MANHATTAN, Kan. – Kansas State senior linebacker Trent Tanking is one of 10 semifinalists for the 2017 Burlsworth Trophy, awarded to the most outstanding football player in America who began his career as a walk-on.

Tanking is the fourth Wildcat semifinalist up for the award since its inception in 2010, joining offensive lineman B.J. Finney (2012), defensive end Ryan Mueller (2013) and linebacker Jonathan Truman (2014).

A native of Holton, Kansas, Tanking leads K-State and ranks sixth in the Big 12 with 75 tackles this year, including 57 solo stops to rank sixth in the nation. A team captain, Tanking has five double-digit tackle games this season, including four of the six Big 12 contests. He tallied a career-high 13 tackles against TCU, while he had 11 at Texas and 10 against Vanderbilt, Oklahoma and Texas Tech.

A special-teams standout for three seasons prior to assuming a starting linebacker role, Tanking is also a semifinalist for the 2017 Campbell Trophy, which is often referred to as the “Academic Heisman.” A two-time First Team Academic All-Big 12 performer, Tanking holds a 3.633 GPA as an industrial engineering major, and he is in line to graduate this coming May.

The Burlsworth Trophy is named in honor of Brandon Burlsworth, a former walk-on at Arkansas who was a three-year starter and All-American in 1998. Burlsworth was selected as the 63^rd overall pick in the 1999 NFL Draft by Indianapolis but was tragically killed in a car accident 11 days later.

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Fans can vote for Tanking via a fan vote beginning, November 7, via www.burlsworthtrophy.com. Voting is limited to one per day and concludes on November 12, as three finalists for the award will be announced on November 14. The finalists will be honored and the winner of the 2017 Burlsworth Trophy announced December 4, at a banquet in Springdale, Arkansas, hosted by the Brandon Burlsworth Foundation, in conjunction with the Springdale Rotary Club.

K-State hosts No. 23 West Virginia on Saturday inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium at 2:30 p.m., a game that serves as Fort Riley Day and will be shown nationally on ESPN2.

– k-statesports.com –

Kansas State University, the nation’s first operational land-grant institution and a Carnegie Foundation Tier One university, is recognized as one of the nation’s best colleges with world-class research and academic excellence located in America’s No. 1 College Town (Manhattan, KS).

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RYAN LACKEY
Asst. Director/Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics

Kansas State will look for its third-straight Big 12 win and bowl eligibility on Saturday as the Wildcats return home to host 23rd-ranked West Virginia at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The contest, which kicks at 2:30 p.m., will serve as the annual Fort Riley Day game and be shown nationally on ESPN2 with Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Mike Golic Jr. (analyst) and Roddy Jones (Field Analyst) on the call. The game can also be heard across the 40-station K-State Sports Network with Wyatt Thompson (play-by-play), former K-State quarterback Stan Weber (analyst) and Matt Walters (sidelines) calling the action. Coverage will also be available on SiriusXM channel 83 in addition to the TuneIn app. Live stats are available at kstatesports.com, while Twitter updates (@ kstate_gameday, @KStateFB) will all be a part of the coverage.

A LOOK AT K-STATE

• Guided by Hall of Famer Bill Snyder, who is in his 26th year at the helm, the Wildcats are looking to become bowl eligible for the eighth-straight season with their next win.
• K-State’s comeback win over Texas Tech (down 11 in fourth quarter) was the largest fourth-quarter deficit overcome since being down 35-21 to Iowa State back in 2015 and winning, 38-35.
• It was the largest fourth-quarter deficit overcome in a road game in program history.
• The K-State offense has rushed for 615 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground over the last three weeks against No. 9 Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas Tech.
• The Wildcats, who have reached 200 rushing yards five times this season, enter the week third in the Big 12 in rushing at 193.4 yards per game, second in yards per carry (5.0) and third in rushing touchdowns (20).
• K-State is led on the ground by sophomore Alex Barnes with 587 yards and five TDs, while he became just the third player in school history to eclipse 1,000 career yards prior to the end of his sophomore season.
• Redshirt freshman quarterback Skylar Thompson led a second-half comeback against Tech, finishing 5-of-8 for 96 yards and a touchdown, while he added a rushing score prior to throwing the game-tying two-point conversion.
• Seven different Cats have scored on the ground this year, while three receivers have carded three touchdown catches in Byron Pringle, Dalton Schoen and Isaiah Zuber.
• The K-State defense is led by a pair of linebackers in Trent Tanking (75 tackles) and Jayd Kirby (64 tackles), both of whom rank in the top 12 in the Big 12 in tackles.
• Kirby has nine tackles, 5.0 TFLs, a sack, three forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and two pass breakups in his last two games.
• Cornerback Duke Shelley is tops in the Big 12 with 11 passes defended, including a pick-six at Texas Tech en route to Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors.

