Turnovers, Failed Chances Cost Wildcats in Loss to Red Raiders

BY Cole Deutschendorf | 365 Sports

There have been several games this season where K-State’s fourth-quarter issues have cost them close contests, reflected in their 1-4 record in one-score games. That was technically true last Saturday against Texas Tech, but unlike past weeks, it was more about the Red Raiders simply being the better team. Still, K-State had a chance to cut Tech’s lead to seven early in the fourth quarter. A failed two-point conversion and two turnovers later, a 29-20 game ballooned into a 43-20 final as Texas Tech’s league-best defense flexed its muscle to secure its eighth win of the season.

The Wildcat defense started the game strong, intercepting a Behren Morton pass from linebacker Austin Romaine, who batted the pass off his clubbed left hand and into his uninjured right hand, securing the ball and the turnover. K-State quarterback Avery Johnson would throw an interception on the Wildcats’ first offensive play from scrimmage, but another stop gave K-State the ball back and the game’s first score on a 46-yard rushing touchdown from Johnson.

K-State nearly went up two possessions after a turnover-on-downs gave them a short field at Tech’s 39-yard line, but a failed fourth down of their own and a few missed chances allowed the Red Raiders to grab a 9-7 lead they wouldn’t surrender. The Wildcats struggled to move the ball in the second quarter but trailed by just five at halftime and got the ball to start the third. A forced fumble by Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez changed that momentum, and from there, the Red Raider offense took control, capitalizing on multiple K-State turnovers.

Now, K-State heads to its third and final bye of the season with three games remaining in the regular season. The main thing to play for, other than pride, is making another bowl game, something Wildcat head coach Chris Klieman has never failed to do in a non-COVID season. The good thing for K-State is that its end-of-season schedule lays out quite nicely for them to accomplish that goal: they need two wins, and Oklahoma State and Colorado are two of the three games left on the schedule. Those two squads have combined to go 1-11 in Big 12 play and have been outscored 185-45 over their last four games. 

The bye gives the Wildcats another chance to reset, and perhaps most importantly, to give younger players experience they wouldn’t get during a typical week. Because the truth is, preparation for next season begins now, a reality few would have believed back in August.