K-State Returns Home to Face 20th-Ranked Cowboys

By K-State Athletics Release September 23, 2024

Game 5
20/20 Oklahoma State at 23/25 K-State

Date: Saturday, September 28, 2024

Kickoff: 11 a.m.

Location: Manhattan, Kan.

Stadium: Bill Snyder Family Stadium (50,000)

Series: Oklahoma State Leads, 43-27

TV: ESPN (watch)

Bob Wischusen (Play-by-Play)

Louis Riddick (Analyst)

Kris Budden (Sidelines)

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

            Wyatt Thompson (Play-by-Play)

            Stan Weber (Analyst)

            Matt Walters (Sidelines)

National Radio: Westwood One

            Nate Gatter (Play-by-Play)

            Derek Rackley (Analyst)

SiriusXM Satellite Radio Ch. 82, and on the SiriusXM App

Big 12 Radio on TuneIn

X Updates: @KStateFB and @KStateStatsInfo

THE TOP 5
1) K-State is looking to bounce back from a tough road defeat at BYU as the 23rd-ranked Wildcats return home to face No. 20 Oklahoma State on Saturday inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The Wildcats’ Big 12 home opener will kick at 11 a.m., and be broadcast on ESPN with Bob Wischusen (play-by-play), Louis Riddick (analyst) and Kris Budden (sideline) on the call.

2) In the midst of his first season as the starting quarterback, Avery Johnson has completed 61.1% of his passes (58-of-95) for 620 yards and six touchdowns. He has rushed for 261 yards on 39 carries, including a 110-yard effort against Arizona. He was the fifth sophomore signal caller – and just the second true sophomore – to start a season opener since 1990 when he did so against UT Martin.

3) Alongside Johnson in the backfield is running back DJ Giddens, who has rushed for 417 yards and a touchdown on 68 carries to go along with seven receptions for 69 yards and another score. Sophomore Dylan Edwards has also burst onto the scene, averaging 8.5 yards per carry on 21 attempts. Edwards has two rushing touchdowns, one receiving score and a 71-yard punt return score in four games.

4) The experience of the Wildcats resides on defense as the unit brought back eight starters from last year, including five of its top six tacklers from a year ago. Ten Wildcats have recorded 10 or more total tackles through four games led by Austin Romaine’s 27. Brendan Mott has 4.0 sacks to tie for 12th nationally and second in the Big 12. As a unit, the Cats have 31 tackles for loss and 12 sacks on the year.

5) Kicker Chris Tennant is back for his senior campaign and enters this week’s contest in the top 10 in school history in six career categories. The Wildcats’ new punter, Simon McClannan, has averaged 43.4 yards per punt this season and landed three inside the 20-yard line. Additionally, a plethora of options are available at both kickoff and punt return, including Edwards.

STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS
67 – Turnovers produced by K-State since 2021, the second-most among active Big 12 teams and tied for 10th among Power 4 teams.

62 – Number of combined kick and punt return touchdowns by the Cats since 2005, the most in the nation.

31 – Tackles for loss by the Wildcats through four games this season, which ranks 14th nationally and tops in the Big 12.

16 – Current sellout streak at Bill Snyder Family Stadium heading into Saturday’s game with Oklahoma State.

15 – K-State’s national ranking this week in both rushing offense (240.3 ypg) and rushing defense (83.3 ypg).

TEAM NOTES
BIG 12 HOME OPENERS

  • K-State holds a 17-11 record all-time in its initial Big 12 home game of the season.
  • Under head coach Chris Klieman, K-State is 3-2 in Big 12 home openers, including wins in each of the last two seasons.
  • Last year in its Big 12 opener, running back DJ Giddens ran for 207 yards and four touchdowns in addition to catching eight passes for 86 yards in K-State’s 44-31 victory over UCF.


A WINNING TRADITION

  • Kansas State has totaled 139 Big 12 victories since the conference’s formation in 1996, which stands as the most among active Big 12 programs.
  • The Cats are also second among active Big 12 members in winning percentage since non-divisional play began in 2011. They sit at 59.3% (70-48), trailing only Oklahoma State (65.2%; 77-41).
  • During that stretch, the Wildcats are 39-20 (66.1%) at home in Big 12 play and 31-28 (52.5%) on the road.

