K-State Travels to Ames for Nightime Contest

By K-State Athletics Release October 3, 2022

Game 6
20/20 K-State at Iowa State

Date: Saturday, October 8, 2022

Kickoff: 6:30 p.m.

Location: Ames, Iowa

Stadium: Jack Trice Stadium (61,500)

Series: Iowa State leads, 52-49-4

TV: ESPNU (watch)

Clay Matvick (Play-by-Play)

Rocky Boiman (Analyst)

Dawn Davenport (Sidelines)

Radio: K-State Sports Network; k-statesports.com (Listen)

            Wyatt Thompson (Play-by-Play)

            Stan Weber (Analyst)

            Matt Walters (Sidelines)

SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ch. 200, SXM App 954

Twitter Updates: @KStateFB

THE TOP 5
1) Following a 2-0 start to Big 12 play, K-State heads back on the road as the Wildcats will face a tough test in Ames, Iowa, against Iowa State on Saturday night. The game will kick at 6:30 p.m. and be televised nationally on ESPNU. The Wildcats are coming off a 37-28 win at home over Texas Tech, while Iowa State dropped a tough 14-11 contest in Lawrence to the Kansas Jayhawks.

2) Quarterback Adrian Martinez is coming off two of the best performances in his long career as he is the reigning Big 12 Newcomer Player of the Week. At No. 6 Oklahoma, Martinez rushed for 148 yards and a career-best four touchdowns while also completing 21-of-34 passes for 234 yards and one touchdown. He then ran for 171 yards and three scores and threw for 116 yards and a touchdown vs. Texas Tech.

3) Running back Deuce Vaughn, a Consensus All-American last year, leads the Big 12 and ranks fifth in the nation with 117.0 rushing yards per game. He has 16 100-yard rushing games in his career, including 15 in his last 20 contests. He had 116 rushing yards at OU and a career-high 170 vs. Texas Tech, teaming with Martinez to give K-State back-to-back games with two 100-yard rushers for the first time ever.

4) The Cats have been stellar on defense, allowing just 18.2 points per game, 370.2 total yards per game while also forcing nine interceptions. This week, the Cats rank fourth nationally in interceptions, fourth in turnover margin, 16th in third down defense, 19th in pass efficiency defense, and 25th in scoring defense. Since the switch to the 3-3-5 alignment last year, the Cats have allowed 20.2 points per game (18 games).

5) Known for its special teams prowess, K-State has weapons in both primary returners in Malik Knowles (kickoffs) and Phillip Brooks (punts), each of whom have garnered All-America status in their disciplines during their careers. In five games, the Cats have recorded two punt return scores – one coming via a blocked punt and the other on a 76-yard return from Brooks.

STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS
343 – Rushing yards last week, the most in a game since the 2019 (Nicholls) and most vs. a Big 12 team since 2016 (TCU).

267.2 – Rushing yards per game this season, which ranks fourth in the nation and tops in the Big 12.

159.5 – Number of rushing yards per game by quarterback Adrian Martinez in the last two weeks.

9 – Number of interceptions by the Wildcat defense through five games, the most in that stretch since the 2007 season.

3 – Power 5 QBs over last 15 years with 300 rush yards and 7 TDs over a 2-game stretch (Martinez, Lamar Jackson, Cam Newton).

TEAM NOTES
A WINNING TRADITION

  • Kansas State has been one of the best Big 12 teams since the inception of the conference in 1996. The Wildcats are third with 128 victories, trailing only Oklahoma and Texas.
  • The Wildcats also rank third in the conference in winning percentage since round-robin play began in 2011. They sit at 58.4% (59-42), trailing only Oklahoma (80.0%; 80-20) and Oklahoma State (67.0%; 67-33).
  • During that stretch, the Wildcats are 33-18 (64.7%) at home in Big 12 play and 26-24 (52.0%) on the road.


AMONG THE NATION’S BEST

  • K-State has 207 wins since 1996, which is tied for 24th among all FBS teams with Oklahoma State. The Wildcats are one of just 30 schools to reach the 200-win mark over the last 26 years.
  • More recently, the Wildcats are tied for 24th in wins among current Power 5 teams since 2010 with 97.


POSTSEASON PROMINENCE

  • K-State has a strong postseason history, going to a bowl game 22 times since 1993, including 10 times in the last 12 years.
  • K-State’s 22 bowl trips since 1993 rank fourth in the Big 12.
  • In an era when over 80 teams play in a bowl game each year, the Cats are one of just 25 Power 5 teams to play in a bowl game 10 times in the last 12 years.

