Only four teams will make it into the first ever College Football Playoff. The Big 112 Conference is very strong at the top so it's easy to assume whichever team wins the conference will have a good shot at making it into the final four. Kansas State was trying to remain perfect in the Big 12 in order to boost their resumé. Oklahoma State, of course, had other plans. It seemed like this was going to be a shootout early on, but after OSU's first drive it was all K-State until the end.
The Cowboys had a stellar opening drive, going 84 yards in eight plays, culminating in a touchdown run by the explosive Tyreek Hill. It was all downhill for Oklahoma State from that point forward, however, as Kansas State immediately answered their score with one of their own, on an 86 yard kickoff return touchdown on the ensuing kickoff. Oklahoma State wasn't able to get anything going on offense throughout the rest of the game, while Kansas State would go on to score 45 unanswered points against the bewildered Cowboys defense.
K-State was effective throughout the game on the ground and through the air. Charles Jones had two rushing touchdowns on the night, both of which came from the wildcat formation in the red zone, giving him 10 total scores on the season. Backup quarterback Joe Hubener would also score on a run play late in the fourth quarter. Jake Waters was effective through the air, connecting with his top two targets, Tyler Lockett and Curry Sexton, for a touchdown each.
The defense was as stout as can be throughout the whole night, excluding the opening drive, as they were able to limit OSU to just 177 yards the rest of the game (good for 261 total). They also came away with two interceptions of Cowboys QB Daxx Garman. All in all, it was a dominant performance by the silver and purple of Manhattan, Kansas.
For Mike Gundy and his Oklahoma State Cowboys, the woes continue and are seemingly getting worse. Neither side of the ball was truly able to get anything going throughout most of the game. Daxx Garman was mostly ineffective passing the ball on the night, and the running game didn't accomplish much either (averaging just 2.8 yards per carry as a team). The offense managed just 4.14 yards per play on the game, while the defense allowed K-State to gain 6.38 yards per play. The defense did make one impressive play, which saw Ramon Richards intercept Joe Hubener and take it back for a score, but it was much too little, too late for OSU.
The offensive numbers for Kansas State aren't gaudy, but the show a very effective and productive day. Jake Waters went 19/28 passing for 223 yards and two touchdowns, good for a passer rating of 158.3. Charles Jones was the leading rusher for the Wildcats, gaining 43 yards on 10 attempts and picking up two scores in the process. Curry Sexton led the team in receiving, hauling in nine passes for 159 yards and a touchdown. Tyler Lockett had 153 total yards (94 receiving) and also caught a touchdown pass.
Daxx Garman struggled again for OSU, finishing just 12/23 for 148 yards with 2 interceptions, with a passer rating of 88.8. Tyreek Hill was the featured back today due to Desmond Roland not playing for personal reasons, and he was productive, at least more so than the rest of the offense. He rushed for 102 yards on 18 carries and also scored once. He was also the team's leading receiver in terms of yardage, despite having just 1 catch (it went for 34 yards). James Washington and David Glidden each had three receptions.
For the Kansas State Wildcats, the schedule only gets harder from here on out and it will only be more difficult for them to make the College Football Playoff. In their final four games, they take on West Virginia, TCU and Baylor all on the road (they will also face Kansas at home in the middle of that stretch). Due to TCU pulling off a come from behind victory in Morgantown over West Virginia today, they will likely remain the highest ranked team from the Big 12, despite K-State's undefeated record in the conference. Even so, the Wildcats will need to play exceptionally well through their final stretch to have a shot at the playoff.
It has been a bad stretch of games for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. First, they barely skate past the lowly Kansas Jayhawks on the road. Now they have lost three consecutive games, each in blowout fashion. They didn't have their leading rusher today in Desmond Roland, and they are still trying to get comfortable with Daxx Garman under center instead of JW Walsh, but there is not a lot for OSU to hang their hats on right now.
Considering the way they have played recently, the now 5-4 Cowboys will have to turn things around in a big way if they even want to qualify for a bowl game (they still have to face Texas at home, then Baylor and Oklahoma on the road). There was play in the third quarter when Daxx Garman had a wide open Brandon Sheperd on an intermediate crossing route and Sheperd dropped the pass; it's been that sort of stretch for the Cowboys of Stillwater, Oklahoma.