A LOOK AT THE SERIES

• K-State leads the all-time series, 5-2.
• The Cats had won the previous five meetings in the series until last year’s 17-16 setback in Morgantown.
• K-State is 4-1 against West Virginia since the Mountaineers joined the Big 12.
• The Wildcats are 2-0 at home against WVU following a 35-12 win in 2013 and a 24-23 win in 2015.

  NOVEMBER TO REMEMBER

• Under Bill Snyder, K-State is 60-27-1 in the month of November, including a 19-11 mark in his second tenure.
• Since 2009, K-State has had five winning records in the month.

  BOWL STREAK

• With one more win, K-State will qualify for its eighth-straight bowl game and 19th under Bill Snyder.
• The Cats went to 11 straight from 1993-2003 and have gone each year since 2010 in his second tenure.
• K-State is one of 21 teams nationally to hold a current bowl streak of a least seven years.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – With a 25-yard interception return touchdown and three total passes defended in last week’s overtime victory at Texas Tech, Kansas State junior defensive back Duke Shelley picked up Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week honors, the conference office announced Monday.

The citation was the first in Shelley’s career and the fifth by a Wildcat this year, including the second of the defensive variety as Kendall Adams was honored following the Charlotte game. The Wildcats now have 48 player-of-the-week honors since 2011, the second most in the Big 12.

A product of Tucker, Georgia, Shelley picked off a third-quarter pass and returned it for a score, which was vital in helping the Wildcats earn a 42-35 overtime victory in Lubbock. It was the first road overtime victory in school history, while he helped the Wildcats secure their largest fourth-quarter comeback win under head coach Bill Snyder.

Shelley, who also had four tackles and two pass breakups, earned the second pick-six of his career (2016 vs. Oklahoma State) and recorded K-State’s nation-leading 111^th non-offensive touchdown since 1999. He took over the Big 12 lead in passes defended with 11, while he ranks 14^th nationally in the category thanks to five over the last two games alone.

K-State hosts No. 23 West Virginia on Saturday inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium at 2:30 p.m., a game that serves as Fort Riley Day and will be shown nationally on ESPN2. Only scattered singles and standing-room only seating options remain for the game. Scattered singles are priced at $35 and can be purchased by clicking here. Standing-room only tickets are on sale for $65 and are available by clicking here, while a $149 Wildcat 4 Pack is available by clicking here.

– k-statesports.com –

RYAN LACKEY
Asst. Director/Athletics Communications | K-State Athletics

The Rossville Rattlers summer collegiate baseball program will cease operations, effective immediately. They will not field a team in 2018 and beyond.

The Rattlers made the announcement on their Facebook page, ending their existence after six years in Rossville.

The Rattlers were a regular opponent of the Junction City Brigade over the years.

During their existence the Rattlers were able to capture two summer collegiate championships, and more than 150 collegiate players participated in the program.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ezekiel Elliott ran for the go-ahead touchdown after another reprieve from his six-game suspension and the Dallas Cowboys overcame Tyreek Hill’s improbable last-play touchdown in the first half, beating the Kansas City Chiefs 28-17 on Sunday.

Elliott’s 2-yard plunge in the third quarter came after the Chiefs turned a 14-3 deficit into a 17-14 advantage, sparked by Hill’s weaving 56-yard catch with the first-half clock expired and seven Dallas defenders inside their 25 trying to prevent the score.

Last year’s NFL rushing champion as a rookie, Elliott had 93 yards, ending a streak of three straight 100-yard games but outgaining Kareem Hunt, this year’s rushing leader in his first season entering the game.

Hunt matched a season low with nine carries, finishing with 37 yards as a club record-tying nine-game road winning streak ended for the Chiefs (6-3) in their third loss in four games since a 5-0 start.

Elliott got an emergency stay from a New York court Friday, stopping the suspension over alleged domestic violence for the third time.

With former quarterback Tony Romo calling his first Dallas game as lead analyst for CBS, Dak Prescott had two touchdown passes to Cole Beasley and ran for another score in a third straight win for the Cowboys (5-3).

Terrance Williams had a career-high nine catches for 141 yards, including a 56-yarder from a scrambling Prescott to set up Prescott’s 10-yard TD run with 13 seconds left in the first half.

Trailing 14-3, the Chiefs were at their 44 with 2 seconds left when the Cowboys used three linemen and a linebacker near the line of scrimmage and dropped everyone else back.

Hill caught an easy toss from Alex Smith at the Cowboys 42 and started toward the goal line with three blockers in front.

The speedy Hill motored around Orlando Scandrick at the 25, cut behind two blocks from Demarcus Robinson inside the 10 and sidestepped overpursuing linebacker Anthony Hitchens to finish the stunning TD.