AMONG THE NATION’S BEST

  • K-State has a total of 225 victories since 1996, which is tied for 21st nationally.
  • Among active Big 12 teams, the Wildcats rank fourth behind BYU (232), Utah (232) and TCU (231).
  • Over the last 14 seasons, the Wildcats have won at least seven games 12 times.

POSTSEASON PROMINENCE

  • Kansas State has a strong history of being in the postseason, having advanced to a bowl game 24 times since 1993, including 12 times in the last 14 years.
  • K-State’s 24 bowl trips since 1993 are tied for second among active Big 12 teams with BYU and just behind West Virginia (25).
  • In an era when over 80 teams play in a bowl game each year, the Cats are one of just 16 Power 4 teams to play in a bowl game at least 12 times in the last 14 years.

ON A GOOD RUN

  • K-State is riding a streak of three-straight years of at least eight wins, its longest since 2011 (10), 2012 (11), 2013 (8) and 2014 (9).
  • The Wildcats are the only returning Big 12 team with at least eight wins in each of the last three seasons and one of 13 Power 4 programs to claim that feat.
  • K-State has 30 wins since 2021, which ranks third among active Big 12 teams behind Oklahoma State and Utah with 32 wins apiece 32.

PRESEASON EXPECTATIONS

  • For the second-straight season, Kansas State entered a season ranked in both the Associated Press Top 25 and the Coaches Poll as they checked in at No. 18 and No. 17, respectively.
  • It marked the first time the Wildcats were ranked in the Preseason AP Top 25 in consecutive years since 2003 and 2004.
  • Last season, K-State entered the year No. 16 in the AP Top 25 and No. 17 in the Coaches Poll.

AP RANKED STREAK

  • Kansas State checks in at No. 23 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 as the Wildcats have been ranked in all five AP polls this year.
  • It is the first time Kansas State has been ranked in the first five AP polls of a season since appearing in all 17 polls in 2014.
  • K-State has been ranked in the AP Top 25 on 236 occasions since 1993, the most among active Big 12 teams and ranked 22nd nationally.

RANKED STREAK

  • Kansas State was ranked No. 25 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 of 2023, marking the 12th-straight time the Cats were ranked in the CFP Top 25. That figure enters the 2024 season tied for the sixth-longest active streak.

NEW OPPONENTS

  • K-State was more busy than usual scouting the opponents on its schedule during the spring and summer months as the Wildcats are only playing four foes from last year’s schedule – Houston, Iowa State, Kansas and Oklahoma State – in 2024.
  • It is the Wildcats’ fewest amount of carryover opponents from one year to the next since only three rematches from the 1918 season to the 1919 season (Baker, Kansas and Iowa State).
  • Additionally, half of the Wildcats’ schedule is against teams in which they have not faced in at least 10 years, if ever. Those are UT Martin (First Meeting), Arizona (1978), BYU (1997), Colorado (2010), Arizona State (2002) and Cincinnati (1996).

A TRACK RECORD OF WINNING

  • A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds a 114-38 career record, as his 75.0% career winning percentage ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that have led programs for at least 10 seasons. He is also one of just 16 current Power 4 head coaches with at least 100 victories.
  • Klieman, who is 42-25 (62.7%) since arriving at K-State, has led the Cats to five victories over teams ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press Top 25, which is the most of any active Big 12 program since 2019. Next on the list is Utah with four, followed by Baylor, Oklahoma State and TCU with three apiece.

TO’s MAKE THE DIFFERENCE

  • Kansas State ranked in the top 10 nationally in turnover margin each of the last two years as the Wildcats finished eighth in 2022 and fifth in 2023.
  • It was the first time K-State finished in the top 10 in consecutive seasons since 2011 (9th) and 2012 (3rd).
  • Over the final seven weeks of the regular season and bowl season, K-State forced a nation-leading 19 turnovers (11 interceptions, eight fumbles) while only committing five (three interceptions, two fumbles).
  • K-State is on the same early-season trajectory so far in 2024 as it is minus-1 in turnover margin to rank 93rd nationally.

CATS TOPS IN NON-OFFENSIVE TDs

  • K-State is the nation’s best in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 25-plus seasons as it has 134 since 1999, nine more than the next closest team (Alabama – 125).
  • K-State has recorded three non-offensive touchdowns this season with a Ty Bowman blocked punt against UT Martin that was returned one yard for a score by Colby McCalister in addition to a Jack Fabris 60-yard fumble return at Tulane. Dylan Edwards then added a 71-yard punt return touchdown against No. 20 Arizona.
  • It was the longest streak of games with a non-offensive touchdown since the final three games of the 2019 season, while it was the first time K-State had a non-offensive touchdown in each of the first three games of a season since 2002.

