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Grades and analysis from K-State’s rivalry win over KU, plus a look ahead to Houston
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Grades and analysis from K-State’s rivalry win over KU, plus a look ahead to Houston

The gap that once separated Kansas and Kansas State like a vast ocean in the Sunflower Showdown football rivalry has been closed.

However, the end result remains unchanged.

The Wildcats defeated the Jayhawks by a narrow margin of 29-27 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Saturday, extending their winning streak in the series to a whopping 16 games.

Lance Leipold improved the KU football program to the point where the Jayhawks were able to scare the Wildcats in consecutive seasons before losing in both games, 31-27 and 29-27. That added some much-needed spice to this Big 12 rivalry. But he’s still looking for his first win against Chris Klieman.

The difference: K-State knows how to make winning plays.

K-State has won four straight games and remains tied for third place in the Big 12 standings at 7-1 overall and 4-1 in conference play. The Wildcats are 3-0 in games decided by one point. The Jayhawks, now 2-6 and 1-4, are 0-5 in games decided by a score.

A day later, it’s time to look back on what happened and give out a few awards and grades. We’re also looking forward to K-State’s next game in Houston.

Game play

Chris Tennant hit a 51-yard field goal with 1 minute, 42 seconds left to give the Wildcats their first lead of the fourth quarter. Kansas had plenty of time to respond, so its kick didn’t tie up the game. But it might as well be the way K-State has dominated in the final moments of this season.

Player of the game

Avery Johnson returned to his dual-threat approach against Kansas, injuring the Jayhawks in both his arm and legs.

The sophomore from Wichita threw for 253 yards and two touchdowns. A brutal drop by tight end Will Anciaux cost him a third touchdown pass. Johnson also rushed for 67 yards and a score. His ability to run and throw kept the KU defense off balance.

Statistics of the game and quote to remember

The Jayhawks didn’t score a single point in the fourth quarter. One team was ahead in this game. The other one wasn’t.

As for the quote…

“Honestly, I hated to see anyone lose this football game. I know how much it would have meant to KU and I know how much it would have meant to Lance. It’s no secret that Lance and I are friends. But hats off to our players for finding a way and making plays in the fourth quarter.” — Chris Klieman.

K-State football grades

Attack: B+. DJ Giddens gained most of his 102 rushing yards on a 54-yard breakaway. Kansas has largely shut him down otherwise. This has to be a little concerning for K-State fans. But other than that there wasn’t much to complain about. Avery Johnson threw for 253 yards and rushed for another 67 yards. Dylan Edwards also rushed for 60 yards on just three carries.

Defense: B. The Wildcats were not as disruptive as usual in this game. They finished the game with a sack, two tackles for loss and six QB hurries. But when necessary, they made big plays, like a Marques Sigle interception and a safety. K-State also capitalized on two Jalon Daniels fumbles in the fourth quarter.

Special teams: A+. Chris Tennant made two field goals in the fourth quarter, including one from 51 yards, with the game on the line. He has quietly become one of the best kickers in the Big 12.

Coaching: A. It’s clear that K-State has a better coaching staff than KU. In each of the last two seasons, the Jayhawks were able to beat the Wildcats by the fourth quarter, but K-State shut them down due to coaching adjustments. K-State defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman spooked Daniels with a late blitz. Offensive coordinator Conor Riley also got the running game going after halftime.

Next up: Houston

The Wildcats will head to their fifth road game of the season next week when they travel to Houston to take on the Cougars at TDECU Stadium at 2:30 p.m.

This might be one of the easiest games on the K-State schedule as Houston has only won three games this season. UNLV, Cincinnati, Iowa State and Kansas all beat the Cougars by more than 20 points.

But the Cougars have victories against TCU and Utah in the Big 12. Thanks to two touchdowns from quarterback Zeon Chriss, they defeated the Utes 17-14 on Saturday.

Houston coach Willie Fritz knows a lot about K-State. In addition to growing up in the Kansas City area, he also coached Michael Bishop in junior college before moving to Manhattan and becoming an EMAW legend. Fritz led Tulane to a shocking 17-10 victory over the Wildcats at Bill Snyder Family Stadium two years ago.

K-State coaches won’t take Houston lightly.

The Wildcats entered the game as 10.5-point favorites.

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