Stats | Postgame Notes | Highlights
MANHATTAN, Kan. – In a game that was delayed more than three hours due to lightning, spanning two separate delays, No. 6 TCU remained unbeaten behind the strength of 395 total yards on offense and topped K-State, 26-6, at Bill Snyder Family Stadium Saturday.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Following a three-hour delay prior to kickoff, the first two offensive possessions for the Wildcats resulted in punts, with the second possession setting TCU up in scoring position. The Horned Frogs took advantage of the field position, scoring on six rushing plays for 36 yards that was capped off by a Kenny Hill seven-yard touchdown scamper to put the first points on the board. The Horned Frogs added a field goal to end the first quarter with a 10-0 advantage.
K-State attempted an answer in the second quarter spurred by a forced fumble by the Wildcat defense. The fumble recovery by DJ Reed would be the team’s ended up as the lone takeaway of the game, but lead to a Matthew McCrane field goal. TCU would go into halftime with a 13-3 lead.
On the first possession of the second half, the Horned Frogs were able to march down the field in 4:59 on 13 plays, with a one-yard rush from Sewo Olonilua out of the Wildcat capping a 75-yard drive.
Following a second lightning delay with 12:49 in the fourth quarter, TCU expanded on their lead on a seven-play, 65-yard drive that was capped off with a another rushing touchdown by Olonilua.
TCU out-gained the Wildcats, totaling 395 total yards in the game, including 297 through the air. K-State accounted for 216 total yards, and 10 first downs in the game. Neither team registered a touchdown through the passing attack.
OFFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE GAME
In his first career-start, sophomore quarterback Alex Delton rushed for 35 yards on 19 attempts and went 11-of-29 passing for 146 yards. Byron Pringle led the Wildcats in receiving, hauling in three receptions for 80 yards, including an impressive 30-yard reception along the TCU sideline in the third quarter.
DEFENSIVE PLAYERS OF THE GAME
In the second quarter sophomore Reggie Walker forced his first fumble of the season, and the team’s eighth, leading to a recovery by Reed.
Trent Tanking reached double digits in total tackles for the second consecutive game, and the third time this season, reaching 13 total tackles in the game. Tanking’s total marks a new career high that was previously set a week ago at Texas, as he leads K-State in total tackles this season with 50 total tackles.
Senior Tanner Wood recorded a crucial sack for a loss of nine yards on Kenny Hill on third down with time winding down in second quarter. Wood’s sack marked the first of the season for him, and the only sack of the game for the Wildcats.
SPECIAL TEAMS STARS OF THE GAME
Place kicker Matthew McCrane would add the only Wildcat points of the game, connecting on two field goals from 38 yards and 51 yards. McCrane’s long distance try made him 5-of-7 from beyond 50 yards, tying the school record for 50+ yard field goals made in a career (5) and in a season (3). McCrane’s six points on Saturday moved him into sixth in school history in points scored with 250.
Punter Nick Walsh booted a new career-long 64-yard punt early in the second quarter, pinning TCU at their own 11 yard-line. The punt tops Walsh’s previous career high of 63 yards set on September 10, 2015 also against TCU, and set the K-State defense in position to force a TCU punt. Walsh punted eight times on Saturday for 359 yards.
SEASON RECORD UPDATE
K-State 3-3 (1-2 Big 12)
TCU 6-0 (3-0 Big 12)
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
K-State Head Coach Bill Snyder
On the team effort…
“There are some things that I need to get straightened out. I appreciate the fact that they wanted to win, they gave a good effort, there is just some things that are not taking place that falls on my lap.”
On third and fourth down conversions…
“There was a lot of third and fourth downs that we did not convert, I think that we 0-for-7 or 0-for-8 in the first half, so we were just not a good third down or fourth down team. In the running game TCU played very well and we just did not give them the right things to give them the chance.”
On Alex Delton’s performance…
“Well Alex really struggled today. As I said, he had a lot of help. In that respect it is not all his fault but he did not play nearly as well as he obviously did the previous week. Not that he did not try, because he sure makes a good effort, and he is a very competitive young man.”
On offensive philosophy with change at quarterback…
“Normally you would like for it not to have to change. Alex [Delton] as opposed to Jesse [Ertz] by in large, it stays pretty much the same. Some things we might stay away from a little bit more, with one than the other, but by in large, we have an ample offense and it is important to me that we do the things that our players can do. I was under the assumption our players could do some of the things we were trying to do today. Today that was not the case and consequently we had to be in some other things.”
On what it will take to get the offense going…
“I think we will try to get everyone back into it and have the capacity to throw the ball better obviously. We have to be able to run against teams that are going to do some of the things that TCU did against us, most of it was blitz work and movement, that we have done reasonably well against similar concepts the week before. But TCU gave us some secondary pressure that we could not deal with very well.”
TOM GILBERT
Associate Director for Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics