Here are Kansas State football's grades on a long night against Oklahoma State
STILLWATER, Okla. — Kansas State football was hoping to reverse its fortunes on the road against Oklahoma State, but in the end it was more of the same as the Wildcats lost for the third straight time at Boone Pickens Stadium, 29-21.
Here is how the Wildcats (3-2, 1-1 Big 12) graded out against the Cowboys (3-2, 1-1).
Offense: A rough night for the quarterback
It is no doubt unfair to lay all the blame on Will Howard, but the veteran quarterback was out of sync in the passing game all night and his three interceptions — including a pick-six right before halftime — proved costly. The Wildcats did rush for 220 yards with Howard going for 104, but it wasn't enough to overcome the problems in the passing game.
Grade: D-
Defense: Wildcats not disruptive enough
The explosive plays by opposing offenses are almost a given by now, and when accompanied by a sub-par seven tackles for loss, no sacks and zero forced turnovers, that is hard to overcome. That said, the Wildcats gave up one touchdown and limited Oklahoma State to three field goals in the second half.
Grade: C
Special teams: Not a whole lot to say
The Wildcats produced one impactful play when Marques Sigle blocked a short Oklahoma State field goal in the second quarter to keep K-State within three points, but the offense didn't take advantage. The only standout was punter Jack Blumer, who averaged 48.5 yards on four kicks with no return yards while pinning the Cowboys inside their 20-yard line once.
Grade: B
Coaching: Plenty of things to fix moving forward
The Wildcats lost the turnover battle, 3-0, the time of possession by nearly 10 minutes and were dominated on the line of scrimmage. It was a rough night for Chris Klieman and his staff, who did not coax a winning performance out of their players.
Grade: D-
Overall grade: D-
Related: Kansas State football vs. Oklahoma State recap: Cowboys win, 29-21
Related: Kansas State football at Oklahoma State: Scouting report, prediction
Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State football report card for loss against Oklahoma State