A LOOK BACK AT LAST TWO WEEKS

  • K-State moved to 2-0 in Big 12 play with its 38-27 win over Texas Tech in Manhattan and 41-34 win at No. 6 Oklahoma.
  • It is the second time under head coach Chris Klieman’s four years that the Wildcats have started 2-0 in Big 12 play.
  • The Cats used 343 rushing yards on offense and an opportunistic defense (four turnovers) to run past the Red Raiders.
  • In Norman, Kansas State earned its 11th all-time victory against an Associated Press top-10 team, while it was the fifth in a road game.
  • The Wildcats have now defeated a team ranked in the AP Top 25 in four of the last six seasons, including the third time under head coach Chris Klieman.
  • The Wildcats defeated No. 5 Oklahoma at home in 2019 and at No. 3 Oklahoma in 2020.

A WINNING HISTORY

  • A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds a 96-30 career record, as his 76.2% career winning percentage is ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that are in at least their 10th season.
  • Klieman, who is 24-17 since arriving at K-State, came to Manhattan after capping his five-year stint as head coach at North Dakota State by winning his fourth national championship in 2018. He guided the 2018 Bison to a perfect 15-0 record.
  • Klieman is 5-5 in his career against teams ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 with four of the victories coming at K-State.

BETTER DISCIPLINE

  • K-State was one of the least penalized teams in the nation over the final few weeks of the 2021 regular season, as the Cats totaled only four penalties (1.3 per game) for 41 yards (13.7 yards per game) over their final three regular-season games.
  • Through five games this year, K-State ranks second in the Big 12 in fewest penalty yards with 41.8 per game.

TAKING CARE OF THE BALL

  • Another staple of K-State football over the past decade has been committing very few turnovers, as the Wildcats rank third nationally among current Power 5 teams since 2012 in fewest turnovers per game at 1.19.
  • That figure leads the Big 12 as the Wildcats’ 155 total turnovers over the last 11-plus seasons are 14 better than the next closest program (Oklahoma, 169).
  • So far this season, the Wildcats are plus-8 in turnover margin with 10 takeaways – including nine interceptions – and just two lost fumbles.

CATS TOPS IN NON-OFFENSIVE TDs

  • K-State is the nation’s best in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 23 seasons as it has 128 since 1999, seven more than the next closest team.
  • Kansas State tallied three non-offensive scores in 2021 and have two this year as Seth Porter blocked a punt against South Dakota that was returned for a score by Desmond Purnell, while Phillip Brooks took a punt 76 yards for a score against Missouri.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
KLEIN TAKES OVER AS OC

  • A 2012 Heisman Trophy finalist and one of the best signal callers in school history, Collin Klein is in his first season as K-State’s offensive coordinator.
  • Klein is one of just four Power 5 offensive coordinators to play quarterback at the school in which they work. The other three are Brandon Streeter (Clemson), Tommy Rees (Notre Dame) and Tavita Pritchard (Stanford).

TOTAL OFFENSE
• K-State has put together a pair of high offensive outputs to start Big 12 play, going for 509 yards at Oklahoma and 459 yards against Texas Tech.

  • It is the first time K-State had consecutive games with 450 yards of total offense since 2019 (573 yards vs. Nicholls; 521 yards vs. Bowling Green), while it is the first time the Wildcats accomplished the feat against Big 12 opponents since doing so in three-straight games in 2007 (463 yards vs. Colorado; 529 yards at Oklahoma State; 463 yards vs. Baylor).

    OFF AND RUNNING
    • K-State has opened the season ranking fourth nationally and tops among Power 5 teams by averaging 267.2 rushing yards per game, while its 16 rushing touchdowns are tied for fourth.

  • A majority of the yards come from Deuce Vaughn, who ranks fifth in the nation and tops in the Big 12 with 127.6 rushing yards per game. Adrian Martinez ranks second nationally among quarterbacks with 93.8 rushing yards per game.
  • K-State opened the season with 297 rushing yards vs. South Dakota, its most since recording 342 yards vs. Kansas in 2019.
  • The Wildcats opened Big 12 play with 275 rushing yards in their win at No. 6 Oklahoma and 343 yards last week vs. Texas Tech, the latter being their most in a Big 12 game since posting 336 yards at TCU in 2016.
  • The past two weeks marks the first time K-State has gone over 275 rushing yards in consecutive weeks since the first two games of 2019, while it is the first time in two-straight Big 12 games since 2018.

