Game 7
TCU at nr/rv K-State
Date: Saturday, October 21, 2023
Kickoff: 6 p.m.
Location: Manhattan, Kan.
Stadium: Bill Snyder Family Stadium (50,000)
Series: K-State Leads, 9-8
TV: ESPN2 (watch)
Roy Philpott (Play-by-Play)
Roddy Jones (Analyst)
Taylor McGregor (Sidelines)
Radio: K-State Sports Network; k-statesports.com (Listen)
Wyatt Thompson (Play-by-Play)
Stan Weber (Analyst)
Matt Walters (Sidelines)
SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ch. 136 or 200; SXM App 954
X Updates: @KStateFB
THE TOP 5
1) Kansas State, following a big 38-21 win at Texas Tech, returns to Manhattan for its first home game in four weeks, as the Wildcats host TCU Saturday night. The Big 12 Championship rematch will kick at 6 p.m. from inside a sold-out Bill Snyder Family Stadium and be televised nationally on ESPN2 with Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst) and Taylor McGregor (sidelines) calling the action.
2) The Cats currently rank 19th nationally and second in the Big 12 with 36.2 points per game while also checking in at No. 11 in rushing at 214.3 yards per game – which also ranks fifth among FBS programs. Since Collin Klein took over as offensive coordinator for the 2021 Texas Bowl, K-State is averaging 33.9 points per game on offense, which includes four games this season of 38 or more points.
3) Senior Will Howard threw for at least 250 yards in the first four games, the longest streak ever by a Wildcat. Running back DJ Giddens rushed for 207 yards and four touchdowns en route to Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week honors. Freshman Avery Johnson then sparked the Cats with a school record-tying five rushing touchdowns at Texas Tech en route to Big 12 Newcomer of the Week honors.
4) The K-State defense enters the week ranked in the top 25 nationally in tackles for loss (10th – 7.7 TFLs per game), rushing defense (21st – 108.2 yds/gm) and third down defense (21st – 32.2%). Since the Cats switched to a 3-3-5 alignment to start the 2021 season, K-State has allowed just 21.3 points per game to rank 21st in the nation and second in the Big 12 (Iowa State – 20.3).
5) Senior linebacker Austin Moore leads the team with 38 tackles, including 7.5 tackles for loss to enter the week ranked 29th in the nation. Defensive end Khalid Duke – who has moved from linebacker back to his natural home at defensive end – has 5.0 sacks over the first six games to rank 17th in the nation, while Jacob Parrish ranks eighth in the country in passes defended with 1.4 per game.
STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS
135 – Number of Big 12 wins for K-State since the league was formed, which ranks third behind Texas and Oklahoma.
108.2 – Rushing yards per game given up by K-State this season, which ranks 21st nationally and is second in the Big 12.
75.2 – Career winning % by Chris Klieman, which ranks fourth nationally among FBS coaches with at least 10 years experience.
5.4 – Rushing yards per carry by the Cats, which ranks 16th nationally and is currently tops in school history.
3 – Number of interceptions collected last week at Texas Tech, a season high and the most since last year’s Missouri game.
TEAM NOTES
RECENT RECAP
- The Cats picked up a huge road win in Lubbock, a 38-21 victory for their eighth-straight win in the series as they rushed for 272 yards and forced three Red Raider turnovers.
- Quarterback Avery Johnson ran for five scores, while running back Treshaun Ward had a big night with 118 yards on 15 carries.
- Defensively, Kobe Savage picked off two Tech passes and the defense held Red Raider running back Tahj Brooks under 100 yards for the first time in a month.
- In K-State’s last home game – four weeks ago – the Wildcats used a strong running attack from DJ Giddens to rush past UCF, 44-30, to open Big 12 play with a win.
- Giddens’ 207 yards and four touchdowns earned him Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors.
- K-State registered 536 yards of total offense against UCF, the second time this season the Wildcats eclipsed the 500-yard mark (588 yards vs. SEMO), and it marked the first time K-State had two 500-yard games in the same season since 2019.
BACK AT HOME IN THE BIG 12
- K-State will be hosting its first game at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in almost a month when TCU comes to town Saturday. The Cats’ last home contest was back on September 23, a 44-31 win over UCF.
