas would get the ball back immediately following, due to a three-and-out. But instantly gave the ball back on another interception thrown by Gilbert. K-State was set up on the Longhorns’ 10 yard line. Once again, Klein carried the ball into the endzone, giving the Cats a 24-0 lead.
Texas once again drove the ball down the field, but another Gilbert interception just before the half kept the Longhorns off the board at the break.
The first half was completely dominated by K-State. Texas didn’t know what hit them. K-State hadn’t been able to stop anybody on the ground, and yet K-State shut down the Texas running game. Texas had a chance to get back in the game, and missed their opportunities as the third quarter started exactly like the first half.
On the very first play of the second half, Gilbert threw his fourth interception of the game setting up K-State on the 10 yard line. This time Thomas gladly took it nine yards into the endzone giving K-State a commanding 31-0 advantage.
Gilbert would go onto throw his fifth and final interception on the very next drive, but K-State failed to score on the series. They did score their final touchdown late in the third, on the legs of senior running back William Powell. Then the Cats scored a two point conversion on a blocked PAT.
The game was effectively over in the third quarter, with the Wildcats leading 39-0. The student section chanted “we own Texas.” Texas played with the never give up attitude that has been expected from them, but it is safe to say that out of respect for Mack Brown, Bill Snyder just ran out the clock in the fourth quarter, and Texas added two scores cutting the final score to 39-14 Wildcats.
Grading the 3 Keys
- Big day for Daniel Thomas A+
Thomas, as well as Klein, played tremendous. Daniel Thomas ended the game with 106 yards on 18 carries and two scores. Klein, the MVP, ran for 127 yards and 2 scores on 25 carries. The running game couldn’t have been any more superb. - Clog the holes A-
Texas was able to break some decent runs, but for the most part Kansas State was able to stop them from making the big play which forced Gilbert to pass, and the wildcat secondary ate it up. - Be confident, not cocky A+
Now, K-State owns Texas. The Wildcats have an impressive 5-2 record against Texas in the Big 12.
Overall Grade: A+
With this win Kansas State is now bowl eligible for the first time since 2006 (Texas Bowl). K-State will now go to a hostile environment in Columbia, MO next week, as 6-3 K-State faces off against the Missouri Tigers.