    DYNAMIC DUO
    • Adrian Martinez and Deuce Vaughn enter the week as the top quarterback/running back rushing duo in the nation, combining for 1,107 yards rushing yards over the first five weeks.

  • Vaughn has 638 rushing yards this year to rank third in the nation, while Martinez is 22nd with 469 yards.
  • Vaughn and Martinez each had 100-yard rushing games in each of the last two contests, the first time in school history the Wildcats had double 100-yard games in consecutive games.

    ADRIAN HAS BEEN AWESOME
    • Quarterback Adrian Martinez, one of the top transfer signal callers in the 2022 cycle, has put together a pair of outstanding games the last two weeks.

  • Martinez has totaled 319 rushing yards and seven touchdowns at No. 6 Oklahoma and against Texas Tech, just the third Power 5 quarterback in the last 15 years to total over 300 yards and seven scores on the ground in a two-game stretch.
  • The other two were Lamar Jackson (2015 Louisville) and Cam Newton (2010 Auburn).

ADRIAN’S AWARDS
• After accounting for 669 total offensive yards and nine touchdowns over the last two weeks, Adrian Martinez has twice been named a Big 12 Player of the Week – earning the offensive award after the Oklahoma game and newcomer award following the Texas Tech contest.

  • On a national level, Martinez was named the Davey O’Brien Award National Quarterback of the Week and a Manning Award Star of the Week following both contests. He was also named to the Davey O’Brien Great 8 list after the Texas Tech game.

MIX OF NEW AND OLD
• The blueprint for success has been established for the offensive line under coach Conor Riley since he came to Manhattan with Chris Klieman in 2019, which is making for a smooth transition for three new starters in 2022.

  • K-State offensive line has combined for 70 career starts, including 26 from both right tackle Christian Duffie and left guard Cooper Beebe. Additionally, senior left tackle KT Leveston has started 10 career games.
  • Beebe was a 2021 First Team All-Big 12 performer who is a Preseason All-American and on the watch lists for the Outland Trophy and Lombardi Award. Duffie has started 26-consecutive games for the Wildcats, the most on the team.
  • Although new starters this season, senior Hayden Gillum and sophomore Hadley Panzer have started to find their rhythm at center and right guard, respectively.

VAUGHN BACK AT IT
• Running back Deuce Vaughn is looking to duplicate the Consensus All-America season he put together in 2021, and he’s off to a great start as he ranks fifth nationally and tops in the Big 12 with 127.6 rushing yards per game.

  • Vaughn also ranks 11th nationally and second in the Big 12 in scrimmage yards (rushing plus receiving) per game at 139.6.
  • Vaughn has 16 career games with 100 rushing yards with 15 of those coming within his last 20 contests.
  • A threat virtually every time he touches the ball, Vaughn has gone for at least 10 yards on 111 of his 555 career scrimmage touches as he is gaining at least 10 yards 20.0% of the time he either takes a hand off or receives a pass.

ALL-PURPOSE BACK
• The high career marks by Deuce Vaughn are not only due to his prowess as a runner, but he has been one of the best backs in the nation on the receiving end.

  • Over his 28-game career, Vaughn has 2,684 rushing yards and 962 receiving yards. With 38 more receiving yards, he will be just the 60th FBS player overall since 1996 to reach the 2,000/1,000 mark and just the 10th from the Big 12.
  • Additionally, he would be just the second Big 12 player to hit those marks prior to the end of his junior year, joining former Texas Tech running back Taurean Henderson.

RECAPPING VAUGHN’S STREAKS

  • Deuce Vaughn saw a pair of impressive streaks come to an end against Tulane.
  • He finished second in school history with eight-straight games with 100 rushing yards. It was just two behind the record of Darren Sproles, who had 10-straight games between spanning the 2002 and 2003 seasons.
  • Vaughn also had a rushing touchdown in nine-straight games, which was the fifth-longest streak in school history.

SINNOTT SET CAREER MARKS

  • Tight end/fullback Ben Sinnott was a major part of K-State’s win at No. 6 Oklahoma as he hauled in four passes for 80 yards, both career highs.
  • Three of his catches went for 20 or more yards, including a career-long reception of 27 yards to convert a 3rd and 5 attempt during K-State’s first drive, which resulted in a touchdown.
  • Sinnott has a catch in all five games this year after hauling in just two passes for 15 yards last season.