COMEBACK KIDS

  • Kansas State rallied from a 20-10 halftime deficit at Tulane to take a 34-27 win in New Orleans.
  • The win was the first since last year’s KU game when trailing at halftime and also marked the first time since the 2021 Texas Tech game that the Wildcats rallied from a double-digit halftime deficit to win as they trailed 24-10 at half in that contest.

OH CAPTAIN! MY CAPTAIN!

  • K-State’s six players, as voted by their teammates, to serve as captains in 2024 are quarterback Avery Johnson, offensive lineman Hadley Panzer, linebacker Austin Moore, defensive ends Brendan Mott and Cody Stufflebean, and safety Marques Sigle.
  • Of the six captains, five are seniors and four hail from the state of Kansas. Both of those lists include Moore, a former walk-on who is a captain for a second-straight season. Mott is another former walk-on who is serving as captain.
  • Johnson is just the 10th sophomore captain in program history, joining Brooks Barta (1990), Mark Simoneau (1997), Terry Pierce (2001), Josh Freeman (2007), Alex Hrebec (2009), Collin Klein (2010), B.J. Finney (2012), Dalton Risner (2016) and Wyatt Hubert (2019).

FILL THE BILL

  • With the entire six-game 2024 home slate trending toward being sold out, K-State is currently riding a streak of 16-consecutive sellouts dating back to the beginning of 2022.
  • Kansas State is one of only three schools in the nation to rank in the top 20 of percentage of capacity filled each of the last 10 seasons, joining Ohio State and Oklahoma.
  • So far this year, K-State ranks 12th nationally by filling its stadium to 102.53% capacity.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
NEW OFFENSIVE STRUCTURE

  • K-State’s offense has new faces at the front of room as Conor Riley, the offensive line coach the last five seasons, will call plays for the first time in his career, while K-State hired former Utah State and Texas Tech head coach Matt Wells to serve as co-offensive coordinator, QB coach and associate head coach.
  • Riley was the interim offensive coordinator in K-State’s 28-19 victory over NC State in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl, a game in which the Wildcats amassed 257 rushing yards and 435 total yards on a Wolfpack defense that entered bowl season ranking No. 16 and No. 25 in those categories, respectively.
  • Wells, who boasts nine years of head coaching experience, came to Manhattan after spending the last two years at Oklahoma as an advisor to head coach/offensive analyst. In addition to coaching quarterbacks during his 27-year coaching career, Wells has also spent time tutoring wide receivers and tight ends.

TOTAL OFFENSE
• K-State has totaled at least 375 yards of offense in 25 of the last 31 games dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season. During that stretch, the Cats held a 10-game streak against Big 12 foes with 375 or more yards, the longest in school history.

TWENTY-EIGHT IS GREAT
• K-State had scored 28 or more points in 11-straight games dating back to last season prior to last week’s loss at BYU. It was the longest streak of 28-point games since the 1998-99 seasons when the Cats did so in 16 consecutive games.

RUSHING ATTACK
• Kansas State is averaging 240.3 yards per game on the ground this season, a figure that ranks 15th nationally and second in the Big 12 Conference.

  • The Cats have rushed for 215 yards or more in each game this season, including 283 yards in the opener against UT Martin.
  • Four players have had at least 10 rushing attempts and each average at least 5.0 yards per carry.

    RED ZONE SUCCESS
    • K-State was one of the nation’s leaders in turning red-zone trips into touchdowns during the 2023 season, as the Cats ranked second nationally by finding paydirt on 78.46% percent of their red-zone possessions (51-of-65).

  • K-State just narrowly finished behind Oregon State by 0.11% and would have led the nation had the Cats not been in the red zone when taking a knee to close out the Pop-Tarts Bowl win.
  • The 2024 season opened with a continuation of red-zone success under Chris Klieman, as the Wildcats rank first among active Big 12 programs by scoring on 90.6% (240-of-265) of their overall red-zone trips since 2019 with 177 touchdowns.

    NOT LACKING IN EXPERIENCE
    • Although the offensive line lost four starters from a year, the starting unit is not lacking in experience as the current starting group has totaled 93 career starts and 6,365 career snaps.

