K-State Carries Momentum to Austin
Nov 01, 2023 | Football, Sports Extra
By: D. Scott Fritchen
No. 25 Kansas State is sliding right back into the Big 12 Championship discussion.
The defending league champions, picked second in the Big 12 preseason poll, had to do some soul searching early in the league season when they fell off the radar following an eight-point loss at Oklahoma State on October 6.
They've responded with a vengeance.
Three straight wins against Texas Tech, TCU and Houston by a combined 120-24 have the Wildcats, 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the Big 12, bursting with momentum heading toward Saturday's 11 a.m. kickoff at Texas, 7-1 and 4-1, which was picked No. 1 in the league's preseason poll.
"I don't know if there's a right time, wrong time to have any of these games," K-State head coach Chris Klieman said in his weekly news conference. "I don't pay attention to rankings, I really don't. I know this, our backs were against the wall when we left Stillwater three weeks ago, and we challenged the guys – and more importantly, the guys challenged each other – that we can play much better football than we had been. For us to right the ship or to leave a legacy for what the 2023 team has a chance to be, we needed to improve and get our focus and mentality and edge back.
"I just can't tell you how happy I am for the players, especially these seniors, for the way they've responded."
Currently five teams are tied at the top of the league with a 4-1 Big 12 record: Oklahoma, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Texas and K-State.
"It's a one-week season every week," quarterback Will Howard said. "This week it's Texas. We're all about Texas.
"Everything that we want is still in front of us. That's very encouraging."
After traveling to Texas, K-State gets Baylor at home, visits Kansas, then has Senior Day against Iowa State in Manhattan.
"Obviously this is a really hot team right now," Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said in his weekly news conference. "They've been playing as good as anybody in the country in all three phases for the last two to three weeks."
Although K-State doesn't play Oklahoma this season, the Wildcats have recently handled the Sooners. But they haven't found success against the Longhorns, losing the last six games in the series.
K-State seeks its first win in Austin, Texas, since 2011. K-State offensive coordinator Collin Klein was quarterback in that game.
"We know this is a big one," Howard said. "They're one of the most talented teams in the country. It's a big challenge on a big stage. We're looking forward to it. It's definitely one we've been looking forward to. I haven't beat them. I don't think Coach has beaten them. It's a big one."
Texas is off to its best start since 2009 and is 4-0 at home. It has scored at least 30 points in each of its first eight games of the season for the first time in program history. In last week's 35-6 win over BYU, the Longhorns held the Cougars out of the end zone for the first time in 47 games.
"I always think they look good and have really good talent," Klieman said. "I think this might be the best Texas team I've seen in my five years here collectively. I don't see any weakness on either side of the line of scrimmage or on special teams.
"They're playing with a ton of confidence."
The Wildcats currently possess an offense that is averaging their most total yards per game (464.6) since 1998 and a bullying defense under defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman that is allowing its fewest points per game (15.9) since 2002.
K-State has amassed 500 total yards in three games — its most since 2003. Its latest such output came against TCU with a 587-yard effort that included 406 yards in the first half, which was the most by K-State in a half since at least 1999.
K-State is one of three Power 5 teams to post multiple shutouts this year. It has forced as many turnovers as it has allowed points in the last three contests. K-State hasn't allowed a touchdown in nine quarters, yielding only three points during a stretch that spans 142 minutes, 31 seconds.
"When you shut a team out and don't allow a touchdown for a handful of quarters, you're doing some really good things on defense," Klieman said. "On offense, our ability to run the football has been really good along with our ability to hang onto it. Third-down conversions have been good. One of the emphases we've had all year is red-zone success and getting touchdowns in the red zone. I think we were 5-for-5 on Saturday, which was awesome to see.
"We're excited about where we're at. We know we've got to play better, and we know we can play better because it's going to be a big challenge in Austin."
Upwards of 102,000 people could be in attendance at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
K-State players appear unfazed heading toward Saturday.
"We're looking forward to it," linebacker Austin Moore said. "We talk about how we need to bring the confidence from the home field to away games like we did last year. We're trying to block that outside noise. I'm not focused on that too much. But I'm excited to get to play in front of a crowd like that."
