Kansas State 29-27 Kansas (Oct. 26, 2024) Game Recap

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Avery Johnson threw two touchdown passes and ran for a score, Chris Tennant hit a 51-yard field goal with 1:42 left and No. 16 Kansas State stopped Kansas on fourth down to defend the ball at 29 :27 win on Saturday evening.

DJ Giddens added 102 rushing yards for the Wildcats (7-1, 4-1 Big 12), who kept their chances at a conference title and in the College Football Playoff alive by defeating their biggest rival for the 16th straight year .

“You know, we missed opportunities. I think they missed opportunities. “It was a game about who could make another play,” said Kansas State coach Chris Klieman, who struggled with dizziness during the game that sent him to the locker room at one point.

“In the end, I was proud that the offense, defense and special teams prevailed.”

Kansas (2-6, 1-4) had a chance to answer Tennant's field goal in the final minute. But after a quick first down, Jalon Daniels recorded a short completion with a couple of incomplete passes. Then, on fourth down, he was flushed out of the pocket and tracked down near the Jayhawks sideline, giving Kansas State the ball back and a chance to run out the clock.

Daniels finished the game with 209 passing yards, recording two touchdowns and two turnovers. Devin Neal ran for 66 yards and a score, putting him just six yards away from breaking June Henley's career rushing record at Kansas.

“This one hurts as much as any other,” said Jayhawks coach Lance Leipold, whose team must now win to reach its third straight bowl game. “But I told them again that I was proud of the way we fought and competed for four quarters.”

Still, the Jayhawks haven't beaten Kansas State since November 1, 2008.

“They are a great team. It doesn’t matter what their record is,” said the Wildcats’ Marques Sigle, who intercepted a pass in his second straight Sunflower Showdown. “They had nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

Kansas opened the game with a 75-yard touchdown drive and appeared to take control a few minutes later when Daniels spotted Quentin Skinner running open down the middle of the field. But the senior wide receiver dropped what was supposed to be a 49-yard touchdown throw and the Jayhawks were ultimately forced to punt.

The Wildcats took advantage of the opening and then took advantage of another Kansas fumble.

After Johnson led a 95-yard drive to end the game, Kansas freshman Jameel Croft Jr. inexplicably intercepted the ensuing kickoff at the 1-yard line and went out of bounds. Neal was stuffed for a safety on the very next play, and Kansas State followed with a 59-yard drive and its second touchdown in minutes.

“I don’t want to criticize any player,” said Leipold. “A young man tried to make a play and made a mistake.”

The Jayhawks rallied and Daniels threw a touchdown pass to Luke Grimm to get within 16-14 at halftime. And after trading touchdowns early in the second half, the teams finally regained the lead late in the third quarter when Daniels forced his way into the end zone – the second straight year they led the Wildcats in the second half.

The result would ultimately be the same.

The Jayhawks were still leading 27-26 with 3:44 left when Daniels, attempting to scramble near midfield, went airborne and the ball bounced. Brendan Mott was there to get the ball back for the Wildcats, giving Johnson and Co. one last chance with the ball.

They did just enough to set up Tennant's go-ahead field goal within the final two minutes.

“For the last month, watching Chris Tennant, I knew this was going to happen,” Klieman said. “I had no doubt. There was no one on our sidelines who had any doubts. It was exciting for him to be able to do that as a senior from Kansas.”

The takeaway food

Kansas dominated the game for long stretches, but couldn't overcome itself. Daniels, plagued by turnovers early in the season, had two more, and the Jayhawks missed a PAT among their many special teams fumbles.

Kansas State had 479 yards of total offense, although it struggled on third downs. The Wildcats also had to kick a chip-shot field goal early in the fourth quarter, and that missed opportunity almost cost them.

Next

Kansas: Plays No. 10 Iowa State on Nov. 9 at Arrowhead Stadium.

Kansas State: Next Saturday at Houston.

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