Quarterbacks Will Howard and Avery Johnson lead Kansas State football to 41-3 win over TCU
MANHATTAN — Kansas State football is alive and well.
The Wildcats put together a complete game in their first home game in a month Saturday on the way to a 41-3 blowout of TCU at sold-out Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
K-State alternated quarterbacks Will Howard and Avery Johnson all night and didn't skip a beat with either one, racking up 587 yards total offense and scoring on five of six first-half possessions.
With the victory, the Wildcats improved to 5-2 overall and remain in the Big 12 title hunt, tied for second place at 3-1. TCU fell to 4-3 and 2-3.
The defense gave up a first-quarter field goal, but nothing else.
Here are three takeaways from a dominating performance by the Wildcats, who play host to Houston at 11 a.m. next Saturday:
Kansas State quarterback shuffle works
Who says playing two quarterbacks can't work?
K-State didn't even have to adjust for the hot hand in the first half, scoring on all but one of six possessions while alternating senior Will Howard and freshman Avery Johnson every other series.
Howard, who remained the starter, led the Wildcats to touchdowns on his first two possessions, marching the Wildcats 75 yards in eight plays to start the game and on his second drive he hit a wide-open DJ Giddens in the right flat for a 61-yard score.
Johnson's first drive ended with a 3-yard forward pitch to Treshaun Ward for a touchdown, the first scoring pass of his career. He also led the Wildcats to a pair of first-half field goals.
For the game, Howard completed 10 of 16 passes for 154 yards and three touchdowns, plus rushed for 62 yards. Johnson was 5 of 10 passing for 90 and a touchdown, and had 73 rushing yards.
The Wildcats also got 89 rushing yards from Treshaun Ward and 85 from DJ Giddens, who tacked on a 61-yard touchdown reception.
Freshman Jayce Brown has breakout game for Wildcats
Kansas State coach Chris Klieman has said he won't hesitate to use freshmen this season, and the latest to make an impact is wide receiver Jayce Brown.
With the receiving corps struggling with consistency all season, Brown has worked his way into the rotation, and against TCU he had the kind of breakout game that could signal the emergence of another star.
Brown finished with four catches for 88 yards.
Brown caught a 43-yard strike from Avery Johnson in the first half to set up a touchdown, and then got his first career score in the third quarter when Will Howard found him open in the back of the end zone for 11 yards to put the Wildcats up, 34-3.
K-State defense puts it all together
TCU running back Emani Bailey rushed for 100 yards, but the Horned Frogs did not have a lot else going for them as K-State's defense turned them back time and again.
With the Wildcats racing to an early lead, it allowed the defense to go after redshirt freshman quarterback Josh Hoover, who could not match his 439 passing yards and four touchdowns last week at Brigham Young in his first career start.
Hoover finished 23 of 43 for 187 yards.
The Wildcats forced one turnover with an interception by linebacker Desmond Purnell and also had a fourth-down stop.
TCU finished with 300 yards total offense.
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 blows out TCU 41-3
