Kansas State didn’t need a dramatic finish to make its point Saturday. The Wildcats took control early, hit a few explosive plays on offense, and kept Washington State from ever settling in on the way to a 34-7 win at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
It was the kind of complete showing K-State has been stacking early this season: enough punch from Avery Johnson and the offense, enough disruption from the defense, and enough hidden-yardage swings to keep the Cougars playing from behind all afternoon.
The Wildcats opened the game with a long 73-yard drive, but it ended with Luis Rodriguez drilling a 31-yard field goal at 6:03 of the first quarter. Washington State’s best answer in the opening frame came after moving inside the K-State 20, but Jordan Allen blocked Jack Stevens’ 37-yard field-goal attempt, and the Cougars came away empty.
The second quarter brought the game’s only real wrinkle for Kansas State. Jaylen Thomas picked off Johnson at the WSU 24 and returned it 31 yards to the K-State 45, giving the Cougars a chance to swing momentum.
They couldn’t cash in. On fourth down, Gabe Powers stuffed Caden Pinnick for no gain to end that drive at the K-State 36.
K-State answered immediately. Johnson hit Josh Manning for a 6-yard touchdown at 4:23, then Brandon White flipped the field with a 62-yard punt return to the WSU 20. Less than two minutes later, Johnson found Joe Jackson for a 21-yard score, pushing the Wildcats ahead 17-0.
Washington State did get a late spark before halftime. Thomas intercepted Johnson again, this time at midfield, and returned it 50 yards for a touchdown as the clock expired, cutting into the margin and sending the Cougars to the break with something to build on.
That hope lasted only one snap into the third quarter.
Rodney Fields Jr. burst loose for a 75-yard touchdown run at 13:54, and from there Kansas State kept stacking answers. Wendell Gregory sacked Pinnick for a 5-yard loss on the next series, and Johnson connected with Manning for a 36-yard gain to set up another scoring chance. Rodriguez added a second 31-yard field goal at 10:24, and Joe Jackson later ripped off a 35-yard run to the WSU 35 to keep the pressure on.
The Wildcats put it away in the fourth. After another drive built around Joe Jackson, Johnson threw his third touchdown pass, a 9-yard strike to Brandon White at 13:52. The defense closed the door from there, with Kaleb Patterson forcing a fumble by Kirby Vorhees at the K-State 41 and Darien Whitaker recovering, then Elijah Hill finishing off another Washington State drive with an 8-yard sack.
Johnson finished 22-of-34 for 192 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Manning was his favorite target all day, catching 10 passes for 97 yards and a score. Joe Jackson added 48 receiving yards and a touchdown, while White caught four passes for 29 yards and a score.
On the ground, Rodney Fields Jr. led the way with 105 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries. Johnson ran for 78 yards, and Joe Jackson added 68.
The numbers told the same story as the scoreboard. Kansas State finished with 166 total yards to Washington State’s 487, but the Wildcats were the ones making the bigger plays in the biggest spots.
K-State went 0-for-1 in the red zone, while Washington State was 5-for-5. The Wildcats also held a major edge in turnover impact, turning the Cougars’ mistakes into points while limiting the damage from their own.
Kansas State now turns to its final non-conference game and its final home game of the three-game stretch, hosting Tulane next Saturday at 11 a.m. on ESPN2.
In Other News...
Kansas State Is Tracking A Former SEC Lineman Fans Will Notice
Kansas State has been busy on the recruiting trail, handing out a fresh batch of scholarship offers as it continues to build out future classes on both sides of the ball. Among the prospects who surfaced is offensive lineman Khayree Lee Jr., a former LSU player who also spent time at Copiah Lincoln Community College, giving the Wildcats a name in the mix that fans familiar with SEC recruiting will recognize right away.
Lee is part of a group that also includes defensive ends Julian Dwyer and Jekai Lee, tight ends Brady Reeves and Sloan Blackwell, offensive lineman Jerry Richmond and offensive tackle Asher Megonnell. The broader picture is familiar for a program trying to stay active and selective at the same time, with each offer bringing its own background, school history and competition from other programs as Kansas State keeps widening the board. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Keeps Sending A Clear Message About Its Offensive Line
Kansas States recruiting board has stayed active, and Collin Kleins latest move keeps the Wildcats focused on reinforcing the front. The newest offer went to Sitaiai Maileoi, a junior college offensive lineman from Mt. San Antonio College, adding another body type and another developmental piece to a position group Kansas State continues to emphasize as it shapes the next wave of talent.
Maileoi is part of a broader run of recent offer activity, with the Wildcats working across multiple positions and levels of the game, from high school prospects to college transfers. Several of those players are already drawing interest from other programs too, which only underscores how competitive this stretch has become, and why Kansas State is so clearly trying to stay ahead of the curve up front. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State's Defense Is Giving Fans Real Reason To Believe
Kansas State keeps giving Collin Klein a pretty encouraging early answer in his first season, and the latest came in a 34-7 win over Washington State that pushed the Wildcats to 2-0. Avery Johnson handled the scoring end with three touchdown passes, while Rodney Fields provided a big lift on the ground in a game that never really felt like it was in doubt once the defense settled in.
The most convincing part for Kansas State, though, was how thoroughly the Wildcats controlled the Cougars. Washington State finished with just 166 total yards, and Caden Pennick was kept to 65 passing yards as the Wildcats made every possession feel crowded and uncomfortable. For a team trying to build something new under Klein, that kind of defensive command is the sort of development fans can actually believe in. [Read more 🡒]