DEFENSIVE NOTES
A BIG TURNAROUND
• The K-State defense switched from a four-man front to a three-man front in 2021, and the change has paid off in spades.

  • From 2020 to 2021, the Wildcats trimmed 11.2 points and 100.0 yards per game allowed off their averages.
  • In the 18 games since the defensive switch, the Wildcats are allowing just 20.2 points per game and 351.8 yards per game.
  • Over the 2019 and 2020 seasons, K-State allowed 26.1 points per game and 401.6 yards.

PICK ME, PICK ME
• Through five games, K-State has recorded nine interceptions to rank fourth in the nation and tops in the Big 12.

  • The seven picks through the first five games are tied for the most by a K-State defense since 2007.
  • After opening the year with two picks against South Dakota, the Cats recorded four interceptions on four-straight possessions against Missouri. It was the first time they accomplished that feat since the 2010 Texas game when Tysyn Hartman and Ty Zimmerman each picked off two passes on four-consecutive drives.
  • Daniel Green and Kobe Savage each picked off passes against Missouri and Tulane. It was the first time the same two K-State players had interceptions in the same consecutive games since 2014 (Dante Barnett and Randall Evans vs. West Virginia and Kansas).
  • Four of the Wildcats nine interceptions have come from linebackers, the most from that position group for a season since 2015 (4).

THIRD DOWN DEFENSE
• A year after ranking 78th nationally and sixth in the Big 12 by allowing a 39.9% conversion rate on third down, K-State enters this week’s game ranked 16th in the country and third in the conference with a 28.2% rate.

  • The Wildcats have allowed their opponents to convert on third down under 50% of the time in all five games this season, including an 8.3% clip against Tulane.
  • Although K-State allowed Oklahoma to convert on 47.1% of its third downs, all eight conversions came on 3rd and 3 or shorter. The Wildcats shut out OU on its eight attempts of 3rd and 4 or longer. Against Texas Tech, the Wildcats allowed just 2-of-7 third down conversions when the Red Raiders faced 3rd and 6 or shorter.

FEW FIRST DOWNS
• The Wildcats also ranked highly in the nation last season in fewest first downs allowed, surrendering 17.9 per game to rank 20th in the nation.

  • K-State allowed 20 or fewer first downs in 10 of its 13 games in 2021, including five contests with 15 or fewer.
  • It was the second time under head coach Chris Klieman that K-State ranked in the top 20 in that category having placed 17th at 17.2 first downs allowed per game in 2019.
  • Since the NCAA made first downs an official statistic in 2008, the Wildcats have only been under 20 first downs allowed per game on four occasions.

PLAYING BEHIND THE LINE
• K-State tallied 90 tackles for loss last year to rank 10th in school history and 26th in the nation. It was the second most by a K-State team since 2004 (2006 squad had 91) and was the Wildcats’ best national ranking since placing 18th in 2006.

  • Though five games, the Cats have recorded three games with 10 or more TFLs for the first time since the 2012 season.
  • K-State opened the season with 10 TFLs against both South Dakota and Missouri, the first time the Cats had 10 or more TFLs in consecutive games since 2012 vs. Miami and North Texas.

TRIPLE THE FUN

  • Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Khalid Duke each finished the Texas Tech game with 3.0 sacks, the first time in school history the Wildcats had two players with 3.0 sacks in the same game.
  • Each player tied for the fourth most sacks in a game in school history.
  • With eight total tackles paired with his sacks, Duke was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week.

FINDING A NEW HOME

  • K-State brought in eight transfers from either Division I or community college on the defensive side of the ball, including five that have seen significant time early in the season.
  • Three transfers have started multiple games in safeties Drake Cheatum (Prairie View A&M), Josh Hayes (Virginia/North Dakota State) and Kobe Savage (Tyler JC). Linebacker Gavin Forsha (Tyler JC) has also seen time as a reserve and on special teams, while cornerback Jordan Wright (Fullerton College) is also listed on the depth chart.

KING FELIX
• After making a name for himself in 2021, junior defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah is starting to rev up in 2022.

