Kansas State didn’t exactly cruise through its final tune-up, but the Wildcats still left Saturday with a 3-0 record and a few clear answers after a 31-20 win over Tulane at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
The biggest one came from Avery Johnson.
After a slow start that left K-State in third-and-long more often than it wanted, the quarterback was finally turned loose, and the offense came alive with him. Johnson piled up a career-high 152 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns on the ground, including bursts of 66, 25 and 23 yards that changed the feel of the game.
Through the air, he was efficient too, going 21 of 28 for 227 yards with no touchdowns. Jaron Tibbs was his top target, catching nine passes for 114 yards.
Once Johnson started running with purpose, everything else looked smoother. The pocket movement helped him operate on the run and gave him space to take off when the defense opened up. That was the version of the quarterback Kansas State needed.
The rest of the offense, though, was less convincing.
Tulane came in with a run defense that wasn’t supposed to offer much resistance, but Kansas State struggled to move people up front for long stretches. Outside of Johnson, the Wildcats’ ball carriers combined for 25 carries and 55 yards, and the early ground-game issues helped create the kind of third-and-long situations that stalled drives and put pressure on the offense.
The line looked flat until the Wildcats adjusted and started building the offense around Johnson’s legs. That’s a spot worth watching.
Still, K-State deserves credit for how it handled its first real pushback of the season.
Nicholls and Washington State never really threatened to take control in the first two games, but Tulane got Kansas State’s attention early by making things uncomfortable. The Wildcats answered their first deficit of the year with 17 straight points, then kept stacking plays while the defense leaned into its physical style and kept harassing the quarterback.
That defense also continues to show real depth off the edge. Wendell Gregory and Darien Whitaker remain major pieces, but the list of contributors keeps growing.
Elijah Hill saw more snaps after his late sack last week and delivered again with another one early in this game. Jayden Bryant also got on the board with his first sack of the season after being described as trending in the right direction earlier in the week.
There was also some injury concern before the day was over. Starting safety Logan Bartley left in the second quarter after landing hard on his arm and was later seen in a sling. Starting defensive lineman Jordan Allen did not play.
In Other News...
Collin Klein Sounds Off On One Kansas State Problem After Win
Collin Klein came away from Kansas States 31-20 win over Tulane with plenty to like, and he made sure to credit the back-and-forth nature of the game. He praised both teams for the adjustments they made as the night wore on, pointed to the defenses ability to bend without breaking on long Tulane drives, and noted that the offense found a better rhythm with Avery helping steady things.
Even with the victory in hand, Klein kept coming back to the same issue: the penalties. He said the Wildcats have to be more disciplined moving forward, even after a game in which special teams also did its part by limiting Tulanes return game. For Kansas State, it was the kind of win that showed progress in a few areas while leaving at least one familiar problem sitting in plain view. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State May Have Found The Linebacker It Needed Most
Kansas State has been searching for answers in the middle of its defense since Austin Romaine transferred to Texas Tech, and Gabe Powers is beginning to look like a player who can help steady that spot. The fifth-year senior, who arrived from Ohio State, has already started to settle in with the Wildcats and showed his value in a recent victory against Washington State, where he finished with four tackles.
Powers is expected to keep playing a major role as the schedule moves forward, and that matters for a defense still adjusting to life without Romaine. The fit has been encouraging enough that Kansas State may have found a linebacker who can give it the kind of reliability it needed most, even if the full picture is still coming into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Heads Into Big 12 Play With Real Reason To Believe
Kansas State finished its non-conference schedule unbeaten after holding off Tulane 31-20 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, and the bigger takeaway may be the way Avery Johnson keeps tilting games in the Wildcats favor. The quarterback accounted for 228 passing yards and 152 more on the ground, using his legs to finish the job with a 12-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
That kind of dual-threat performance gives Kansas State something real to lean on as Big 12 play opens next week against Cincinnati. The Wildcats have a 3-0 record and, just as importantly, a growing sense that their offense has a clear identity heading into the part of the schedule that will say the most about them. [Read more 🡒]