K-State Returns Home for Sunflower Showdown

By K-State Athletics Release October 21, 2024

Game 8
Kansas at 16/16 K-State

Date: Saturday, October 26, 2024

Kickoff: 7 p.m.

Location: Manhattan, Kan.

Stadium: Bill Snyder Family Stadium (50,000)

Series: Kansas Leads, 64-52-5

TV: ESPN2 (watch)

Roy Philpott (Play-by-Play)

Sam Acho (Analyst)

Taylor Davis (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. 83, and on the SiriusXM App

Big 12 Radio on TuneIn

X Updates: @KStateFB and @KStateStatsInfo

THE TOP 5
1) Following a second-straight road conference win, 16th-ranked Kansas State returns home for the first time in a month as the Wildcats host in-state rival KU in the Dillons Sunflower Showdown. The sold-out game, which starts at 7 p.m., will be shown nationally on ESPN2 with Roy Philpott (play-by-play), Sam Acho (analyst) and Taylor Davis (sidelines) on the call.

 

2) Quarterback Avery Johnson is set to make his ninth career start and has thrown for 1,401 yards and 14 touchdowns on 111-of-178 aim while adding 306 rushing yards and two TDs. He is one of only seven quarterbacks in the country and the only Big 12 signal caller with at least 1,400 passing yards and 300 rushing yards this season and is coming off a career-best 298 yards through the air at West Virginia.

3) Junior running back DJ Giddens has rushed for 843 yards and four touchdowns on 127 carries to go along with 11 receptions for 182 yards and another score. Giddens ranks 10th nationally by averaging 120.4 rushing yards per game, while he is seventh in the nation in scrimmage yards per game (146.4). Giddens has averaged 6.6 yards per rush this season, which ranks 14th in the country.

4) Kansas State has nine players with 20 or more tackles this season, led by linebacker Austin Romaine, whose 51 tackles are tied for 11th in the Big 12. Senior defensive end Brendan Mott has 8.5 TFLs and 7.0 sacks, the latter ranking seventh in the nation. Five Wildcats have carded an interception this season in VJ Payne (2), Jacob Parrish, Marques Sigle (2), Jack Fabris and Keenan Garber.

5) Chris Tennant has been true on 10-of-12 field goals with his only misses coming from distances of 48 and 53 yards. Simon McClannan has averaged 42.5 yards per punt this season to rank fourth in the Big 12, while his nine punts that have ended inside the opponent 20-yard line are tied for third in the league. Dylan Edwards enters the game ranked 12th nationally with a 14.1-yard punt return average.

STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS
222.9 – Rushing yards per game this year by Kansas State, which ranks 10th in the nation and second in the Big 12.

142 – Big 12 victories by K-State since the conference’s inception in 1996, the most among active programs.

10 – National ranking of quarterback Avery Johnson with four completions of 50-plus yards this season.

6.6 – Average yards per play this season for the Wildcats against FBS competition, which leads the Big 12 Conference.

6.22 – Rushing yards per carry by K-State, which ranks third in the nation and is tops in the Big 12.

TEAM NOTES
RECENT RECAP

  • Coming off its first bye of the year, K-State earned a 31-28 triumph at Colorado before traveling to Morgantown and handling West Virginia, 45-18.
  • Against the Mountaineers, Avery Johnson threw for a career-high 298 yards and three touchdowns.
  • On defense, Marques Sigle had nine tackles, two for losses, and also registered a pick-6 in the second quarter.
  • Against the Buffs, Johnson threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, while running back DJ Giddens ran for 182 yards.
  • On defense, the Wildcats recorded 6.0 sacks – their most since 2022 – and were led by senior Brendan Mott with 2.5 sacks.
  • K-State held the Buffs to -29 yards rushing, the third-fewest rushing yards allowed by the Wildcats in school history.


HOME SWEET HOME

  • Kansas State will play a home game for the first time in nearly a month as its last home game was a 42-20 win over then-No. 20 Oklahoma State on September 28.
  • It is the second-straight season the Wildcats had a 28-day gap between home games as last year they hosted UCF on September 23 before a home game against TCU on October 21.
  • Home games have been kind to K-State over the last three years as the Cats have 14 victories, tied for the 17th most home wins in the nation over that span. That figure is also the most among active Big 12 teams.

