Kansas State’s trip to Cincinnati ended with more than just a loss in the standings. It exposed a run defense that Collin Klein knows can’t keep showing up this way if the Wildcats want to stay on track.
The Bearcats controlled the ground game in a 31-26 win at Nippert Stadium, rolling up 271 yards on 38 carries for a hefty 7.1 yards per attempt. Gi'Bran paced Cincinnati with 126 yards on 16 carries, while Cole Tabb added 124 yards on 11 carries and scored three touchdowns.
Klein, now 3-1 as Kansas State’s coach, called it straight after the game. The Wildcats dropped their first Big 12 conference game, and the biggest issue was impossible to miss.
"We knew the battle of the line of scrimmage was going to be the story of the day, and third down, red zone, all of that stuff, was going to follow that right there," Klein said. "We didn't do a great job stopping the run and that's the story of the game, and we stalled twice on offense and kicked two field goals and that's not a recipe to win on the road."
Kansas State was chasing its first 4-0 start since 2012, the year Klein was the starting quarterback and helped lead the Wildcats to a 10-2 regular season and a Big 12 title game win.
The No. 20 Cougars are 3-1, with their only loss coming Sept. 20 against No. 13 Texas Tech, the defending Big 12 champions.
In Other News...
Cincinnati Just Made The Kind Of Big 12 Statement Fans Needed
Cincinnatis first Big 12 game of the season delivered exactly the kind of message the league tends to notice, and Kansas State was on the wrong side of it. The Bearcats pushed through an early deficit, leaned on their run blocking and got important production on the ground from GiBran Payne and Cole Tabb. For a team trying to show it can handle life in this conference, the win mattered plenty, and it lifted Cincinnati to 4-0 for the first time since 2021.
For Kansas State, the loss serves as an early reminder that Big 12 openers can turn fast when the other side starts controlling the line of scrimmage. Cincinnatis second-half response was the difference, and it left the Wildcats having to sort through how a game they led early slipped away. In a league where every road test can turn into a statement opportunity, this one belonged to the Bearcats. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Wasted A Huge Day With One Crushing Mistake
Derrick Salley Jr. gave Kansas State plenty to build on with a huge afternoon against Cincinnati, piling up seven catches for 140 yards and a touchdown in a game that had the Wildcats in position to make a statement. For most of the day, he looked like the kind of difference-maker who can tilt a close Big 12 matchup, giving the passing game a needed spark and keeping Kansas State within reach.
Collin Klein, though, knows the Wildcats were left to rue one costly sequence. Salleys fumble on the first play of the second half swung the momentum toward Cincinnati and helped turn a promising spot into a 31-26 loss. It was the kind of mistake that can erase a big individual performance in a hurry, and Kansas State now has to sort out how to pair production with cleaner execution when the margin is this thin. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Bye Week Leaves One Big Availability Question Ahead
Kansas States bye week gave Collin Klein a little breathing room to sort through a few injury situations before the next game, and the picture is getting clearer on some key depth pieces. Backup quarterbacks Dillon Duff and Jacob Knuth are both expected to be closer to full strength coming out of the break, while wide receiver Jaron Tibbs should recover after taking a hard hit in the previous game.
The more immediate concern is senior tight end Will Anciaux, who will miss time because of a foot injury, leaving the Wildcats to adjust their rotation there. Klein also pointed to a possible return for offensive lineman Oliver Miller in two weeks, which would be another welcome reinforcement if his recovery stays on track. [Read more 🡒]