Kansas State had to work for it, but the Wildcats kept the Governor’s Cup in Manhattan with an 18th straight win over Kansas, pulling away for a 35-24 victory on Saturday, Oct. 17, at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
It was not the cleanest afternoon for K-State, but the result fit the same familiar script that has carried this rivalry streak since 2009. The Wildcats improved to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in Big 12 play by finding enough answers in the key moments.
The offense did most of its damage on the ground, piling up more than 300 rushing yards. Avery Johnson handled his work through the air without needing to do too much, and the bigger frustration was what might have been if a couple drives had been finished off. As it stood, the Wildcats still earned a solid B for the unit.
The defense had a shakier feel, especially at times when Kansas found space, but it came through when the game demanded it. The second quarter helped swing things back in K-State’s direction, and Logan Bartley’s interception in the fourth quarter was the kind of play that stopped the Jayhawks in their tracks. That effort was enough to merit a B-.
Special teams had its own mixed bag. Luis Rodriguez was spotless on his field-goal tries and matched his career high with a 51-yard kick, and K-State also generated a safety.
But Kansas made its presence felt there too, returning the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. That unit also came away with a B-.
On the sideline, Jordan Peterson’s defense had some rough patches, but the adjustments he made in the second quarter helped settle things down and put the Wildcats in position for Bartley’s game-saving takeaway. Offensively, Collin Klein leaned into the run game and kept feeding what was working.
Joe Jackson earned game MVP honors for his role in powering Kansas State’s offense up front and on the ground. Bartley’s interception deserved a spotlight of its own, but Jackson was at the center of how the Wildcats controlled the game when it mattered most.
All told, Kansas State got the win it needed, even if it came with some drama. For Collin Klein in his first game against Kansas, the only number that really mattered was the one in the win column.
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Contributors from Kansas on SI have leaned into that tension with their predictions and analysis, and the range of outcomes says plenty about the stakes. Some see a breakthrough coming for the Jayhawks, while others still trust Kansas State to handle business, with the result carrying weight not just in the standings but in the bigger coaching picture each side is trying to stabilize. [Read more 🡒]