K-State Finally Shows Its Potential in Dominant Win Over TCU

BY COLE DEUTSCHENDORF | 365 Sports

There may have been a fair number of fans pinching themselves at Bill Snyder Family Stadium last Saturday after the K-State Wildcats showed off what many thought the team could be before the season started by taking down TCU 41-28. It was an offense that, outside of a slow first quarter, moved the ball up and down the field, and a defense that, while giving up some more explosive plays as has been the theme of the season, still provided some explosive plays of its own and held a high-flying Horned Frogs offense to just 21 points outside of garbage time.

In some ways, the win was disappointing, as much as a double-digit win over a one-loss, favored team can be. It wasn’t very pleasant because, yes, this K-State team has talent everywhere. They have one of the best athletes in the Big 12 at quarterback in Avery Johnson. They have reliable weapons across the offense and playmakers on all three levels of the defense. And yet, they sit at 3-4 and, while not entirely out of the Big 12 race, will likely be asking “what if?” by season’s end.

The game, which ended with 69 combined points, was scoreless through the first quarter and a half. TCU broke the 0-0 tie with a 93-yard scoring drive ending in a rushing touchdown. K-State would respond very quickly, running six plays in less than three minutes, culminating in a 32-yard passing touchdown from Avery Johnson to Garrett Oakley. Then, on the second play of the ensuing drive for TCU, a Josh Hoover mistake would turn into a Wildcat defensive touchdown, their first of the season, when Hoover threw a pass ever-so-slightly backward, where it was then picked up by safety Wesley Fair, who ran it 18 yards into the end zone. 

The Wildcats forced four more stops after their scoop-and-score, including the first of two interceptions by senior Desmond Purnell, who took the first back for another defensive touchdown to make it 21-7. From there, K-State was on cruise control. After TCU cut the lead to 28-14, Wildcat fans’ hearts likely skipped a beat just a week removed from blowing a 14-point fourth-quarter lead to Baylor. But the offense responded with perhaps its best drive of the season, leaning on the run game for a 12-play, 75-yard march that chewed nearly seven minutes off the clock—another Hoover interception with under eight minutes left effectively sealed the game.

K-State now heads into its second bye week with momentum and a date with Kansas circled on the calendar for October 25. There’s still plenty left to play for with this Wildcat squad that entered the season with such high hopes, perhaps nothing greater than the pride of keeping the streak against their rival intact. It’s been 17 years since K-State last fell to Kansas, and the Wildcats will look to make it at least 18 when the two meet next Saturday.