Clutch defensive plays lift K-State to rare win at Oklahoma

NORMAN, Okla. -- Bill Snyder hadn't had much success against his protege, Bob Stoops, in the decade-plus since Stoops arrived at Oklahoma.

Oklahoma hadn't lost at home to a ranked team since Stoops took over in 2009.

Both of those tides turned Saturday night, as 15th-ranked Kansas State upset sixth-ranked Oklahoma 24-19 in front of 85,276 at Owen Field.

The win trumped Kansas State's 52-13 blowout of Miami on Sept. 8.

The Wildcats not only opened Big 12 play with a road win at what recently has been one of the toughest places for visitors to win in the conference, but they also gained some revenge from last season's 58-17 Sooners win in Manhattan.

"We were thinking about that a lot," Kansas State's Jarell Childs said. "We wanted to return the favor."

Kansas State (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) gets a week off before playing host to Kansas on Oct. 6.

Oklahoma (2-1, 0-1) also is off next week before playing at Texas Tech.

Bob Stoops was an assistant coach under Snyder for five season in the early 1990s. Sooners defensive coordinator Mike Stoops was also an assistant with the Wildcats.

"Coach, I love you," Bob Stoops told Snyder as he walked off the field.

"I share the same thing with Bobby and with Mike," Snyder said.

Going into Saturday, the only win for the Snyder-coached Wildcats over Bob Stoops came in the 2003 Big 12 title game.

Saturday's victory wasn't nearly as flashy as that 35-7 win for the Wildcats.

Kansas State pulled off the latest upset with a solid performance from Collin Klein at quarterback, John Hubert's 130 yards and a touchdown on the ground and a defense that forced three turnovers in critical situations.

The Wildcats were especially good on third down in the fourth quarter, converting all three tries.

Tramaine Thompson twice came up with big receptions on third down, the first a 26-yarder on third-and-12 that set up Hubert's 9-yard touchdown run three plays later to put Kansas State up 24-13.

Then, after the Sooners made it a one-possession game with Sterling Shepard's 10-yard touchdown reception, the Wildcats were able to run out the clock with the help of two more third-down conversions.

"It was just one of those things where we were finally able to move the ball in the fourth quarter," Klein said. "We knew we had to get it."

Klein ran for 79 yards and touchdown and threw for 149 yards, completing 13 of 21 passes.

Defensively, the Wildcats were able to rattle Sooners quarterback Landry Jones.

Two of Kansas State's three takeaways came inside the 10-yard lines on either side of the field.

Early in the second quarter, Kansas State linebacker Justin Tuggle hit Landry Jones at the Oklahoma 1-yard line, jarring the ball free for Childs to scoop it up and roll into the end zone to put the Wildcats up 7-3.

"The ball just kind of fell in my lap," Childs said. "I was kind of shocked. I have to credit Justin Tuggle for the play. He knocked it free, and I just got lucky that it came to me."

Bob Stoops said the play was a costly mistake for Jones.

"He had plenty of time," Stoops said. "He read it all out, and even when he pulled it down and started to do something with it, he had no immediate pressure. We've got to get rid of the football and go to the next play or punt. We've got to be more responsible with the football.

"Again, that's just bad football with a play like that."

Ty Zimmerman intercepted Jones late in the third quarter in Oklahoma territory to set up Klein's go-ahead 5-yard touchdown run early in the fourth.

Jones finished with 298 passing yards, but it was the turnovers that defined the game for the once Heisman hopeful.

The Wildcats also got to Oklahoma's second quarterback, Blake Bell, on a pivotal play early.

The Sooners went to the "Belldozer" package after driving to the Kansas State 1 on the drive following Childs' touchdown.

On his first play, a second-and-goal at the 1, Bell fumbled the snap, and Zimmerman recovered for Kansas State.

The Wildcats drove 88 yards for a field goal to go up 10-3.

"It's a great feeling," Wildcats offensive lineman Cody Whitehair said. "We haven't had anybody on our team that's come down here and won, so it's big not only for me, but for the other guys."