SE: Cats Looking to Avenge Last Year’s Final Game
Nov 26, 2021 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
Although Chris Klieman and Kansas State are seeking at least eight victories for a second time in three seasons — an unprecedented mark by a K-State head coach in his first three campaigns — the Wildcats are apparently focused on two numbers this week as they prepare to visit the Texas Longhorns.
The score of last year's meeting — 69-31 — remains etched in their minds.
"I just think of last year and how bad they beat us," sophomore defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah said. "That's what our coaches tell us all the time. They tell us what the score was last year and how much they beat us by and how embarrassing that loss was at home last year. He wants us to put that on our backs so when we go play Texas that's all we think about."
These are assuredly two different teams than a year ago. Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger is gone, running back Bijan Robinson is injured, and the Longhorns' top two receivers in that game are no longer a part of the program. Texas outgained K-State 608-448 in a game that seems lightyears away.
Now K-State sits at 7-4 overall and 4-4 in the Big 12 Conference, and Texas, 4-7 and 2-6, heading into the final game of the regular season. K-State was picked to finish seventh in the Big 12. Texas was picked third.
Texas' last victory was a 32-27 win at TCU on October 2. The Longhorns' six-game losing streak is their worst since 1956.
K-State seeks its first victory in Austin since 2011.
"When you watch Texas on film, they are a really talented football team," Klieman said. "I don't know what is going on. I don't know why they're struggling other than this league is really tough and it's a grind to win football games."
K-State knows as much, as it comes off a physically exhausting 20-10 loss to No. 11 Baylor in which the Wildcats lost starting strong safety Jahron McPherson to a freak injury, and then starting quarterback Skylar Thompson to an apparent leg injury in the final 5 minutes of the contest.
Both players are uncertain for Friday's 11 a.m. kickoff at Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas.
Klieman in his weekly news conference called McPherson "a game-time decision."
"I don't know if J-Mac will be able to play, but he's going to try like heck because he wants it," Klieman added. "He's only got a few more games left that he knows he's going to play. We got better news on J-Mac yesterday. We didn't think the news was going to be good, but it came back much, much better. So, we're going to try to work him in and see what he can do this week."
Klieman said that there was an "outside shot" of Thompson being available for the final regular season game of his celebrated career. Thompson is the only K-State quarterback since at least 1990 to record 23 victories and is the first in school history to threw for 6,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a career.
"The kid wants to play," Klieman said. "We're going to see where he's at. I don't think that will be determined until later in the week."
Klieman said that if Thompson is unable to play, Will Howard will start in his place. Howard completed 16 of 27 passes for 174 yards and 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions against the Longhorns while playing for injured Thompson last season. He also ran for 79 yards.
Fortunately, for K-State, it comes armed with the most dynamic playmaker in the league. Sophomore running back Deuce Vaughn is 36 receiving yards from becoming just the fourth player in Big 12 history to amass 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in the same season.
Vaughn, who had 128 rushing yards on 11 carries and a touchdown last week, ranks fourth in the FBS with 143.5 scrimmage yards per game.
His father, Chris Vaughn, was a Texas assistant coach in 2014-15, and his family continues to reside in Round Rock, which is 30 minutes north of Austin.
"Whatever team my dad was coaching for was the team that I was going for," Vaughn said, "so for that two-year period I was all burnt orange. I attended every single home game those two years."
The 5-foot-6, 172-pound Vaughn wasn't heavily recruited despite his explosive output in high school.
"It's going to be big time (going to Austin) because I'm representing K-State and I have another opportunity to play with these guys. We get to play a really good Texas team and they're going to be itching for a win. We're going to get their best shot and they're going to get our best shot. I'm excited to get out there with my guys."
Count Anudike-Uzomah among those K-State defenders eager to hold down the Longhorns. Texas ranks second in the Big 12 in averaging 36.5 points per game. K-State ranks third in allowing just 21.0 points per contest.
Anudike-Uzomah has enjoyed a season that could garner postseason accolades, as he ranks third in the FBS with 11.0 sacks and 12th with 14.5 tackles for a loss and leads the nation with 6 forced fumbles, which ties a school record.
"I haven't met my expectations yet," he said. "There's still stuff I wish I could've done better. When I look at film, there are more plays I could've made, a lot of sacks I missed. It's frustrating but I feel like I could do better this year, honestly."
Meanwhile, first-year Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is uncertain if junior Casey Thompson (thumb) or redshirt freshman Hudson Card (ankle) will be the most-healthy quarterback on Friday.
"Quite frankly, it's not the ideal scenario," Sarkisian said in his weekly news conference. "I would say today, Casey would start the game, just make sure we monitor his health throughout the week. We obviously need to monitor Hudson's health throughout the week and make sure that they're physically able to play come Friday and then also that they're in the right frame of mind to do so.
"It's a tough thing to do as a quarterback when you're not practicing all the time throughout the week to have yourself ready to play, so we've got to do a good job on that front. But I would suspect it to be Casey on Friday."
While Texas will focus on rebuilding after Friday's game, K-State will look toward bowl eligibility. Getting to eight wins, too, is important.
"And it doesn't matter how you get there (to eight wins), it really doesn't," Klieman said. "Whether you started off slow or started off fast or where they come at, wins, we all know, are really hard to come by, and you cherish every one you have. Those locker rooms are a lot of fun.
"So, this will be a tough challenge but would be a fun one to get."
