Kansas State had to do something it usually doesn’t have to do in the Sunflower Showdown: play from behind and claw its way back.
Down 10 points in the first quarter at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, the Wildcats steadied themselves, leaned on Avery Johnson and Joe Jackson, and pulled away for a 35-24 win over Kansas on Saturday. The comeback pushed Kansas State to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the Big 12, while the Jayhawks slipped to 2-4 and 0-3.
Johnson gave K-State the spark it needed. In his third year as the starter, he finished 14 of 24 for 209 yards and a touchdown, and added 132 yards on 12 carries. Jackson handled the grinding work, piling up 159 yards and a touchdown on 27 rushes.
Kansas made the opening quarter chaotic in a hurry. Bryson Hayes ripped off a 95-yard kickoff return, and Isaiah Marshall found Nik McMillan on a 12-yard touchdown pass as the Jayhawks surged to a 17-7 lead. But Kansas State answered with the next 11 points, taking an 18-17 edge into halftime.
The Jayhawks briefly moved back in front when Dylan Edwards scored on a touchdown run to open the third quarter. That was as good as it got for Kansas. K-State controlled the rest of the night and outscored the Jayhawks by 10 the rest of the way.
The result kept the Wildcats’ grip on the rivalry intact. Kansas State has now won 19 straight in the series, which Saturday became the 124th meeting between the in-state foes. Most of those wins have been comfortable, including a 42-17 victory in Lawrence a year ago, but this one required a much different kind of response.
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Kansas States Rivalry Win Raised One Big Question About This Team
Kansas State kept its grip on the Sunflower Showdown with another win over Kansas, rolling to a 35-24 victory at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and stretching the streak to 18 straight in the rivalry. The Wildcats leaned on a ground attack that piled up more than 300 rushing yards, while the defense delivered the kind of timely stops that usually decide these games, including a key interception by Logan Bartley. Joe Jackson emerged as the game MVP, giving the Wildcats a performance that fit the physical, old-school feel of the rivalry.
Still, the bigger takeaway for Kansas State is not just that it handled Kansas again, but what the game may say about the rest of the season. The offense showed it can control a game on the ground, the defense made enough disruptive plays to matter, and special teams and coaching each played a part in a performance that deserved a full set of grades. The question now is whether this was simply a rivalry statement, or a more useful snapshot of what the Wildcats can be when everything lines up. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Key Availability Concern Before Kickoff
Garrett Oakleys status is one of the main things to watch as Kansas State heads into its rivalry game against Kansas. The starting tight end is officially listed as out, which adds a notable wrinkle for the Wildcats as they get ready for a matchup that already has plenty of attention around it. For a team trying to settle in before kickoff, losing a key piece of the offense changes the feel of the buildup.
Oakleys absence leaves Kansas State with another question to answer in a game that comes with all the usual extra layers, from predictions and betting angles to weather and broadcast details. In a rivalry setting like this, availability can matter just as much as anything else, and the Wildcats now have one more thing to sort through before the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Sunflower Showdown Suddenly Carries More Weight For Kansas State Than Usual
The 124th Sunflower Showdown already had the feel of a game that could tilt a season, but this one comes with a little more edge than usual for Kansas State. Kansas is heading in with a 17-game losing streak in the series, yet the buildup around this matchup has been split enough to make it feel less like a routine rivalry game and more like a test of where both programs really stand.
Contributors from Kansas on SI have leaned into that tension with their predictions and analysis, and the range of outcomes says plenty about the stakes. Some see a breakthrough coming for the Jayhawks, while others still trust Kansas State to handle business, with the result carrying weight not just in the standings but in the bigger coaching picture each side is trying to stabilize. [Read more 🡒]