The Kansas State Wildcats are in the middle of a bye week, which makes now a fitting time to revisit one of Collin Klein’s signature performances - back when he was the quarterback, not the coach.
Fifteen years ago, on Oct. 1, 2011, Klein helped deliver one of the biggest wins in Kansas State history.
The Wildcats knocked off No. 15 Baylor, a team that came in as the favorite and had Robert Griffin III at quarterback.
Griffin was the headline name that day, and for good reason. He finished 23 of 31 for 346 yards and five touchdowns with one interception. But Klein answered with the kind of all-around performance that became his calling card.
He piled up 359 total yards and three touchdowns. Through the air, Klein went 13 of 28 for 146 yards and two scores. On the ground, he carried 25 times for 113 yards and another touchdown.
Baylor looked in control midway through the fourth quarter, leading 35-26 and seemingly on its way to staying unbeaten through four games. Klein changed that with a 70-yard drive that ended in one of his touchdown runs.
Kansas State still needed one more big play, and it came from Arthur Brown. The All-Big 12 linebacker intercepted an off-target Griffin pass on the next possession, Griffin’s first interception of the season. The Wildcats then moved into position for the go-ahead field goal with 3 minutes, 10 seconds left.
From there, the defense finished the job by stopping Baylor on downs.
The win marked the start of Klein’s rise in K-State lore. He led the Wildcats to a 10-3 record that season, then put together another huge year in 2012. Kansas State went 11-3, won the Big 12 title and then lost to Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl.
Griffin went on to win the Heisman Trophy that season and later was drafted by the Washington Commanders, but on this October day in Manhattan, Klein was the one who got the upper hand.
In Other News...
Kansas State Just Entered An Early Collin Klein Pressure Test
Losing to Cincinnati last week already put a little more scrutiny on Kansas States start under first-year coach Collin Klein, and the Bearcats follow-up result only sharpened the focus around Manhattan. Cincinnati turned around and got blasted 34-7 by Arizona, a result that does not make Kansas States setback look any better and adds another layer to the early read on where the Wildcats stand.
Now the Wildcats are heading into a stretch that can tell a lot more about Kleins team than one uneven game ever could, with Houston and Kansas coming next. It is still early, but the combination of a new head coach, an uncertain performance profile and two tricky matchups ahead has turned this into a real pressure test for a program trying to find its footing quickly. [Read more 🡒]