Kansas State uses strong second half to propel past TCU 41-28

Desmond Purnell celebrates after intercepting the ball and scoring. Courtesy: Zoe Taylor

The band waving their hats goodbye at the end of the game. Courtesy: Zoe Taylor

K-State football player runs the ball. Courtesy: Zoe Taylor

Desmond Purnell running towards the end zone after intercepting the ball. Courtesy: Zoe Taylor

A K-State football player runs the ball towards the end zone. Courtesy: Zoe Taylor

A K-State football player reaches out to catch the ball in the end zone. Courtesy: Zoe Taylor

Despite a scoreless first quarter and early deficit, the Kansas State Wildcats were able to get a big win at home over the TCU Horned Frogs, 41-28, to cap off homecoming weekend on Oct. 11 at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kansas.

It was a slow start for both offenses as the Wildcats would punt on all three of their first possessions, and the Horned Frogs punted and then turned the ball over on a 14-play drive that lasted for six minutes and carried into the second quarter. The first score of the game would come from TCU as they ran a 93-yard drive that was capped off by a one-yard touchdown run from running back Jeremy Payne. Kansas State would respond immediately afterwards in only six plays with quarterback Avery Johnson finding his tight end Garrett Oakley on a 32-yard pass to tie the game at 7-7 with 2:45 remaining in the first half.

The Wildcats got back on the scoreboard again in just 43 seconds as Josh Hoover tried to throw a pass to his receiver Ed Small, and it was called a backwards pass that was picked up by safety Wesley Fair and returned for a touchdown to give Kansas State a 14-7 halftime lead.

At the start of the second half, TCU was able to get a good drive going, but it would come to an end at the Kansas State 39-yard line as the Horned Frogs failed to convert on fourth down due to an incomplete pass. The Wildcats would go three-and-out, but they came away with a touchdown thanks to linebacker Desmond Purnell getting a pick-six immediately after recording an eight-yard sack on Hoover to put the Wildcats ahead 21-7.

After another TCU punt, Kansas State ran a 10-play drive that took up exactly five minutes of game time and was concluded by a 17-yard pass from Johnson to Oakley, which gave the tight end his 11th career receiving touchdown and the new record for career receiving touchdowns by a Kansas State tight end. The Horned Frogs would come away with the final touchdown of the third quarter thanks to some passes from 27 and 41 yards to start the drive that led to a 2-yard pass from Hoover to tight end Chase Curtis. The Wildcats would still hold the lead at 28-14 after the first 45 minutes.

Kansas State ran a 6:44 drive at the start of the fourth quarter and would find the endzone again after a 12-yard pass to receiver Jerand Bradley from Johnson. TCU would only need one play to respond thanks to an 85-yard pass from Hoover to Eric McAlister. That touchdown pass made the score 35-21 with 10:05 remaining in the game.

TCU had some momentum going after forcing another three-and-out, but their next drive would end after only two plays as Purnell came up with his second interception of the day after the second down pass was tipped. Luis Rodriguez would follow that with his first field goal of the day from 19-yards out to give the Wildcats a three-possession lead. TCU didn’t gain any yards and turned the ball over on downs on their next possession, and that would lead to another field goal by Luis Rodriguez, this time from 36 yards.

The Horned Frogs scored the final points of the day after Hoover found McAlister on a 37-yard pass, and the Wildcats would take one knee to run out the clock and secure the 13-point victory.

Avery Johnson was very successful in the passing game as he completed 16 of his 26 passes for 198 yards and three touchdowns. The junior’s top target was Garrett Oakley who caught four passes for 71 yards and two touchdowns.

Joe Jackson stepped up in the Wildcats ground game in place of Dylan Edwards as he racked up 110 yards on 27 carries. Overall, the Kansas State ground game had 145 rush yards on 45 carries, giving them an average of 3.2 yards per carry.

Josh Hoover had a pretty good game, throwing the ball 47 times and completing 26 of those passes for 376 yards and three touchdowns. He had two receivers go for over 100 yards; Eric McAlister caught four passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns, and Ed Small had 101 yards on six receptions.

TCU struggled to run the ball as they only had 22 carries for 72 yards. Their top rusher was Kevorian Barnes who had 81 yards on 12 carries. The lone touchdown on the ground for the Horned Frogs came from Jeremy Payne.

Kansas State is now 3-4 on the year and 2-2 in Big 12 play, while TCU falls to 4-2 and 1-2 in Big 12 play. The Wildcats will have a bye week and then head to Lawrence for the Sunflower Showdown against Kansas on Oct. 25. The next home game for Kansas State is on Nov. 1 against Texas Tech. The Horned Frogs will return home for their next game on Oct. 18 for an 11 a.m. kickoff against rival Baylor in the Blue Bonnett Battle.

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