- The gap between home games is the longest since the COVID-ravaged 2020 when the Cats hosted games on November 7 and December 5 with two road games and a bye week in between.
- Excluding the 2020 season, this is the longest break in between home games since 2018 (October 13 to November 10).
- The Wildcats are 36-19 in home Big 12 contests since 2011 and have recorded three or more Big 12 homes wins eight times over that 12-plus year stretch.
BIG 12 CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH
- Kansas State and TCU will square off Saturday in a rematch of the two teams that batted it out for the 2022 league championship. The Cats earned their third Big 12 title with a 31-28 overtime victory over No. 3 TCU in the 2022 contest.
- It was the second for the Cats in a conference championship game as they took down No. 1 Oklahoma, 35-7, in 2003.
- Kansas State earned its first conference title since finishing with an 8-1 record in 2012 as there was no conference championship game conducted that year.
AMONG THE NATION’S BEST
- K-State has a total of 217 victories since 1996, which ranks 23rd nationally.
- Among current Big 12 teams, the Wildcats rank fifth behind Oklahoma (268), Texas (234), TCU (228) and BYU (227).
- Over the last 13 seasons, the Wildcats have won at least seven games 11 times.
POSTSEASON PROMINENCE
- Kansas State has a strong history of being in the postseason, having advanced to a bowl game 23 times since 1993, including 11 times in the last 13 years.
- K-State’s 23 bowl trips since 1993 are tied for fourth among current Big 12 teams.
- In an era when over 80 teams play in a bowl game each year, the Cats are one of just 19 Power 5 teams to play in a bowl game 11 times in the last 13 years.
A WINNING TRADITION
- Kansas State has been one of the best Big 12 teams since the inception of the conference in 1996. The Wildcats are third with 135 conference victories, trailing only Oklahoma and Texas.
- The Wildcats are also third in the conference in winning percentage since non-divisional play began in 2011. They sit at 59.5% (66-45), trailing only Oklahoma (78.2%; 86-24) and Oklahoma State (64.9%; 72-39).
- During that stretch, the Wildcats are 36-19 (65.5%) at home in Big 12 play and 30-26 (53.6%) on the road.
TAKING DOWN TOP 10s
- K-State picked up three victories over AP top-10 teams in 2022, which culminated with a 31-28 overtime win over No. 3 TCU in the Big 12 Championship. It was the first time in school history the Cats took down multiple AP top-10 teams in one season.
- The Cats also defeated No. 6 Oklahoma, 41-34, in Norman, while they shut out No. 9 Oklahoma State, 48-0, at home.
- K-State was one of only two teams in the nation – along with Georgia – to post three wins over AP Top-10 teams.
- The Wildcats are now 6-3 in their last nine games against top-10 teams dating back to Nov. 18, 2017, a span that began with a 45-40 victory at No. 10 Oklahoma State. Prior to that, the Cats were just 1-15 in their previous 16 tries.
- Under head coach Chris Klieman, K-State has defeated five teams ranked in the top 10 by the Associated Press. No other current Big 12 team has more than three victories over AP Top 10 teams since 2019 (Baylor, Oklahoma, TCU all with three).
TOUGH SLATE AHEAD
- In addition to having a target on their backs after winning the Big 12 in 2022 and entering the season ranked in the top 20, the Wildcats are facing a difficult schedule in 2023.
- The 12 opponents K-State will face during the regular season combined for a 60.8% winning clip in 2022, which is the 10th-highest percentage in the nation.
- K-State is one of just four teams in the nation to play 11 games in 2023 against teams that made the postseason in 2022. Two of the other three programs that will face 11 postseason teams from last year reside in the Big 12 in Iowa State and Texas, in addition to Ole Miss.
A WINNING HISTORY
- A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds a 106-35 career record, as his 75.2% career winning percentage ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that have led programs for at least 10 seasons. He is also one of just 14 current Power 5 head coaches with at least 100 victories.
- Klieman, who is 34-22 since arriving at K-State, is 7-7 in his career against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 with six of the victories coming at K-State.
CATS TOPS IN NON-OFFENSIVE TDs
- K-State is the nation’s best in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 24 seasons as it has 129 since 1999, six more than the next closest team (Alabama – 123).