The Chiefs got the ball to start the second half with great field position after Byron Jones was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct after Hill’s score. Kansas City went in front on Travis Kelce’s 2-yard scoring catch, which sparked a sack-race celebration with Hill and Robinson.

The Cowboys answered with drives of 75 and 87 yards that took more than 12 minutes combined. Beasley capped the latter with a 7-yard TD and after a 6-yarder in the first half.

Prescott was 21 of 33 for 249 yards, with Beasley getting 24 yards receiving and Dez Bryant 73.

Down by 11 for the second time, Kansas City’s best chance ended on Smith’s first interception of the season on a fourth down throw. It ended a streak of 293 passes without a pick for Smith, who was 25 of 34 for 263 yards and two TDs.

‘WELCOME HOME 9′

On the Cowboys’ video tribute to Romo, there was an inset shot of Romo watching the highlight tape as the crowd cheered, and he responded by applauding toward them as the video ended. When the giant board switched to a full shot of Romo, he shook his head briefly as if touched by the gesture as he was putting on his headset.

The franchise leader in passing yards and touchdowns lost the job last season when Prescott replaced him after a back injury and led the Cowboys to a club-record 11 straight wins. Romo took the CBS job rather than chase an elusive Super Bowl with another franchise.

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 11^th 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

The Lawrence Free State Firebirds put 20 points on the scoreboard in the first quarter enroute to a 47-14 win over the Junction City Blue Jays in Lawrence Friday night.

The undefeated Firebirds ( 10-0 ) overpowered the Blue Jays ( 6-4 ) with a strong running game and also connected on a 36 yard touchdown pass midway the through first quarter to take command of the second round Class 6A postseason playoff game.

Blue Jay coach Randall Zimmerman wants his team to develop in the future in the weight room. On the loss he said it should be used as a lesson. “This game was lost a long time ago. It was not lost tonight. We were not very good tonight but this is just a very physical, physically strong football team. We’ve got to get stronger, we must get stronger.”

The Blue Jays scored two touchdowns in the second half with Andrew Khoury scoring on a one-yard run and Chris Randolph on a three-yard run.

AP-KS-FBH–Prep Scores
Friday’s Scores
The Associated Press

Final Stats  |  Highlights

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Junior Dean Wade pulled down game-highs in both points (20) and rebounds (10) to help Kansas State wrap up exhibition play with a 77-44 win over Emporia State on Friday night at Bramlage Coliseum.

Wade’s double-double paced three Wildcats in double figures, along with sophomore Xavier Sneed (13) and junior Amaad Wainright (12). Wainright also added a team-tying 4 assists and 3 steals in 22 minutes.

The Wildcats finished exhibition with a 3-0 record and extended their home exhibition win streak to 23 games dating back to the 2004.

HOW IT HAPPENED

K-State found a defensive spark early in the first half, forcing 9 turnovers that resulted in 12 points in the early minutes to jump out to an advantage. Junior guard Barry Brown forced two turnovers early in the first half, and accounted for two assists, including one that led to a Kamau Stokes layup in transition. The Wildcats used their opportune defense to shoot 50 percent from the field on 15-of-30 shooting in the first half.

Wade led scorers early shooting with high efficiency from the field in the first half, shooting 6-of-7 and leading all scorers with 15 points, and 9 boards at the break. The Wildcats opened up their largest lead of the half with three-straight three pointers, including back-to-back from Sneed, as the Wildcats led at halftime by a score of 37-21.

Wade expanded on his day in the second half, reaching a double-double off 20 points and 10 rebounds in the game. Wade led all players in both statistical categories, and added 3 assists to his stat-line. Sneed added 13 points, followed by Wainwright with 12 points, as the Wildcats entered three scorers in double-digits in the game.

K-State kept their hot-shooting rolling from the first half, shooting over 52 percent from the field in the game (27-of-51). The hot-spot offensively came in the paint for the Wildcats, scoring nearly half of their points (38) in the key. The Wildcat offense totaled 20 assists in the game, spurred by three individuals, Wainright, Stokes and Cartier Diarra, who each recorded 4 assists.

Defensively, K-State held Emporia State to 29 percent shooting on 14-of-48 shooting, and forced 18 turnovers throughout the span of the game. The Wildcats also crashed the boards with intensity, out-rebounding the Hornets, 37-23. Wade and Mawdo Sallah each recorded one block, as K-State held Emporia State to 44 points in the game, the lowest points allowed through exhibition play.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

Wade’s stat-line of 20-10-3 records his first double-double of exhibition play, and just the second in any of his K-State career. He also led all players in both points and rebounds in the game, in what was a dominant effort from the junior.

STAT OF THE GAME

29.2 percent – K-State held Emporia State to just 29.2 percent on 14-of-48 shooting on the day, including 4-of-20 (20 percent) from behind the arc. The Wildcats’ stifling defense held the Hornets to an exhibition season-best 44 allowed points in the game