Kansas State had a chance to turn Saturday into a statement day, but instead it walked away from Colorado with another painful lesson and another loss.
The Wildcats fell 27-24 in overtime to the Buffaloes, dropping their second straight game and fourth in their last five. Colorado, meanwhile, picked up its first Big 12 conference win of the season and avoided what would have been a brutal spotlight on Deion Sanders.
Kansas State got to the 4-yard line in overtime, but the drive ended with a 21-yard field goal from Luis Rodriguez. Colorado answered by finishing the game on an 11-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Isaac Wilson to tight end Charlies Williams.
That finish left Kansas State coach Chris Klieman with the same kind of frustration that has followed his team through much of this stretch: a game there to be won, and a result that slipped away.
The quarterback situation was the biggest storyline all day, and Klieman showed again that he is willing to make a move when things stall. Avery Johnson was out for a second straight game because of an undisclosed injury, and Duff was reported as the starter several hours before kickoff. It was his first start, and the first snaps of his college career.
The offense never found a rhythm with him. Duff, a state-championship quarterback at DeSmet High School in St. Louis as a senior, completed 1 of 1 passes for 16 yards across three drives, and those possessions produced no points.
That opened the door for Blake Barnett, who entered despite also dealing with an injury. He gave Kansas State life and nearly pulled off the comeback. Barnett finished 18 of 28 for 224 yards and three touchdowns, then led a last-minute march from the Wildcats’ 38 with 55 seconds left.
He capped that drive with an eight-yard touchdown pass to tight end Garrett Oakley, sending the game to overtime. Kansas State considered going for two, but opted for the extra point instead.
Barnett’s performance made the quarterback picture look a lot clearer if Johnson remains sidelined. After the way Saturday unfolded, it would be hard to argue against Barnett getting the nod again.
In Other News...
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Quarterback Debate Fans Can't Ignore
Kansas States trip to Folsom Field ended in a 27-24 overtime loss to Colorado, but the bigger conversation may have been the Wildcats quarterback usage. The offense leaned on two different passers, and Blake Barnett helped spark a late touchdown drive that gave Kansas State a chance to extend the game after a night when the defense had its share of problems but still came up with a few late punts to keep the door open.
Barnetts role in that rally only sharpened the question of how Kansas State wants to handle the position moving forward. In a game decided by a handful of plays, the Wildcats found enough late energy to erase a deficit and force overtime, but the split approach under center leaves plenty to sort out as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Turns To An Unknown QB In A Brutal Spot
Kansas State is making a major quarterback pivot at a difficult time, with Dillon Duff set to make his first career start against Colorado. Duff has not appeared in a collegiate game before this opportunity, and his path to the lineup has been slowed by a preseason injury that kept him out until he was recently cleared to play.
Collin Klein has sounded encouraged by what he has seen from Duff behind the scenes, pointing to his work ethic and decision-making as reasons the Wildcats are willing to trust him in a pressure-packed spot. For a team looking for stability at the most important position, this is a big leap of faith, and it will say plenty about where Kansas State stands in the quarterback room going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Let A Winnable Big 12 Road Game Slip Away
Kansas State had every chance to leave Boulder with a conference road win, and for stretches it looked like the Wildcats might do just that. Blake Barnett threw for 224 yards and three touchdowns, and Kansas State kept punching back in a game that swung back and forth at Folsom Field before the Wildcats forced overtime with a touchdown in the final seconds of regulation.
Once the extra period arrived, though, the offense could not finish the job. Kansas State came up empty in overtime, and Colorado made the most of its chance to escape with a 27-24 win, turning a winnable Big 12 road game into one that will linger for the Wildcats because of how close it was to being theirs. [Read more 🡒]