No. 25 Kansas State is sliding right back into the Big 12 Championship discussion.
The defending league champions, picked second in the Big 12 preseason poll, had to do some soul searching early in the league season when they fell off the radar following an eight-point loss at Oklahoma State on October 6.
They've responded with a vengeance.
Three straight wins against Texas Tech, TCU and Houston by a combined 120-24 have the Wildcats, 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the Big 12, bursting with momentum heading toward Saturday's 11 a.m. kickoff at Texas, 7-1 and 4-1, which was picked No. 1 in the league's preseason poll.
"I don't know if there's a right time, wrong time to have any of these games," K-State head coach Chris Klieman said in his weekly news conference. "I don't pay attention to rankings, I really don't. I know this, our backs were against the wall when we left Stillwater three weeks ago, and we challenged the guys – and more importantly, the guys challenged each other – that we can play much better football than we had been. For us to right the ship or to leave a legacy for what the 2023 team has a chance to be, we needed to improve and get our focus and mentality and edge back.
"I just can't tell you how happy I am for the players, especially these seniors, for the way they've responded."
Currently five teams are tied at the top of the league with a 4-1 Big 12 record: Oklahoma, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Texas and K-State.
"It's a one-week season every week," quarterback Will Howard said. "This week it's Texas. We're all about Texas.
"Everything that we want is still in front of us. That's very encouraging."
After traveling to Texas, K-State gets Baylor at home, visits Kansas, then has Senior Day against Iowa State in Manhattan.
"Obviously this is a really hot team right now," Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said in his weekly news conference. "They've been playing as good as anybody in the country in all three phases for the last two to three weeks."
Although K-State doesn't play Oklahoma this season, the Wildcats have recently handled the Sooners. But they haven't found success against the Longhorns, losing the last six games in the series.
K-State seeks its first win in Austin, Texas, since 2011. K-State offensive coordinator Collin Klein was quarterback in that game.
"We know this is a big one," Howard said. "They're one of the most talented teams in the country. It's a big challenge on a big stage. We're looking forward to it. It's definitely one we've been looking forward to. I haven't beat them. I don't think Coach has beaten them. It's a big one."
Texas is off to its best start since 2009 and is 4-0 at home. It has scored at least 30 points in each of its first eight games of the season for the first time in program history. In last week's 35-6 win over BYU, the Longhorns held the Cougars out of the end zone for the first time in 47 games.
"I always think they look good and have really good talent," Klieman said. "I think this might be the best Texas team I've seen in my five years here collectively. I don't see any weakness on either side of the line of scrimmage or on special teams.
"They're playing with a ton of confidence."
The Wildcats currently possess an offense that is averaging their most total yards per game (464.6) since 1998 and a bullying defense under defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman that is allowing its fewest points per game (15.9) since 2002.
K-State has amassed 500 total yards in three games — its most since 2003. Its latest such output came against TCU with a 587-yard effort that included 406 yards in the first half, which was the most by K-State in a half since at least 1999.
K-State is one of three Power 5 teams to post multiple shutouts this year. It has forced as many turnovers as it has allowed points in the last three contests. K-State hasn't allowed a touchdown in nine quarters, yielding only three points during a stretch that spans 142 minutes, 31 seconds.
"When you shut a team out and don't allow a touchdown for a handful of quarters, you're doing some really good things on defense," Klieman said. "On offense, our ability to run the football has been really good along with our ability to hang onto it. Third-down conversions have been good. One of the emphases we've had all year is red-zone success and getting touchdowns in the red zone. I think we were 5-for-5 on Saturday, which was awesome to see.
"We're excited about where we're at. We know we've got to play better, and we know we can play better because it's going to be a big challenge in Austin."
Upwards of 102,000 people could be in attendance at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
K-State players appear unfazed heading toward Saturday.
"We're looking forward to it," linebacker Austin Moore said. "We talk about how we need to bring the confidence from the home field to away games like we did last year. We're trying to block that outside noise. I'm not focused on that too much. But I'm excited to get to play in front of a crowd like that."
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