CATS GOOD ON HOMECOMING

  • Saturday’s game serves as Homecoming, and the Wildcats are currently riding a seven-game winning streak on Homecoming games dating back to 2018.
  • K-State is 40-63-5 all-time on Homecoming, including a 27-7 mark since 1990.

BACK ON THE BOWL SCENE

  • With its sixth victory of the year last week at West Virginia, Kansas State will be playing in the postseason for a fourth-straight season and the 13th time in the last 15 years.
  • Entering the year, K-State was one of just 16 Power 4 programs to play in a bowl game at least 12 times in the previous 14 years.

AMONG THE NATION’S BEST

  • K-State has a total of 228 victories since 1996, which is tied for 21st nationally.
  • Among active Big 12 teams, the Wildcats rank fourth behind BYU (235), TCU (233) and TCU (232).
  • Over the last 14 seasons, the Wildcats have won at least seven games on 12 occasions.

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 33 wins since 2021, which is tied for 12th nationally and first among active Big 12 teams.

A WINNING TRADITION

  • Kansas State has totaled 142 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 60.3% (73-48), trailing only Oklahoma State (63.6%; 77-44).
  • During that stretch, the Wildcats are 40-20 (66.7%) at home in Big 12 play and 33-28 (54.1%) on the road.

AP RANKED STREAK

  • Kansas State checks in at No. 16 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 as the Wildcats have been ranked in all nine AP polls this year.
  • It is the first time K-State has been ranked in the first nine AP polls of a season since appearing in all 17 polls in 2014.
  • K-State has been ranked in the AP Top 25 on 240 occasions since 1993, the most among active Big 12 teams and ranked 22nd nationally.

CFP 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 is tied for the sixth-longest active streak.

NEW OPPONENTS

  • K-State is only playing four opponents from last year’s schedule – Houston, Iowa State, Kansas and Oklahoma State – in 2024.
  • It is the fewest amount of carryover opponents from one year to the next since only three rematches from 1918 to 1919.
  • 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 117-38 career record, as his 75.5% career winning percentage ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that have led programs for at least 10 seasons. He is also one of just 18 current Power 4 head coaches with at least 100 career victories.
  • Klieman, who is 45-25 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.

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, which marked the first time in the top 10 in consecutive seasons since 2011 (9th) and 2012 (3rd).
  • After sitting at minus-2 in turnover margin entering the Oklahoma State game, the Wildcats are now plus-2 on the year.

TOP-NOTCH DISCIPLINE

  • Kansas State enters the week ranked 20th nationally with only 42.7 penalty yards per game.
  • The Wildcats are looking for their fourth-straight season under 50.0 penalty yards per game, which would be their longest since staying under that mark from 2010 through 2015.

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 135 since 1999, 10 more than the next closest team (Alabama – 125).
  • K-State has recorded four non-offensive scores this season, its most since also recording four in 2020.
  • The four non-offensive TDs this year are: a Ty Bowman blocked punt against UT Martin that was returned for a score by Colby McCalister, a 60-yard rumble return by Jack Fabris at Tulane, a 71-yard punt return by Dylan Edwards against Arizona, and a 43-yard interception return by Marques Sigle at West Virginia.

COMEBACK KIDS

  • K-State trailed 28-24 at Colorado before the game-winning TD with 2:14 left. It was the first time since the 2018 KU game that the Cats won after trailing with less than five minutes left.
  • Earlier this season at Tulane, Kansas State rallied from a 20-10 halftime deficit to take a 34-27 win. It was the first time since the 2021 Texas Tech game that the Wildcats rallied from a double-digit halftime deficit to win. That year against the Red Raiders, the Cats trailed 24-10 at half before earning a 25-24 win.

FILL THE BILL

  • With the entire six-game 2024 home slate trending toward being sold out, K-State is currently riding a streak of 17-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 10th nationally by filling its stadium to 102.85% capacity.

OFFENSIVE NOTES
GROUND AND POUND

  • K-State enters this week’s matchup ranking 10th nationally and second in the Big 12 by averaging 222.9 rushing yards per game, while the Cats are third in the country and tops in the Big 12 by averaging 6.22 rushing yards per carry.
  • K-State’s school record for rushing yards per game is 264.1 yards in 2002, while its record for average yards per rush is 5.27 yards in 2016.
  • The average is driven by 55 rushes of at least 10 yards to tie for third in the nation, while K-State’s eight rushing plays of 30 or more yards this season are tied for sixth in the country.
  • The Cats have rushed for at least 200 yards in five games this year, one of only six teams in the nation (joining Army, Boise State, Iowa, Navy and Oregon State) to accomplish the feat.

