Kansas State got a big day from Derrick Salley Jr. in Cincinnati, but one second-half mistake helped turn a promising road win into a 31-26 loss at Nippert Stadium.
Salley was everywhere for the Wildcats, finishing with seven catches for 140 yards and a touchdown while stepping up in place of the injured Jaron Tibbs. Still, the play that will stick with him came on the first snap of the second half. After a 34-yard catch that had Kansas State moving in the right direction, Salley fumbled, and the Bearcats seized the opening.
At that point, the Wildcats were in front 17-10. From there, Cincinnati ripped off 14 straight points and flipped the game.
Kansas State coach Collin Klein pointed to that sequence as the turning point.
"That's life," Klein said. "That's football, and how you respond and how we get out of that rut offensively or defensively.
And we couldn't get it done on either side to just get it, get them shut down, and let that momentum kind of blossom. And then all of a sudden you're down a touchdown and a dogfight."
The loss dropped Kansas State to 3-1 and handed the Wildcats their first Big 12 defeat of the season. It also put a damper on what could have been a 4-0 start for the first time since 2012.
Even with the setback, Salley’s performance showed Kansas State it has another receiver it can lean on when called upon. But the Wildcats now have a bye week to clean up the problems that showed up against Cincinnati, especially the run defense, before returning the following week against Houston at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
Houston comes in at 3-1 and has lost only to Texas Tech, the defending Big 12 champions.
In Other News...
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Big 12 Problem It Can't Ignore
The loss to Cincinnati left Kansas State with more than just a mark in the standings. Collin Klein made it clear afterward that the Wildcats have a run-defense issue to clean up, after the Bearcats rolled up 271 rushing yards on 38 carries and controlled enough of the game to leave Manhattan with a 31-26 win. Gi'Bran and Cole Tabb fueled that ground attack, giving Kansas State a long afternoon trying to slow things down at the line of scrimmage.
Klein also pointed to the offense's stalled drives as part of why the Wildcats came up short, which only adds to the pressure heading into the stretch ahead. For a team with Big 12 aspirations, getting pushed around on the ground is the kind of problem that can follow you if it is not corrected quickly, especially when the margin for error is already getting thinner. [Read more 🡒]
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 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 🡒]