Final Stats | Postgame Notes | Quotes | Highlights
LUBBOCK, Texas – Redshirt freshman Skylar Thompson’s 8-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Byron Pringle in overtime proved to be the difference, as Kansas State rallied from a late eight-point deficit to defeat Texas Tech, 42-35, on Saturday afternoon before 47,631 fans at Jones AT&T Stadium.
Trailing 35-27 with 3:40 remaining, Thompson put together a 5-play, 80-yard drive that was capped by a 1-yard quarterback sneak on second-and-goal with just 42 seconds left. Thompson then tied the game at 35-all on a pass to wideout Dalton Schoen on the two-point conversion.
The overtime victory, just the third in school history, was the first on the road.
HOW IT HAPPENED
It was a back-and-forth affair as the game saw five lead changes and free football for the first time in the series history.
Lou Groza Award semifinalist Matthew McCrane got the Wildcats scoring started on the opening possession, connecting on a 45-yard field goal that capped off an 11-play, 51-yard drive for an early 3-0 lead.
Starting from their own two-yard line, the Wildcats took their third offensive possession 98 yards on seven plays to expand their lead to 10-0. The drive was propelled by a momentous 42-yard rush by running back Justin Silmon, and a third down conversion to wideout Isaiah Zuber on third and 11. The drive was capped off by an 11-yard rush by Dalvin Warmack, his third touchdown of the season, and first since scoring against Charlotte on September 9.
After allowing Texas Tech to get on the scoreboard, K-State responded with a score of its own, this time through the air. Sophomore quarterback Alex Delton moved the Wildcats down the field with urgency, completing all three of his passes for 58 yards, including a 19-yard strike to Byron Pringle to finish the drive. The offense moved with efficiency throughout the first half, converting on each of their two trips to the red zone, and converting three-of-five on third down.
Texas Tech’s first-half scoring came on back-to-back drives late in the half, including a 75-yard touchdown pass from Nic Shimonek to Keke Coutee that cut the Wildcats’ lead down to 17-14 at the break.
Coming out of the half, the Red Raiders grabbed their first lead of the game by going back to Coutee on a 34-yard pass through the air. Coutee grabbed 12 catches for 189 yards and two touchdowns in the game, and Shimonek threw 34-of-53 for 405 yards and four touchdowns.
On the ensuing Texas Tech possession, the Wildcat defense came up with critical takeaway, as junior Duke Shelley jumped a Shimonek pass to the sideline and took it to the house for a 25-yard interception return. Shelley’s interception was the sole takeaway for the Wildcat defense, and just the second pick-six of the year (Kendall Adams vs. Charlotte).
Trailing 35-27 late in the fourth quarter, the Wildcat defense and special teams held the Red Raiders to a missed field goal with 3:40 to play. The offense led by Thompson, who stepped in for Delton in the second half, led the Wildcats down the field behind the strength of a 54-yard strike to Schoen.
With under a minute left in the red zone, and Thompson under center, the Wildcats called a quarterback sneak from one-yard out to bring the score within two. Needing a two-point conversion, trailing 35-33, Thompson looked right to Schoen who converted from two-yards out. It marked the second overtime outing of the season.
With the opening possession in overtime, Thompson picked up where he left off in regulation, connecting with Pringle on an 8-yard touchdown pass. The defense came up clutch, forcing Shimonek to overthrow his receiver on fourth down at Wildcat 4 to win.
The Wildcats accounted for 408 total yards in the game, including 263 yards through the air. Three Wildcat receivers hauled in over 50 yards receiving, as Schoen led the squad with 103 total yards.
OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE GAME
The K-State rushing attack was methodical early, as five Wildcats received carries in the game, including a game-long rush from Silmon that went for 42 yards. Warmack andAlex Barnes also got involved in the action, as Warmack rushed for a first-half touchdown, and Barnes eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for his career, just the fourth player in school history to hit 1,000 career rushing yards prior to the end of his sophomore season.
The Wildcats found a big boost through the passing game, as Delton completed 13-of-20 for 167 yards and a touchdown in the first half, and Thompson added on by completing 5-of-8 for 95 yards and a touchdown.
Pringle, Schoen and Zuber all had big days receiving, as Pringle hauled in two receiving touchdowns, Schoen accumulated 103 receiving yards, and Zuber added four receptions for 65 yards.
DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Shelley’s second-half interception marked the first interception of the season, and his second career interception return for a touchdown. The Shelley interception gave the Wildcat defense a much-needed break, after allowing an opening-drive touchdown in the second half.
Senior Trent Tanking led the Wildcats with 10 tackles, as he reached double-digits in tackles for the fifth time this season. Junior Reggie Walker recorded the sole sack for the Wildcats, bringing down Shimonek for a loss of three yards.
SPECIAL TEAMS STARS OF THE GAME
McCrane added a 45-yard field goal on opening drive and a 30-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to move just one field goals shy of tying Martin Gramatica’s school record of 54 career field goals made. McCrane also extended his school-record field goal percentage, as he now has connected on 53-of-61 career field goals (86.8 percent).
In the return game, Pringle eclipsed the 2,000 all-purpose yard-mark with a 41-yard kickoff return in the second quarter. Pringle returned three kicks for 96 yards in the game. Reed also had an explosive day returning kicks, taking two returns for 85 yards, including a 59-yard return.
STATS OF THE GAME
With Saturday’s win the Wildcats have won six of their last seven against Texas Tech, and evens the series to nine wins apiece for each school.
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
K-State Head Coach Bill Snyder
On the excitement of the game…
“Well, it was stressful. Say that. But I think, I don’t know, we played the overtime game and then we played the close one with Oklahoma. Two overtimes in one season, have the same kind of emotional impact I guess.”
On the play of quarterback Skylar Thompson in the fourth quarter…
“Skylar plays unlike a freshman. I mean, he plays with poise and I appreciate that a great deal. Makes some good choices. Misses an item or two but overall has played very well. Made some nice throws quite obviously. You know, they were kind of throws that you couldn’t be off six inches and the success. Played very well.”
On what the team showed him…
“Well, I think that was — to see the offense, and it goes beyond the overtime period. You know, to see the offense be down by ten points, come back, get the field goal and then comeback and get the touchdown and the two-point conversion, you know, I thought there was a lot of want-to, a lot of passion involved in that. A lot of confidence involved in it, as well. For the defense to go on the field, it was like I was just telling our players. You don’t give the ball to Texas Tech on — they have got it with 25 yards to go for a touchdown and expect to hold them out of the end zone. So that was a great effort on our defensive part, defensive players and coaches both. And obviously the special teams. Just once again, does a great job of getting great field position for our offense.”
SEASON RECORD UPDATE
K-State 5-4 (3-3 Big 12)
Texas Tech 4-5 (1-5 Big 12)
WHAT’S NEXT
Next up, the Wildcats will return home to Bill Snyder Family Stadium to host the West Virginia Mountaineers on November 11th at 2:30 p.m. for Fort Riley Day. The game will air on ABC and will commemorate K-State’s partnership with Fort Riley.
–www.kstatesports.com–
TOM GILBERT
Associate Director for Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics