Kansas State kept the Sunflower Showdown all to itself again, beating Kansas 35-14 in the 124th meeting of the rivalry and extending its run against the Jayhawks to 18 straight wins. It’s the longest streak either side has ever put together in the series, and the result pushed the Wildcats to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in Big 12 play.
This one had the look of a game where the final score could have been even uglier for Kansas if not for a batch of first-half mistakes by K-State that left 20 points sitting on the field. Even so, the Wildcats still rolled up 568 yards of total offense, with Avery Johnson doing most of the damage. He finished with 209 passing yards and 132 rushing yards, while Joe Jackson added 159 on the ground and Fields chipped in 66 more to help power the run game.
Kansas found some answers of its own, at least for a while. Former Wildcat Dylan Edwards ran for 57 yards, Isaiah Marshall added 117 rushing yards and 151 passing yards, and Bryson Hayes delivered the kind of swing play that can make any rivalry game feel bizarre, taking a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown to tie things up. In a game that already had plenty of weirdness baked in, that was the sort of moment that stings.
The Kansas side, meanwhile, is dealing with all the usual fallout from a loss like this one. The coaches and players are frustrated by the team’s habit of getting in its own way, and some fans are already calling for Lance Leipold’s head. But none of that changes the calendar now, because it’s basketball season.
For K-State, the postgame message was more measured than celebratory. Collin Klein was pleased with the win, but he also said the Wildcats still have “some more work to do.” That lines up with what comes next: a road trip to Arizona State, where K-State will have to shake off the familiar danger of a letdown after beating KU, and do it against a Sun Devils team that has changed some personnel.
There were also a couple of individual honors handed out this week. Kicker Luis Rodriguez was named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week, and defensive back Nick McClennan earned Big 12 Freshman of the Week.
And yes, the Wildcats will wear purple helmets in Tempe.
On the soccer field, Kansas State is headed out for a two-match road swing, starting Thursday night in Ames against Iowa State at 6 PM before a Sunday afternoon meeting with Cincinnati at noon. The Wildcats are still looking for their first Big 12 win at 5-6-4 overall and 0-6-1 in conference play, while Iowa State is also winless in league action at 4-4-7 and 0-5-2. Cincinnati has one conference win but sits at 3-6-5 and 1-4-2, so there’s at least a sense that something has to give this week.
The volleyball team is trying to stop a skid of its own. The VolleyCats have dropped four straight and have won only two sets during that stretch.
Last Thursday, they fell in straight sets at home to No. 17 Kansas, 25-20, 25-15, 25-23.
K-State never really helped itself, finishing with a .146 hitting percentage and just 25 kills.
The next chance to turn things around comes Thursday night on the road against Cincinnati.
In Other News...
Kansas State Faces A New Offensive Test At Arizona State
A Big 12 trip to Arizona State brings an unusual wrinkle for Kansas State this week, because Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham once tried to recruit Avery Johnson before the quarterback settled in Manhattan. Now Johnson returns to a familiar face in a conference game with much more at stake, and he comes in with the kind of season that has made Kansas States offense harder to scheme against as the Wildcats keep pushing through lineup changes.
Collin Klein is already having to manage another layer of uncertainty on offense, with Garrett Oakley potentially sidelined by illness and the staff adjusting around other injuries. One of the bigger fixes has been moving Oliver Miller to tight end, a reminder that Kansas State has had to stay flexible while trying to keep the passing game and run game on schedule. Against an Arizona State team that knows Johnson well, those tweaks could matter as much as any pregame storyline. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Still Has A Key Preseason Question To Sort Out
Kansas State is getting close to the point where the talking stops and the lineups start to matter. At Big 12 Media Days, coach Casey Alexander said the Wildcats are getting ready for their upcoming exhibitions against Missouri and Nebraska, while Brandon Rechsteiner and Isaiah Abraham helped frame a team still trying to sort out where everybody fits before the games begin to count.
The biggest wrinkle is Timo Malovec, whose preseason injury makes him unlikely to be available for the opener and adds another variable to a roster still under evaluation. Alexander said the starting five has not been finalized, which leaves Kansas State with a little more to learn in the next stretch, especially with health and performance both weighing on how the rotation comes together. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State May Have A New Backfield Problem Brewing
Collin Klein said Jay Harris did not get an offensive role in Kansas States recent game against Kansas because the staff wanted to reward Joe Jackson and Fields for their work and avoid over-coaching the backfield rotation. It was presented as a situational decision, one meant to help the primary runners settle into a rhythm rather than a permanent shift, but it still offered a small glimpse into how the Wildcats are sorting out touches behind a run-heavy offense.
That matters because Kansas State leans on the ground game as a central part of its offensive identity, especially with Avery Johnsons running ability adding another layer to the attack. When a backfield is being managed on feel and flow as much as on depth-chart order, every game can become a test of how the coaching staff balances development, reward and production without disrupting the offenses timing. [Read more 🡒]