Wildcats prevail over Cougars 34-7 behind relentless defense

K-State running back Joe Jackson screams in excitement after scoring a receiving touchdown against Washington State. Jackson had four catches for 48 yards in the Wildcats' 34-7 win. (Ashton Todd)

On the day Manhattan recognized servicemembers nearby at Fort Riley, K-State (1-0) faced Washington State (0-1) following last week’s historic blowout. Last week, the Wildcats dominated the Nichols Colonels 71-3 in Collin Klein’s first game as head coach while the Cougars lost 24-10 in Seattle to rival (19^th-ranked) Washington Huskies.

First Quarter

The game started with K-State receiving the ball first for an 18-yard return by Jay Harris. No-huddle shotgun passes by Avery Johnson paired with carries by RBs Rodney Fields and Joe Jackson. All those short rushes and small shotgun passes to transfer Josh Manning led the Wildcats to the Washington State 14-yard line where Luis Rodriguez nailed a 31-yard field goal to give K-State a 3-0 lead.

Washington State's offense then entered the field after a rough performance in Seattle. QB Caden Pinnick had better luck with shotgun passes reaching 11 and 12 yards. Like last week in Seattle, Pinnick was not afraid to take the ball to K-State’s 19-yard line. Jack Stevens’ kick was blocked by DE Jordan Allen at the spot.

Following the blocked field goal, the Wildcats took over with Johnson throwing an 8-yard pass to Manning and a 9-yard pass to Jaron Tibbs to end the quarter. Officials ruled Manning’s second catch at their 49-yard line for an incomplete pass following review.

The Wildcats led 3-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Second Quarter

K-State’s drive continued in the second quarter. Johnson started the quarter throwing to Jackson for 12 yards before giving him a carry for two. Jackson and Brandon White struggled to gain rushing yards with the Cougar defense meeting them at the line of scrimmage. The Wildcats went all the way to the Cougars’ 31 where they went for it on 4^th and 8. Johnson threw his first interception of the season to S Jaylen Thomas where it was taken 31 yards to K-State’s 45-yard line.

Vorhees carried the next Cougar drive, but not enough for a first down. Facing a 4^th and 1 on the Wildcats’ 36, Pinnick ran up the middle only to be met by LB Gabe Powers at the line of scrimmage.

The ball got back to K-State with the emergence of Johnson’s ground game. This drive saw White gain some receptions for gains up to the Cougars’ 6. On 3^rd and goal, Johnson connected to Manning 6 yards for another touchdown extending the Wildcats' lead to 10-0. 

Washington State started their next drive off with Pinnick looking for receiver Darrius Clemons for 12 yards followed by a 4-yard quarterback run. An incompletion to Clemons and a sack by DE Wendell Gregory forced another punt. White returned it all the way to the Cougars’ 25. 

Drive number three for the Wildcats started with a 1-yard loss for Jackson upon rushing before receiving a 21-yard pass and taking it to the end zone to put K-State up 17-0. 

Pinnick started the next drive with a 5-yard pass to TE Jack Pedersen before finding Clemons again for a 12-yard gain. Pressure continued to mount as another Defensive End being Travis Bates got a sack. A 2^nd and 14 was nearly converted with a 13-yard quarterback rush just short of the line to gain. Then, a 39-yard punt by Dean put the next drive starting at the K-State 10-yard line.

With 31 seconds left, the Wildcats chose to eat up the clock with Fields rushing for 11 yards before tacking five more following a 7-yard pass to Manning. On 2^nd and 5 at their own 38-yard line, Johnson threw an incomplete pass to Tibbs at midfield before a pass interference call on Kai Rapolla moved it 10 yards. After the penalty, Johnson then threw another interception to Thomas, taken in for a 50-yard touchdown.

The Wildcats led 17-7 going into halftime.

K-State’s Brandon White (8) exclaims after a punt return that set the Wildcats up to extend their lead during the game on Sept. 5, at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan. (Ashton Todd)

Third Quarter

A lightning delay pushed the second half kickoff until 1:30 p.m. 

Following the delay, the Cougars received the kickoff only to go three and out with a false start. Pinnick threw two incomplete passes and gave Kirby Vorhees the chance to tack on a 6-yard gain in between. 

K-State’s first drive of the half started at its 25 and ended with Fields carrying the ball all the way to the end zone upon official review. An extra point boosted the Wildcats' lead to 17 points, 24-7.

Punts by both teams headlined the quarter following K-State’s 75-yard rushing touchdown. 

Upon K-State’s next possession, Johnson recorded a 36-yard pass to Manning at the Cougars’ 35 going for a 17-yard gain after that. He got another pass for 5 yards at the 14. A short pass to Manning fell incomplete, and Rodriguez nailed a 31-yard field goal to go up 27-7.

Wildcats forced a punt late to give Jackson the opportunity to rush for 35 yards up to the Cougars’ 35 to end the third quarter.

The Wildcats led 27-7 after three quarters.

Fourth Quarter

More Jackson rushes totaling 23 yards helped Johnson connect to White at the Washington State 11 where he found his way home for another touchdown and made it 34-7 Wildcats.

Woods started the Cougars’ drive off with a 16-yard rush starting from their 25-yard line before losing two on the next carry. Pinnick threw two passes to WR Daniel Blood for 3 yards and 11 before Vorhees fumbled, and CB Kaleb Patterson recovered at K-State’s own 41.

Both teams went three-and-out across three straight drives averaging 4.3 yards. 

Pinnick had his worst drive of the game with two incomplete passes to Pedersen and was sacked when getting to the Wildcats’ 49-yard line. On 3^rd and 18, Maxwell Woods took the ball for 7 yards, only to punt back to K-State to end the game. 

The Wildcats beat the Cougars 34-7 after a grueling ground game from K-State and a defensive show from both teams.

K-State's next game is at 11 a.m. on Sept. 19 against Tulane at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.