Kansas State didn’t just beat Washington State on Saturday. The Wildcats controlled the game in the trenches, leaned on a defense that never let the Cougars breathe, and then pulled away once the offense found its rhythm after halftime in a 34-7 win at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
That second straight victory moved Collin Klein’s team to 2-0, with Tulane coming to Manhattan on Saturday, Sept. 19.
The most relentless part of the afternoon was Kansas State’s defense. Early on, while the offense was still trying to sort itself out and finish chances, the Wildcats’ front and linebackers set the tone.
Wendell Gregory kept hounding Caden Pinnick, who spent much of the game under pressure even when he escaped the first wave. Mekhi Mason and Gabe Powers were frequently there to finish tackles against the run, and the physical edge never let up.
The pressure showed up everywhere. Kaleb Patterson forced a fumble by punching the ball loose.
Travis Bates and Elijah Hill each recorded sacks. By the end of the day, six different Wildcats had a tackle for loss.
Washington State managed only 166 total yards, with Pinnick completing 40% of his passes and the Cougars finishing with 65 passing yards and 101 rushing yards.
Offensively, Josh Manning was the clear bright spot early. Avery Johnson kept looking his way, and Manning delivered one big play after another, capped by a third-and-goal touchdown catch after Johnson used his legs to draw a defender and leave Manning uncovered. Manning finished with 10 catches for 97 yards and a touchdown, easily one of the most productive outings of his career.
Kansas State needed that production because the passing game was not clean across the board. Jaron Tibbs and Brandon White were among the receivers who dropped passes, and Johnson himself had a shaky day by his standards.
He missed open targets early, then found some success when he extended plays and threw on the move. But the mistakes were costly.
One fourth-down throw in Washington State territory was late and floated to the boundary, where it was intercepted. Then, on the final play of the first half, Johnson tried to squeeze out a few more yards before a possible Hail Mary and got picked off again - this time with the return going back for a touchdown.
Klein also had a few calls he’ll probably want back. On the opening drive, he settled for a short field goal on fourth-and-short.
The next time he faced a fourth-down decision, he went for it, and that sequence led to Johnson’s first interception. The late-half gamble was another risky spot, and the reward never came.
Still, Klein’s second-half plan was much sharper. The run game opened up, the offense started creating cleaner looks, and Kansas State took control.
Rodney Fields was at the center of that surge. Washington State had done a decent job limiting the ground game before halftime, holding the Wildcats to 96 rushing yards, with 50 of those coming on Johnson scrambles. Then Fields ripped off a 75-yard touchdown on the first offensive play of the second half, reading his blocks, slipping through traffic, and blowing the game open.
Fields finished with 105 rushing yards and a touchdown, marking his second straight week over 100 yards. Joe Jackson added 68 rushing yards, and Johnson also ran for 68 as Kansas State finished the night with a balanced, decisive finish after a rough first half.
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 🡒]