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Kansas State restores order, knocks off Kansas
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Kansas State forced three turnovers a 17-10 win over
Kansas on Saturday. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
{SLIDESHOW INCLUDED AT BOTTOM OF PAGE}
How good does it feel to have Bill Snyder back on the sidelines? No one could have predicted the Wildcats would be leading the North with just two games remaining in the regular season…especially after how poor the season started. The loss against Louisiana seems like a distant memory now.
Since the blocked extra point in Arrowhead against Iowa State, the Wildcats have now gone 4-2 and have yet to lose a game in their division. Kansas State remained undefeated at home, and more importantly, reclaimed the Governor’s Cup in a 17-10 win over in-state rival Kansas on Saturday.
“Its huge,” said senior linebacker John Houlik of the win. “This is probably the sweetest win. Back in Wichita, where I'm from, I get grief from all my friends when I go home. So at some point enough is enough, and we played well and got the win today.”
For others, winning on Saturday was just added motivation for some players to prove they’re better than anyone gave them credit for. “No one thought we were going to win today,” said junior running back Daniel Thomas. “I mean we were picked to be the bottom of the Big 12 on every poll, but we know what kind of team we are so we just want to show everyone. It just feels good.”
After losing their last three games to the Jayhawks, the Wildcats came into yesterday’s game as the underdog, despite leading the division, and having won two of their last three. To add fuel to the fire, before kickoff players were told by Snyder that someone had vandalized the areas around the Vanier Football Complex.
Blue and red paint was smeared on the steps leading up to the building, the Powercat logo near the entrance, and on player’s cars in the parking lot.
After all that, Kansas State (6-4, 4-2) gave up a 67-yard kickoff return by Darrel Stuckey to open the game. The way the Wildcats defense responded after that play though set the trend for the rest of the game. The unit gave up one first down on the opening drive, then buckled down and pushed the Jayhawks backwards. Kansas (5-4, 1-4) was forced into a field goal try, which sailed wide right.
Even when the defense showed signs of weakness and let the Jayhawks drive deep into their territory, they buckled down when it mattered most.
“For our defense to hang in there the way they did throughout the game, even though they gave up some yardage and field position, they eventually got the breaks put on Kansas," said Snyder. “For the University of Kansas to only score 10 points, that means that somebody played pretty well on the other side of the ball.”
The 10 points was the lowest outing by the Jayhawks this season. Kansas State also forced Todd Reesing into three turnovers, including a fumble right before the half to set up a Wildcats touchdown.
“K-State is light-years ahead of where they were last year,” said Kansas head coach Mark Mangino. “They are disciplined and very well-coached. Coach Snyder hasn't missed a beat and I knew that he wouldn't. He has them playing really well right now.”
On offense, the Wildcats played to their greatest strength, and handed the ball to Thomas. The junior finished the day with 185 yards on 24 carries, good enough for an average of 7.7 yards.
“Daniel is a beast,” said senior quarterback Grant Gregory. “It's his first year playing running back and I think he is the best running back in the conference and he has two more games to prove it. He is a great player.”
The accolades didn’t stop there. “What I really appreciated about Daniel were the second and third efforts,” said Snyder. “Sometimes he plays like he is a linebacker, and I just appreciate his approach to the game. He is not an easy guy to get down, and that is for one reason and one reason alone. It does not have anything to do with speed or size or anything else, it is just tenacity and a desire to get that extra inch or foot.”
Sometimes overlooked in the excitement, is Gregory. The guy who carried a clipboard for five years, then landed in Manhattan after being granted a medical hardship. On the Wildcats final drive, facing third-and-four, Gregory ran the option to the right, opted to keep the ball and turned up field gaining eight yards and sealing the victory for Kansas State.
“A lot of team's play man to man and no one is manned up on the quarterback,” said Gregory. “I'm not the fastest guy or the quickest guy but I get yardage when it is there.” He finished the day with 55 rushing yards.
As the game ended and the team celebrated wildly on the field, the fans remained inside the stadium. This game means a lot to the Kansas State program, and that’s something that may have been forgotten the past few years by the team.
“This game means a lot to the fans, and I have always known that, so I am pleased for them,” said Snyder. “I am pleased for our players because this game is so important to them. I was happy for our coaches because they have put in so much time and effort into all of the aspects that go into coaching.”
Clearly, this game means something to all those involved. After hearing the stadium rock from beginning to end, and witnessing the total euphoria the players and fans enjoyed after the game, don’t expect for anyone on the Wildcats sideline to be forgetting just how big of a game this is anytime soon.
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