K-State keeps Texas Tech in freefall
LUBBOCK, Texas -- Kansas State made sure Texas Tech's plummet from No. 10 in the BCS standings continued as the Wildcats ran all over over the Red Raiders.
Kansas State scored on all five of its first-half possessions and rolled past the No. 25 Red Raiders, 49-26, on Saturday at Jones AT&T Stadium.
When the BCS Standings debuted this season, Texas Tech (7-3, 4-3 Big 12) checked in at No. 10 with a 7-0 record. Then the Red Raiders lost a close one at Oklahoma and suffered lopsided losses at home against Oklahoma State and Kansas State.
A porous defense has been one of the Red Raiders' major problems and Kansas State (5-4, 3-3) exploited it from the beginning.
The Wildcats finished with 291 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns, led by John Hubert, who had 157 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.
"We knew what they were going to do, they just did a great job of executing," Texas Tech first-year coach Kliff Kingsbury said. "They had a good plan, they have good athletes. They just outplayed us."
Hubert kick-started Kansas State with a 63-yard touchdown run on the Wildcats' second offensive play for a 7-3 lead. He ran four times for 32 yards to propel Kansas State's second touchdown drive and John Waters got the score on a one-yard run as the Wildcats took the lead for good, 14-10.
"It's great as an offensive lineman," Kansas State left guard Cody Whitehair said. "That's what you like to do. You want to line up and run it down their throat."
Quarterback Davis Webb started and led scoring drives on the Red Raiders' first-two possessions. He threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Eric Ward to give Texas Tech a 10-7 lead with 6:49 left in the first quarter.
But that would be the high point for Webb and the Red Raiders.
Texas Tech went three-and-out on its next two possessions and because the Red Raiders' defense couldn't stop Kansas State, the Wildcats seized control.
"It's offensive linemen blocking people," Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said. "That's what does it all the time: blocking people and staying on blocks."
Kansas State backup quarterback Daniel Sams ran five yards for a touchdown, Waters added a 13-yard scoring run and threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Tramaine Thompson to give the Wildcats a 35-10 lead at halftime.
Texas Tech handed the offense from Webb, a true freshman, to Baker Mayfield, a walk-on true freshman, midway through the third quarter. Mayfield completed a pass for a first down, but fumbled the first time he carried the ball.
"Once we got off our game plan, we didn't execute the way we should have," Kingsbury said. "I thought we needed a little spark and Baker got in there and did some good things."
Kansas State defensive back Dorrian Roberts recovered Mayfield's fumble and it took the Wildcats only five plays to score on Waters' touchdown pass to Thompson.
Texas Tech finally got a defensive stop to begin the second half and outscored the Wildcats, 9-0, in the third quarter on Mayfield's four-yard touchdown run and Ryan Bustin's 31-yard field goal.
But that surge was mitigated when Texas Tech failed to recover an onside kick following the field goal. Kansas State took advantage by driving 46 yards for a touchdown.
Snyder said the Wildcats' onside kick recovery was key to stopping Texas Tech's momentum.
"They were moving the ball and we weren't moving the ball," Snyder said. "It's not as much what it did for us, but what it didn't do for them."
Then Wildcats safety Ty Zimmerman intercepted Mayfield's pass and returned it 43 yards for a touchdown.
NOTES: Texas Tech brought attention to the Lone Survivor Foundation and paid tribute to United States military veterans by making its meeting with Kansas State the "Lone Survivor Game," which included non-traditional uniforms specially designed by Under Armour. ... Kansas State coach Bill Snyder notched his 175th victory as the Wildcats' head coach. Snyder is the 11th coach in FBS to reach 175 wins at one school. ... Kansas State entered with a two-game wining streak in the series. Texas Tech last defeated Kansas State in 2009 when the Red Raiders took a 66-14 victory at home. ... The game featured a huge age gap in the head coaches. Snyder, in his 22nd season as the Wildcats' head coach, is 73. Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury, in his first season as a head coach, is 34.
