On a cold and windy afternoon at Bill Snyder Family Stadium the Kansas State Wildcats had more than just the elements to battle as they faced an Oklahoma team with an excellent running game a hard-nosed Defense. The Oklahoma rushing attack proved to be potent as advertised but the Wildcats after a bit of a tentative start were able to combat it by successfully throwing the ball through the air especially when they had the wind at their back in the second quarter. However, field position and key plays in the fourth quarter made the difference in this game as Oklahoma was able to take advantage and walk out of Manhattan with a 42-28 victory before a Senior Day crowd of 52,773.
Starting against the wind K-State was able to get a first down on the first play from scrimmage but lost yardage after that and was forced to punt. On their opening possession, the Sooners moved 64 yards in eight plays and capped the drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Quarterback Trevor Knight who was starting in place of an injured Blake Bell to Wide Receiver Sterling Shepard to make the score 7-0. Even more frustrating for the Wildcats was Oklahoma’s second scoring drive. Starting on their own two-yard line Oklahoma faced a third and long situation when it appeared Knight was about to be sacked by Randall Evans but Evans jumped in front of Knight instead of trying to sack him allowing Knight to pick up a first down on a significant gain. The Sooners eventually drove the length of the field and took a 14-0 lead on Knight’s eight-yard run.
The Wildcats got on the board just 53 seconds later when Quarterback Jake Waters threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Wide Receiver Tyler Lockett to cut the deficit to 14-7. Five minutes later K-State needed just four plays to travel 84 yards, the final 30 on another Waters to Lockett pass to tie things up at 14-14. Facing another third down at their own 36-yard line, OU regained the lead on a 74-yard run by Running Back Brennan Clay to make the score 21-14. Not to be outdone, Kansas State responded. After a holding penalty put the Wildcats inside their own 10-yard line, they tied the game once more when Waters found Lockett again, this time for 90 yards and a 21-21 tie.
Michael Hunnicutt then struck a pair of Field Goals, one at the end of the first half and one on the Sooners’ first second half possession that deflected off the left upright to make the margin 27-21. K-State got back to within three points at 27-24 on a 28-yard Field Goal by Ian Patterson. The outcome of this game was determined by a stretch of just over two minutes early in the fourth quarter. Clay’s three-yard touchdown run was set up when a shanked punt was returned by Jalen Saunders for 30 yards. Then after the Wildcats moved into Oklahoma territory, Zack Sanchez picked off a Waters pass and returned it 74 yards for a touchdown to open up a 41-24 lead for the Sooners. Waters’ one-yard run pulled K-State to within 41-31 with 6:10 remaining on the clock, however another interception on the next possession ended any hope of a comeback and the Wildcats’ four-game winning streak.
Oklahoma out-rushed Kansas State 301 to 24 as the Cats were unable to get their running game untracked. The Wildcats were more successful through the air with 348 passing yards to Oklahoma’s 171. Clay was the rushing star of the day for OU with 31 carries for 212 yards and two scores. Waters completed 17 of 29 passes for 348 yards and three touchdowns, all to Lockett who ended up breaking his own school record for receiving yards in a single game with 278. With kick return yardage included, Lockett racked up 440 all-purpose yards on the day.
Oklahoma Coach Bob Stoops who was an Assistant Coach at K-State from 1989-95 won his 158th game at Oklahoma surpassing Barry Switzer as the program’s all-time winningest coach. The Sooners have also won five consecutive games at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, the longest such streak by any opponent. K-State suffered its first November home loss and Senior Day loss since falling to Missouri 38-12 on November 14, 2009.
Kansas State (6-5, 4-4) will wrap up the regular season next Saturday in the Sunflower Showdown in Lawrence against Kansas. K-State has won four straight games in the series. Kickoff at Kansas Memorial Stadium in Lawrence is set for 11 a.m.
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