He isn't Collin Klein, the former star QB of the Kansas State Wildcats. However, Jake Waters is making a lot of noise in the Big 12 right now, and has now established himself as one of the best in the league with a completely solid performance against the always formidable Oklahoma Sooners.
Kansas State has always been known as a team that doesn't have a bevy of 5-star recruits, but head coach Bill Snyder always has a way of glueing his pieces together and making a contender. Now, as the offense is improving every week and the defense is laden with talent, K-State is now in the drivers seat for the Big 12 title.
Today, Waters dominated the Sooners, with 2 throwing TDs and a rushing TD. The dual-threat QB had control of the game for the Cats, while utilizing his outstanding two WRs to the max. Tyler Lockett and Curry Sexton both had over 75 yards receiving, while fullback Glenn Gronkowski, the brother of NFL TE star Rob Gronkowski, had a magnificent 62 yard TD reception. Every time the Sooners scored, Kansas State had an answer.OU didn't play badly in this game, as Eric Striker and the defense had some shining moments, but they couldn't contain the dual-threat of Waters.
As for Oklahoma's offense, Trevor Knight wasn't perfect in the game (throwing a critical pick-six), but he did throw for 318 yards, as his high-profile connection with WR Sterling Shepard was on full display today in front of the home crowd. Knight was battling an arm injury during the game, but still managed to throw 3 TDs. Kansas State's defense, led by senior linebacker Jonathan Truman, did a good job holding the powerful RB Samaje Perine to only 89 yards on 24 carries. Except for a breakdown letting Alex Ross run for 43 yards, K-State did well containing the running game.
Trevor Knight and his receivers had put the team in the position to win, though. What really killed OU today was their flabbergastingly atrocious kicking game. Michael Hunnicutt, usually one of the more reliable kickers in the nation, had a horrendous game. A PAT was blocked early in the game, and missed a 32 yard field goal late in the 2nd quarter. Hunnicutt had a chance to redeem himself with a 19 yard field goal late in the 4th quarter, that would have won the game for the Sooners. He missed it. No, it wasn't blocked. Hunnicutt simply missed a 19 yard field goal, which would be a chip-shot for most college football kickers. Ironically, Hunnicutt, earlier in the game, became the all-time leading scorer in Sooners history. The young man must certainly be taking the loss hard. Obviously the loss wasn't his entire fault, but the game was in his hands, or, leg.
Now Oklahoma is 5th in the Big 12, a good bit behind what their lofty expectations were coming into the season. Kansas State has entered into the College Football Playoff picture, with only one loss on the year, a close defeat to the Auburn Tigers. OU now gets a bye week and takes on much inferior competition against Iowa State on November 1st. Kansas State continues their campaign for glory at home next week vs. the struggling Texas Longhorns.