- Of the 129 non-offensive scores since 1999, 44 have been punt returns, 40 interception returns, 33 kickoff returns, 10 fumble returns and 2 missed/blocked field goal returns.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
SCORING SURGE
• Kansas State has scored at least 38 points in six of its last eight regular-season contests dating back to last season. Included in that stretch is three-straight Big 12 regular-season games with at least 40 points, the longest streak by the Wildcats since 2012 when they had 55 points against both West Virginia and Texas Tech, and 44 points against Oklahoma State.
- Since Collin Klein started calling plays during the 2021 Texas Bowl, K-State’s offense has averaged 33.9 points per game.
- The Cats currently rank 19th nationally and second in the Big 12 with 36.2 points per game this season.
TOTAL OFFENSE
• K-State has totaled at least 375 yards in 11 of 12 conference games dating back to last season – including the Big 12 Championship. The 10-game conference game streak, snapped at Oklahoma State after 372 yards, was the longest in school history. - Overall, the 2023 opener saw the Wildcats total 588 yards, the fifth-most in school history, most ever in a season opener and the most since a school-record 658 yards in the 2005 North Texas game.
- K-State collected 408 yards at Missouri, 536 yards against UCF and 435 at Texas Tech . The Cats enter this week’s game ranked 21st nationally by averaging 456.0 yards per game.
TAKING CARE OF THE BALL
- A staple of K-State football over the past decade has been committing very few turnovers, as the Wildcats rank third in the nation among Power 5 teams in fewest turnovers since 2012 with 173.
- That figure leads returning Big 12 teams, as the Wildcats are 13 better than the next closest program (Oklahoma, 186).
- The Wildcats finished the 2022 season tied for eighth nationally and tops in the Big 12 in turnover margin (+0.86 / game) and head into this week’s game ranked 61st (E).
RUSHING TO VICTORY
- K-State has steadily been one of the top rushing attacks in the nation this season as it ranks 11th nationally, fifth among Power 5 programs and second in the Big 12 with 214.3 rushing yards per game.
- The Wildcats are tied for fourth overall and tied for first among Power 5 programs (with Georgia) with 19 rushing touchdowns.
- As of late, the Wildcats have rushed for 200 or more yards in three-straight games. The three-game stretch is the longest overall since the first three games of 2021, while it is the longest in Big 12 play since doing so the final six Big 12 games of the 2016 season.
- The Cats have had 43 rushes this season that have gone for 10 or more yards, including a season-high 13 at Texas Tech.
PUTTING IT WHERE ONLY OUR GUY CAN GET IT
• Since Collin Klein took over coaching the quarterbacks in 2017, K-State has only thrown 50 interceptions, equating to 0.60 per game.
- K-State’s 50 total interceptions thrown the last six-plus seasons are the second lowest in the Big 12 (Oklahoma is first with 49) and tied for 17th in the nation.
PRODUCING A CLEAN POCKET
• K-State has excelled in pass blocking since offensive line coach Conor Riley arrived in 2019, as the Cats have allowed fewer than 2.0 sacks per game each of the last four seasons. It is the Wildcats’ first four-year stretch under 2.0 sacks allowed per game since 1997 to 2000.
- K-State is the only Big 12 program – including the four new programs in 2023 – to currently hold a streak of at least four years allowing less than 2.0 sacks per game each season, and the Wildcats are only one of 10 FBS programs to lay that claim.
- Midway through the 2023 season, K-State ranks 22nd nationally and third in the Big 12 by allowing just 1.33 sacks per game.
KEEPING IT 100
• Those that produced the clean pocket for the Wildcats last year all return as K-State brought back 100% of its 70 starts along the offensive line from a year ago. - To open the 2023 campaign, the Wildcats brought back a nation-leading 116 starts from their starting unit from last season. K-State also ranked 12th nationally in total returning games played among all offensive linemen with 204.
RED ZONE SUCCESS
• Kansas State has been one of the best teams in the Big 12 in terms of scoring in the red zone since 2019, as the Wildcats rank second in the league at 90.7%. - One of only two league teams to eclipse the 90% mark over the last four seasons, K-State is 195-for-215 with 142 touchdowns in the red zone during that span.