Although Chris Klieman and Kansas State are seeking at least eight victories for a second time in three seasons — an unprecedented mark by a K-State head coach in his first three campaigns — the Wildcats are apparently focused on two numbers this week as they prepare to visit the Texas Longhorns.
The score of last year's meeting — 69-31 — remains etched in their minds.
"I just think of last year and how bad they beat us," sophomore defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah said. "That's what our coaches tell us all the time. They tell us what the score was last year and how much they beat us by and how embarrassing that loss was at home last year. He wants us to put that on our backs so when we go play Texas that's all we think about."
These are assuredly two different teams than a year ago. Texas quarterback Sam Ehlinger is gone, running back Bijan Robinson is injured, and the Longhorns' top two receivers in that game are no longer a part of the program. Texas outgained K-State 608-448 in a game that seems lightyears away.
Now K-State sits at 7-4 overall and 4-4 in the Big 12 Conference, and Texas, 4-7 and 2-6, heading into the final game of the regular season. K-State was picked to finish seventh in the Big 12. Texas was picked third.
Texas' last victory was a 32-27 win at TCU on October 2. The Longhorns' six-game losing streak is their worst since 1956.
K-State seeks its first victory in Austin since 2011.
"When you watch Texas on film, they are a really talented football team," Klieman said. "I don't know what is going on. I don't know why they're struggling other than this league is really tough and it's a grind to win football games."
K-State knows as much, as it comes off a physically exhausting 20-10 loss to No. 11 Baylor in which the Wildcats lost starting strong safety Jahron McPherson to a freak injury, and then starting quarterback Skylar Thompson to an apparent leg injury in the final 5 minutes of the contest.
Both players are uncertain for Friday's 11 a.m. kickoff at Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas.
Klieman in his weekly news conference called McPherson "a game-time decision."
"I don't know if J-Mac will be able to play, but he's going to try like heck because he wants it," Klieman added. "He's only got a few more games left that he knows he's going to play. We got better news on J-Mac yesterday. We didn't think the news was going to be good, but it came back much, much better. So, we're going to try to work him in and see what he can do this week."
Klieman said that there was an "outside shot" of Thompson being available for the final regular season game of his celebrated career. Thompson is the only K-State quarterback since at least 1990 to record 23 victories and is the first in school history to threw for 6,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in a career.
"The kid wants to play," Klieman said. "We're going to see where he's at. I don't think that will be determined until later in the week."
Klieman said that if Thompson is unable to play, Will Howard will start in his place. Howard completed 16 of 27 passes for 174 yards and 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions against the Longhorns while playing for injured Thompson last season. He also ran for 79 yards.
Fortunately, for K-State, it comes armed with the most dynamic playmaker in the league. Sophomore running back Deuce Vaughn is 36 receiving yards from becoming just the fourth player in Big 12 history to amass 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in the same season.
Vaughn, who had 128 rushing yards on 11 carries and a touchdown last week, ranks fourth in the FBS with 143.5 scrimmage yards per game.
His father, Chris Vaughn, was a Texas assistant coach in 2014-15, and his family continues to reside in Round Rock, which is 30 minutes north of Austin.
"Whatever team my dad was coaching for was the team that I was going for," Vaughn said, "so for that two-year period I was all burnt orange. I attended every single home game those two years."
The 5-foot-6, 172-pound Vaughn wasn't heavily recruited despite his explosive output in high school.
"It's going to be big time (going to Austin) because I'm representing K-State and I have another opportunity to play with these guys. We get to play a really good Texas team and they're going to be itching for a win. We're going to get their best shot and they're going to get our best shot. I'm excited to get out there with my guys."
Count Anudike-Uzomah among those K-State defenders eager to hold down the Longhorns. Texas ranks second in the Big 12 in averaging 36.5 points per game. K-State ranks third in allowing just 21.0 points per contest.
Anudike-Uzomah has enjoyed a season that could garner postseason accolades, as he ranks third in the FBS with 11.0 sacks and 12th with 14.5 tackles for a loss and leads the nation with 6 forced fumbles, which ties a school record.
"I haven't met my expectations yet," he said. "There's still stuff I wish I could've done better. When I look at film, there are more plays I could've made, a lot of sacks I missed. It's frustrating but I feel like I could do better this year, honestly."
Meanwhile, first-year Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian is uncertain if junior Casey Thompson (thumb) or redshirt freshman Hudson Card (ankle) will be the most-healthy quarterback on Friday.
"Quite frankly, it's not the ideal scenario," Sarkisian said in his weekly news conference. "I would say today, Casey would start the game, just make sure we monitor his health throughout the week. We obviously need to monitor Hudson's health throughout the week and make sure that they're physically able to play come Friday and then also that they're in the right frame of mind to do so.
"It's a tough thing to do as a quarterback when you're not practicing all the time throughout the week to have yourself ready to play, so we've got to do a good job on that front. But I would suspect it to be Casey on Friday."
While Texas will focus on rebuilding after Friday's game, K-State will look toward bowl eligibility. Getting to eight wins, too, is important.
"And it doesn't matter how you get there (to eight wins), it really doesn't," Klieman said. "Whether you started off slow or started off fast or where they come at, wins, we all know, are really hard to come by, and you cherish every one you have. Those locker rooms are a lot of fun.
"So, this will be a tough challenge but would be a fun one to get."
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