  • The leaders in those departments are North Dakota transfer tackle Easton Kilty (41 starts, 2,549 snaps), guard Hadley Panzer (30 starts, 1,969 snaps), tackle Carver Willis (11 starts, 839 snaps) and guard Taylor Poitier (seven starts, 702 snaps).

    YOUNG BUT EXPLOSIVE
    • Avery Johnson, the top dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2023, is in his first full season as K-State’s starter a year after becoming just the first true freshman signal caller in school history to start and win a bowl game. Johnson led the Wildcats to a 28-19 victory over NC State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl en route to MVP honors.

  • A member of the watch lists for the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards, Johnson was just the fifth sophomore since 1990 to start a season opener under center (Ell Roberson, 2001; Dylan Meier, 2004; Josh Freeman, 2007; Jesse Ertz, 2015).
  • Johnson threw two touchdown passes in each of the first three games this season, while he had a career-high 110 rushing yards against No. 20 Arizona. It was the most rushing yards by a K-State quarterback since Will Howard had 125 yards against Oklahoma State in 2020.
  • For his effort against UA, Johnson was named to the Davey O’Brien Award Great 8 List.

    GIDDENS GETTING IT DONE
    • Running back DJ Giddens is back for his junior season after rushing for 1,226 yards and 10 touchdowns last year in addition to hauling 29 receptions for 323 yards and three more scores.

  • His 1,226 yards a year ago ranked 10th in school history.
  • Giddens has opened the 2024 campaign with 104.3 rushing yards per game to rank sixth in the Big 12.

  1. 2,000
    • During the Arizona game, DJ Giddens went over the 2,000-yard mark in his career, the 12th player in school history to reach the milestone.
  • He was the third-fastest running back in K-State history to reach 2,000 career rushing yards, behind only Darren Sproles and Alex Barnes.
  • Giddens is just 49 yards shy of entering the school’s top-10 list for career rushing yards.

GROUND AND POUND
• DJ Giddens produced the 19th 1,000-yard rushing season in school history last year and did so on 223 carries to rank eighth in school history in yards per rush (5.50).

  • It was the third-straight season K-State had a 1,000-yard rusher, the first time doing so since 2009-11 and the first time by running backs since 2001-04.
  • A native of Junction City, Kansas, Giddens holds a career rushing average of 5.69 yards per carry to rank third in school history behind Darren Sproles (6.11; 2001-04) and Alex Barnes (5.71; 2016-18).

TDs BY ANY MANNER
• Running back Dylan Edwards has recorded four touchdowns on just 32 touches this year with two coming on the ground, one via a reception and one on a punt return.

  • He was the first Wildcat with a rushing, receiving and return touchdown over the first three games of a season since Deon Murphy did so in 2007.

DEFENSIVE NOTES
DEFENSIVE SWITCH PAYS OFF
• Since the K-State defense switched from a four-man front to a 3-3-5 alignment at the beginning of the 2021 season (44 games), the Cats are allowing just 21.1 points per game, which ranks 22nd nationally and is third among active Big 12 teams.

  • After allowing 21.0 points per game in 2021 and 21.9 points per game in 2022, K-State surrendered only 21.0 points per game in 2023. It was the first time the Wildcats strung together three-straight seasons allowing less than 22.0 points per game since going 13-straight years from 1991 to 2003.
  • The Wildcats currently are allowing 19.5 points per game this season, which is tied for 46th nationally.

BEHIND THE LINE
• K-State recorded 11 tackles for loss in each of the first two games this season and currently ranks tops in the Big 12 and 14th nationally averaging 7.8 per game through four games.

  • The Wildcats have also totaled 12 sacks over the first four contests as they are tied for the Big 12 lead and tied for 14th nationally.
  • The leader in the sack department is Brendan Mott, who is tied for 12th nationally and second in the Big 12.

UNDER AVERAGE
• K-State held each of its Big 12 opponents in 2022 and six of nine in 2023 under its season averages.

  • Since head coach Chris Klieman’s first year of 2019, the Wildcats have held 35 of their 45 Big 12 opponents under their season average at the time it faces the Wildcats.
  • Arizona came to Manhattan averaging 42 points per game, and, after scoring on its opening drive of the game, Arizona did not score again as the Cats took a 31-7 win.

CREATING TURNOVERS
• K-State has totaled 67 forced turnovers since the beginning of the 2021 season, which is the second most among active Big 12 teams and tied for 12th among Power 4 teams.