- This year, the Cats are 26-of-29 in the red zone with 24 TDs, the latter of which ranks eighth nationally and tops in the Big 12.
FIVE FOR THE FRESHMAN
• True freshman quarterback Avery Johnson rushed for five touchdowns at Texas Tech to tie the school record with current K-State offensive coordinator Collin Klein (2011 vs. Texas A&M) and Jonathan Beasley (2000 vs. North Texas). - It is the most rushing touchdowns nationally in a game this year, while it is the most by any true freshman since Oklahoma’s Samaje Perine had five against Kansas in 2014.
- Johnson’s five rushing scores are also the most by any true freshman quarterback in the nation since at least 1995, which makes it the most by a true freshman quarterback in Big 12 history. It was also the first time any Big 12 player had at least five rushing touchdowns since 2016.
- For his effort at Texas Tech, Johnson was named the National True Freshman of the Week by 247Sports and On3 in addition to being named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week.
RANKING HIGH ON THE CHARTS
• Playing in 28 career games with 20 starts, Will Howard has started to enter career top-10 lists in K-State history.
- The Downingtown, Pennsylvania, native currently ranks seventh in school history in career passing yards per game (159.0), and passing touchdowns (33), eighth in completions (351) and TDs responsible for (49) and ninth in total offense (5,250).
- Against Texas Tech, Howard also moved into the career top-10 lists for career passing yards (10th – 4,453) and passing attempts (T10th – 604).
FOUR IN A ROW
• Will Howard opened the year with four-straight games of at least 250 passing yards, including a career-best 297 yards vs. SEMO.
- It was the first time in school history a player had four-straight games with at least 250 passing yards during the course of a season.
- Doing so allowed Howard to produce the third 1,000-yard passing season of his career. He is one of just five players in school history with three 1,000-yard seasons, joining Lynn Dickey (1968-70), Carl Straw (1988-90), Josh Freeman (2006-08) and Skylar Thompson (2017-21).
THE TRIFECTA
• K-State boasts two of only three players in the nation that have passed for a touchdown, rushed for a touchdown and caught a touchdown pass this season in Will Howard and running back Treshaun Ward. The other is Penn State’s Trey Potts.
- Howard did all three in the season opener vs. SEMO, just the sixth Big 12 quarterback to accomplish the feat, while he was just the second to do all three in one quarter.
HAVE A GAME, DJ
• Sophomore running back DJ Giddens had a historic performance against UCF, as he produced the first 200-yard, four-touchdown rushing performance in school history en route to Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors.
- His four rushing scores tied for third in a game in school history and were the most since Alex Barnes had four against Oklahoma State in 2018. It was also the first 200-yard rushing game by a Wildcat since Barnes went for 250 yards at Baylor in 2018.
MULTI-FACETED BACK
• Not only did DJ Giddens rush for 207 yards against UCF, but he was also the team’s leading receiver with eight receptions for 86 yards.
- Giddens’ 293 yards from scrimmage were the third most in school history, while it was the most all-purpose yards by a Big 12 player this season and the third most yards from scrimmage nationally this year.
CONTINUED SUCCESS
• Ben Sinnott burst onto the scene last season, and that has continued in 2023 as he ranks fourth nationally among tight ends with 59.7 receiving yards per game.
- Included in that total is a career-high 100-yard effort against SEMO, the first K-State tight end with a 100-yard receiving game since Jeron Mastrud at Kansas in 2006 (103 yards).
- Sinnott enters this week’s game with seven career receiving touchdowns to rank second in school history by a tight end (Henry Childs, 10, 1971-73). He also has 59 career catches and 820 career receiving yards to rank fourth in both categories.
SWISS ARMY KNIFE
• Ben Sinnott’s skill set allows him to line up in many different spots. Thus far in 2023, the Waterloo, Iowa, product has lined up 252 times as an inline tight end, 83 times in the slot, 60 times in the backfield and 15 times as a true wide receiver.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
A BIG TURNAROUND
• The K-State defense switched from a four-man front to a 3-3-5 alignment in 2021, and the change has paid off.
- In the 33 games since the defensive switch, the Cats are allowing just 21.3 points per game, which ranks second in the Big 12 and 21st in the nation.
