DEFENSE PROPELS No. 2 K-STATE TO 23-10 WIN AT TCU
FORT WORTH, Texas -- No. 2 Kansas State used a stellar defensive effort to earn a 23-10 win at TCU on Saturday night and move to 10-0 for the first time since 1998.
The win gave the Wildcats (10-0, 7-0 Big 12) back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time since 2002 and 2003 and moved them to 7-0 in league play for just the second time in school history.
In their first meeting with TCU as a Big 12 member, the Wildcats forced a pair of turnovers and registered a season-high six sacks to hold the Horned Frogs (6-4, 3-4 Big 12) to a season-low 10 points. K-State nearly had the shutout before TCU registered a field goal with 6:59 left in the fourth quarter and a touchdown with just 47 seconds left. It was the fewest points scored by the Frogs since also tallying 10 against Boise State in 2010 Fiesta Bowl and the fewest at home under head coach Gary Patterson.
Senior quarterback Collin Klein ran for two touchdowns to extend his school career record to 52 and move into sole possession of fourth place in Big 12 history. He accounted for 50 yards on 15 carries, while he added 145 yards passing on 12-of-21 attempts.
Senior placekicker Anthony Cantele accounted for the rest of the Wildcats' points with field goals of 41, 20 and 27 yards. He missed on a 48-yarder just before halftime after an interception by safety Ty Zimmerman. Cantele is now 17-of-20 on field goal attempts and 53-of-53 on PATs.
Klein opened the game with just his third interception of the season, as freshman defensive end Devonte Fields made a diving catch for his first career pick. However, the Horned Frogs (6-4, 3-4) failed to take advantage by going three-and-out.
By time they got the ball back, TCU was trailing for good and on way to its third consecutive home loss, all to Big 12 teams. It is the first time since 1997 the Frogs have lost three consecutive home games in the same season.
Klein's next play was a 62-yard pass to wide receiver Chris Harper, who got an extra 15 yards or so on the play dragging defenders after making the catch near midfield. That drive ended with Klein's 7-yard touchdown run.
When TCU punted again, wide receiver Tremaine Thompson had a 33-yard punt return to the Frogs 41. The first of Cantele's three field goals, a 41-yarder, made it 10-0.
Klein seemingly showed no apparent ill effects from an apparent injury that had knocked him out in the third quarter of last Saturday's victory against Oklahoma State. His two scores gave him 19 rushing touchdowns for the season, which ties for third place in school history.
Patterson, TCU's winningest coach with 115 wins in 12 seasons, started his coaching career as a K-State graduate assistant in 1982, long before Snyder got there, and was part of the Wildcats' first bowl team. He played there the previous two seasons, as a safety and linebacker who played a lot on scout teams and a little on special teams.
TCU didn't score until Jaden Oberkrom's 35-yard field goal with 6:59 left. Oberkrom was wide right on a 45-yard attempt at the start of the second quarter.
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