NCAAF

Kansas State Wildcats at Kansas Jayhawks

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Final
31 - 27
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No. 23 K-State rallies from 11-point deficit to beat Kansas 31-27 in Sunflower Showdown

Will Howard fakes handoff and keeps it to score winning K-State TD

Will Howard threw two touchdown passes and ran for the go-ahead score, and the No. 23 Wildcats capitalized on two special teams blunders, allowing them to overcome an 11-point second-half deficit and escape with a 31-27 victory.

“Resolve. Toughness. Battling for your brothers,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “That was a good football team we beat in a really good environment. We knew we were going to get their best shot and I think we did.”

D.J. Giddens added 102 yards rushing and a score for the reigning Big 12 champs, who kept alive their chances of defending the title in part by turning a blocked extra point into a 2-point return and a muffed punt into the go-ahead TD with 10:22 to go.

The Wildcats (8-3, 6-2, No. 21 CFP) allowed Kansas (7-4, 4-4, No. 25) to march right back down the field, led by former walk-on Cole Ballard at quarterback. But the Jayhawks' drive stalled at the Kansas State 11, and Ballard was picked off in the end zone by Marques Sigle on fourth down to turn the ball over with just more than five minutes left.

Howard and Giddens picked up first downs from there to keep the clock running, and Howard hit Phillip Brooks on third-and-7 with about two minutes to go — the catch near the sideline stood after a review — to wrap up the victory.

“This means a lot being from Kansas," Giddens said long afterward.

Ballard had 162 yards passing with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Jayhawks. Devin Neal, who took plenty of direct snaps to take pressure off the freshman QB, finished with 138 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

“Proud of our guys for battling,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “We had some opportunities that we left out there: turned the ball over, had a chance to get a bigger lead and didn't make it happen. Can't do that against ranked football teams.”

The latest edition of the fourth-longest played series in the FBS started like many of the previous 14: Kansas State hit on a couple of deep throws, then Howard found Ben Sinnott in the back of the end zone just over a minute into the game.

But that all-too-familiar blowout script quickly went in another direction.

Ballard, starting in place of the injured Jalon Daniels and Jason Bean, led three long touchdown drives that soaked up the first-half clock and kept the Wildcats off the field. Neal finished the first when he slipped out of VJ Payne's tackle and ran 36 yards, then the second with a nine-yard run, before Ballard hit Lawrence Arnold just before halftime for a 20-16 lead.

The lead should have been larger, but the Jayhawks had an extra point blocked by Nate Matlack. The deflection was caught by receiver-turned-cornerback Keenan Garber, who returned it 91 yards for the 2-point conversion.

“That really changed the game,” Klieman said.

Kansas opened the second half with Ballard hitting Mason Fairchild for 59 yards and Neal adding his third TD run two plays later. But the Wildcats answered with a long drive of their own, twice converting on third down, opening a lane for Giddens to get into the end zone, and converting the 2-point try to get within 27-24 heading to the fourth quarter.

That's when the Jayhawks' Trevor Wilson fumbled a punt that he was trying to catch on a dead run. The Wildcats took over near midfield, converted a crucial third down and then opened a lane for Howard for the go-ahead score.

Sigle's interception in the end zone and some tough running by Giddens and Howard put the game away.

“There's no words to describe this,” said Kansas State offensive lineman Cooper Beebe, a likely first-round pick in next year's NFL draft. “That's a really good team and to finish it off the way we did is just a spectacular feeling.”

THE TAKEAWAY

Kansas State simply found a way to win, and that's all that matters with a spot in the Big 12 title game up for grabs. Texas leads at 7-1 in conference play heading into the final weekend with the Wildcats, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State one game back.

Leipold has said repeatedly that his team needs to play the Wildcats tough to turn the Sunflower Showdown into a rivalry again. The Jayhawks did that Saturday night despite playing a former walk-on at quarterback.

UP NEXT

Kansas State wraps its regular season next Saturday against Iowa State.

Kansas visits Cincinnati next Saturday to finish the regular season.

How To Watch

How can I watch Kansas State Wildcats vs. Kansas Jayhawks?
  • TV Channel: Wildcats at Jayhawks 2021 College Football, week 12, is broadcasted on FS1.
  • Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.

Matchup Prediction

Jayhawks: 20.8%
Wildcats: 79.2%
*According to ESPN's Basketball Power Index

Scoring Summary

KSU TD 1st Period 13:44 Ben Sinnott 11 Yd pass from Will Howard (Chris Tennant Kick)
KU TD 1st Period 2:05 Devin Neal 36 Yd Run (Seth Keller Kick)
KU TD 2nd Period 10:55 Devin Neal 9 Yd Run (Seth Keller PAT blocked)
KSU D2P 2nd Period 10:55 Keenan Garber Defensive PAT Conversion
KSU TD 2nd Period 7:24 Keagan Johnson 11 Yd pass from Will Howard (Chris Tennant Kick)
KU TD 2nd Period 0:26 Lawrence Arnold 5 Yd pass from Cole Ballard (Seth Keller Kick)
KU TD 3rd Period 13:28 Devin Neal 2 Yd Run (Seth Keller Kick)
KSU TD 3rd Period 6:35 DJ Giddens 1 Yd Run (Will Howard Run for Two-Point Conversion)
KSU TD 4th Period 10:22 Will Howard 15 Yd Run (Chris Tennant Kick)

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/2306.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originKSU https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/ncaa/500/2305.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originKU
20 1st Downs 19
8-15 3rd down efficiency 5-11
0-0 4th down efficiency 1-2
331 Total Yards 396
165 Passing 162
13-24 Comp-Att 11-16
6.9 Yards per pass 10.1
166 Rushing 234
37 Rushing Attempts 41
4.5 Yards per rush 5.7
2-30 Penalties 5-59
1 Turnovers 3
0 Fumbles lost 1
1 Interceptions thrown 2
26:40 Possession 33:20

Game Information

David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium

Location: Lawrence, KS
Attendance: 47,233 · Capacity:
Full Standings

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