- The Wildcats surrendered just 21.0 points per game in 2021 and 21.9 points per game last year. It marked the first time K-State allowed less than 22.0 points per game in consecutive seasons since going 13-straight years from 1991 to 2003.
UNDER AVERAGE
• K-State held all of its Big 12 opponents last season – and two of the first three in 2023 – under its season averages. Oklahoma State went over its season scoring average, but did so with only one offensive touchdown, a pick-six and five field goals.
- The most dramatic difference in 2022 came against Oklahoma State, as the Wildcats shut out an offense that was averaging 44.7 points per game at the time. The Wildcats also held Baylor to just a field goal as the Bears averaged 38.3 points per game.
- Since head coach Chris Klieman’s first year of 2019, the Wildcats have held 32 of their 40 Big 12 opponents under their season average at the time it faces the Wildcats.
LIVING IN THE BACKFIELD
• K-State has totaled 46 tackles for loss over the first six games to rank 10th in the nation and second in the Big 12.
- The Wildcats began the year with five-straight games of at least seven tackles for loss, their longest streak since carding at least five in every game during the 1997 season.
- K-State is also tied for 35th in the country and second in the Big 12 with 14 sacks this season.
LATE DOWN STOPS
• A year after ranking 78th nationally and sixth in the Big 12 by allowing a 35.4% conversion rate on third down, K-State finished the 2022 season ranking 27th in the country and third in the conference with a 34.0% rate.
- Dating back to the beginning of last season, the Cats allowed their opponents to convert on third down under 50% of the time in 17 of 20 games.
- K-State enters this week ranked 21st nationally by allowing opponents to convert on just 32.2% of its third downs.
BACK FOR MOORE
• K-State’s leading tackler from a year ago is at is again as Austin Moore leads the team with 38 tackles.
- However, Moore has improved his production in tackles for loss as he has 7.5 this year to rank fifth in the Big 12.
- A former walk-on turned team captain, Moore has at least a half tackle for loss in eight of his last 10 games dating back to last year, including a career-best 3.0 TFLs against SEMO.
DUKE BACK HOME AT DE
- Moving back to his natural position of defense end has paid off for Khalid Duke, who is tied for 17th in the nation and first in the Big 12 with 0.83 sacks per game (5.0 total).
- A linebacker each of the last two seasons, Duke is back at defense end, a spot he played in 2019 and 2020.
SAVAGE SNAGS A PAIR
- Senior safety Kobe Savage hauled in two interceptions at Texas Tech. It was the first multi-interception game by a Wildcat since Kevion McGee had a pair in the 2018 finale at Iowa State.
- Savage became the first K-State safety with two picks in a game since Travis Green had two against Texas Tech in 2014.
- A product of Paris, Texas, Savage now has five career interceptions as he ranks third nationally among active players in career interceptions per game (0.31). Additionally, he ranks seventh nationally among active players with 4.25 solo tackles per game.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
SCORING IN THE THIRD PHASE
• One of the main reasons the Wildcats have been a successful program the last three decades is a knack for momentum-swinging plays in the return game.
- Since 2005 (18-plus seasons), the Wildcats have a combined 60 kickoff- and punt-return touchdowns, 21 more than second-place Alabama (39) and 26 more than the next closest Big 12 team (Oklahoma State – 34).
- Of the 60 total returns, a nation-leading 31 are on kickoff returns. The next closest team is Houston with 21.
- With two punt-return touchdowns in 2022, K-State has now tallied a punt-return score in every season since 2014, as the nine-year stretch is the longest active streak in the nation.
MORE RECENTLY…
• Special teams have been an area of emphasis under head coach Chris Klieman, and the stats back it up.
- K-State is one of only two teams in the nation (Houston) with at least five kickoff-return touchdowns and five punt-return touchdowns since 2019.
- On the flipside, K-State is one of just 10 returning FBS teams to not allow a kickoff- or punt-return touchdown since 2019, while the Wildcats are the only Big 12 team to lay that claim.
DEFENSE ON KICK RETURNS
• K-State has not allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown since the 2013 season, going the last 120 games and 396 returns without allowing opponents to find paydirt on a kickoff return.
- The streak is the longest among the returning Big 12 teams.
- Since K-State allowed its last kickoff-return touchdown, the Wildcats have scored 14 of their own.