  • A Preseason All-American, Anudike-Uzomah ranks fifth in the nation and tops in the Big 12 with 1.10 sacks per game, while he is 10th nationally and tops in the Big 12 with 0.40 forced fumbles per game.
  • His total was boasted by a 3.0-sack performance against Texas Tech, which included the eighth forced fumble of his career.
  • He now has three games with 3.0 or more sacks, tying for the most in school history with Nyle Wiren.
  • Anudike-Uzomah’s eight forced fumbles are tied for fourth in school history and are one shy of the school record. Additionally, he is now one sack shy of entering the school’s career top-10 list.
  • A product of Kansas City, Missouri, Anudike-Uzomah leads the nation among active player in career forced fumbles per game (0.35), while he is sixth in sacks per game (0.76) and 10th in tackles for loss (0.98).

OLD FACE, NEW PLACE
• Safety Josh Hayes is in his sixth year of college football and third school after transferring in the spring from Virginia.

  • However, Hayes, a product of Lakeland, Florida, is reuniting with head coach Chris Klieman and defensive coordinator/safeties coach Joe Klanderman in Manhattan after the trio were together at North Dakota State. Hayes played as a true freshman and sophomore in 2017 and 2018 under Klieman before he became the K-State head coach for the 2019 season.
  • Hayes saw time in all 15 games in 2017, including his first-career start in NDSU’s national championship win over James Madison.
  • He went on to play 37 more games with 24 more starts for the Bison before transferring to Virginia for the 2021 season, playing in three games before utilizing his redshirt and transferring to K-State.
  • Hayes has played in 59 career games, which ranks fourth in the nation among active players and tops among all Big 12 players.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
SCORING IN THE THIRD PHASE
• One of the main reasons the Wildcats have been a successful program the last three decades is a knack for momentum-swinging plays in the return game.

  • Since 2005 (17-plus seasons), the Wildcats have a combined 60 kickoff- and punt-return touchdowns, 21 more than second-place Alabama (39) and 26 more than the next closest Big 12 team (Oklahoma State – 34).
  • Of the 60 total returns, a nation-leading 31 are on kickoff returns. The next closest team is San Diego State with 19.
  • With the Wildcats’ two punt-return touchdowns to begin the 2022 season, K-State has now tallied a punt-return score in every season since 2014, as the nine-year stretch is the longest in school history.

BACK TO BACK
• Desmond Purnell returned a blocked punt for a touchdown against South Dakota, while Phillip Brooks returned one 76 yards for a score against Missouri.

  • It was the first time the Wildcats had punt-return scores in consecutive games since 2008 against Texas Tech and Texas A&M, while it was the first time they had one in each of the first two games of a season since 1998 against Indiana State and Northern Illinois.

BROOKS BACK IN THE END ZONE
• Phillip Brooks recorded his fourth-career punt-return touchdown against Missouri, a 76-yarder en route to Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors.

  • He now leads the nation among active players in career punt-return scores and punt-return average (17.7), while he is ninth in total punt-return yards (558).
  • His four punt-return touchdowns rank second in school history and are tied for fourth in Big 12 history.

KNOWLES WITH A KNACK
• Malik Knowles is the latest Wildcat with a knack for kickoff returns as he was a 2021 Second Team All-American by Phil Steele and a 2022 Preseason All-American by multiple outlets.

  • Knowles was the 2021 First Team All-Big 12 kick returner, marking the 15th time in the 26-year history of the Big 12 that K-State had a First Team All-Big 12 returner. The next closest team is former Big 12 member Colorado with four.
  • Knowles is tied for fourth in school history in both career and single-season kickoff return touchdowns, thanks to scores last year in back-to-back weeks at Oklahoma State and against Oklahoma.
  • Knowles, who also had a 100-yard return in 2019 at Mississippi State, is tied for second nationally among active players with three career kickoff-return scores.
  • Knowles currently ranks ranked fourth in school history in career kickoff-return average and touchdowns, while he is tied for second nationally among active players in touchdowns and ranks fourth in average.

ZENTNER’S BOOTS
• Punter Ty Zentner is taking advantage of a second senior season in 2022 as he returns after earning All-Big 12 status a year ago.

  • A product of Topeka, Kansas, Zentner ranks fourth in school history with a 42.89-yard career average. That average is held up by five career games with an average of at least 45.0, including a 54.2-yard average against Missouri, which ranked as the second-highest punting average game in school history (minimum 4 attempts).
  • His contest against the Tigers featured a career-long punt of 66 yards.
  • Zentner was also the Wildcats’ primary kickoff man last year, totaling 36 touchbacks on his 67 kickoffs (53.7%), the most by a Wildcat since at least 2004.