  • Of the 67 turnovers, 42 have been via interceptions to rank first among active Big 12 programs and 15th among Power 4 teams.

THIRD DOWN STOPS
• K-State did not allow any of its 13 opponents in 2023 to convert on greater than 47% of its third-down attempts, while the Wildcats have held opponents under 50% in 27 of the last 30 games dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season.

  • K-State finished the 2023 campaign ranked 11th nationally by allowing opponents to convert on just 30.0% of its third downs.
  • The Cats surrendered five or fewer third-down conversions in each of their final seven regular-season games against Texas Tech (4), TCU (2), Houston (3), Texas (2), Baylor (4), Kansas (5) and Iowa State (3).
  • K-State’s 54 third-down conversions allowed last year tied for the 12th fewest in the nation and ranked second in the Big 12.

DEFENSIVE RED ZONE SUCCESS
• The Cats were stingy when opponents entered the red zone in 2023 as they allowed touchdowns just 39.39% of the time (13-of-33), the second-best mark in the nation. The 13 touchdowns allowed also tied for the second fewest in the nation.

  • It was a dramatic improvement from the previous season when K-State ranked 108th with 67.5% of opponents’ red-zone trips resulting in touchdowns (27-of-40).

ROMAINE LEADS THE WAY
• Sophomore Austin Romaine leads the Wildcats with 27 tackles and ranks second on the squad in both tackles for loss (3.5) and sacks (2.0).

  • His sack/fumble in the fourth quarter at Tulane resulted in a 60-yard, game-winning touchdown return and came after the Green Wave had entered the red zone two plays earlier.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP
• Kansas State’s third phase this season is now under the direction of special teams quality control coach Nate Kaczor, who has served as an NFL special teams coordinator for 11 years.

  • A native of Scott City, Kansas, Kaczor is a 33-year coaching veteran who coached return and coverage units in addition to specialists for Tennessee, Tampa Bay and Washington.
  • The addition of Kaczor took on an added importance as, in June, the NCAA adopted a new rule in which any staff member may provide technical and tactical instruction to student-athletes during practice and competition.

SCORING IN THE THIRD PHASE
• The Wildcats continue to lead the nation in total return touchdowns since 2005 with 62, which is 22 more than the next closest team in Alabama (40) and 27 more than the next closest Big 12 program in Oklahoma State (34).

  • Of the 62 total returns, a nation-leading 31 are on kickoff returns, and the next closest team is Houston with 21.
  • The 2023 season marked the first time since 2004 in which the Wildcats did not score via a kickoff or punt return, but the Wildcats got off the schneid with a blocked punt that was returned for a score against UT Martin and a 71-yard punt return touchdown against Arizona.

BLOCK PARTY
• K-State totaled three blocked kicks in 2023 to rank 10th in the nation and added one in the 2024 season opener.

  • Last year was the second time under head coach Chris Klieman that the Wildcats had at least three blocks as they had four in 2020 to tie for fourth nationally.
  • K-State blocked an extra point last year at Kansas that was returned 91 yards for a defensive extra point by Keenan Garber, Marques Sigle blocked a field goal at Oklahoma State, and the Wildcats also blocked a punt at Texas.

SEVEN STRAIGHT
• Kansas State’s blocked punt against UT Martin marked the seventh-straight season the Wildcats blocked a punt, the longest streak in the nation.

  • San Diego State is second at six-straight years, while Oregon and Iowa State are tied for third at five-straight years.

NEW MAN BACK DEEP
• Sophomore transfer Dylan Edwards made a splash on just his third punt-return attempt of the season as he took one 71 yards for a touchdown against Arizona.

  • It was the Wildcats’ first non-blocked punt-return touchdown since the second game of the 2022 season.
  • He became the first K-State running back to record a punt-return touchdown since Darren Sproles took one back 63 yards against Kansas in 2003, while it was the longest by a K-State running back since David Allen had a 74-yarder at Texas in 1999.
  • For his effort against Arizona, Edwards was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week.

DEFENSE ON KICK RETURNS
• K-State has not allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown since the 2013 season, going the last 131 games and 431 returns without allowing its opponent to find paydirt.

  • The streak is the longest among the active Big 12 teams, 274 more than the next closest team (Arizona State – 157).
  • Since K-State allowed its last kickoff-return touchdown, the Wildcats have scored 14 of their own.