ONE OF ONLY TWO
• Four K-State players have had at least 10 rushing attempts and each average at least 6.0 yards per carry.

  • Headlining that group is DJ Giddens, Avery Johnson and Dylan Edwards with 6.6 yards per rush, 6.0 and 6.4 yards per rush, respectively. K-State is one of just two programs to have three active players to average at least 6.0 yards on at least 35 attempts (Notre Dame: Jadarian Price, Jeremiyah Love, Riley Leonard).
  • Giddens and Johnson are the only Power 4 teammates to each record 18 or more rushes of at least 10 yards.

    TOTAL OFFENSE
    • K-State has totaled at least 375 yards of offense in 28 of the last 34 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 has scored at least 28 or more points in 14 of its last 15 games, its most over a 15-game stretch since doing so over a 16-game streak that spanned the final eight games of 1998 and first eight games of 1999.

    RED ZONE SUCCESS
    • The 2024 season is a continuation of red-zone success under Chris Klieman, as the Wildcats rank first among active Big 12 programs by scoring on 90.6% (251-of-277) of their overall red-zone trips since 2019 with 188 touchdowns (67.9%).

  • Last season, the Cats ranked second nationally by finding paydirt on 78.5% of their red-zone possessions (51-of-65), and they narrowly finished behind Oregon State by 0.11%. K-State would have led the nation last year had the Cats not been in the red zone when taking a knee to close out the Pop-Tarts Bowl win.
  • K-State enters play this week ranked 20th nationally and fourth in the Big 12 in red zone scoring at 92.3% (24-of-26) with one of those failed attempts being a kneel down at the end of the West Virginia game.

    RED ZONE THREATS
    • Kansas State’s tight end unit has combined for eight touchdown receptions this year, tied for the most in the nation.

  • Four K-State tight ends have two scores apiece in as Will Anciaux, Brayden Loftin, Garrett Oakley and Will Swanson.

    OFFENSIVE LINE STEPPING UP
    • Although the offensive line lost four starters from a year, the current group is stepping up. In addition to its rushing rankings, K-State is also ninth nationally and leads the Big 12 with fewest tackles for loss allowed (3.43 per game).

  • Despite limited starts at K-State entering the season, the current starting unit is experienced overall as the six players that have made start this year have combined for 108 starts and 7,518 career offensive snaps. The leaders in those departments are on the left side in tackle Easton Kilty (44 starts, 2,729 snaps) and guard Hadley Panzer (33 starts, 2,136 snaps).

    BY AIR AND GROUND
    • Quarterback Avery Johnson was the top dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2023, and he’s putting that on display during his true sophomore season as he is one of only seven quarterbacks nationally and the only Big 12 player with at least 1,400 rushing yards and 300 passing yards.

  • If he were to stay at his current averages, Johnson would end the regular season as just the 23rd quarterback in Big 12 history with at least 2,400 passing yards and 500 rushing yards. Three other Wildcats have hit those marks – Michael Bishop (1998), Ell Roberson (2003) and Collin Klein (2012).

    MULTIPLE TDs
    • Avery Johnson threw for three touchdowns and rushed for two others in K-State’s 42-20 victory over No. 20 Oklahoma State en route to Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors.

  • He was the first K-State signal caller to have at least three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a conference game since Collin Klein at West Virginia in 2012.
  • A product of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson produced just the 30th such game against a ranked opponent since 1996, including just the ninth by a Big 12 player. Johnson and TCU quarterback Max Duggan (2022 vs. Oklahoma) are the only two Big 12 signal callers to accomplish the feat since 2018.

HIGHLY EFFICIENT
• Avery Johnson put together a passing efficiency mark of 186.0 at West Virginia, the highest by a Wildcat (min. 25 att.) since Skylar Thompson against LSU in the 2021 Texas Bowl (188.1). It was also the highest by a K-State signal caller in a road game since Thompson at Oklahoma in 2020 (197.4), while it is the second-highest mark in a Big 12 road game this year.

  • Johnson enters this week ranked fourth in the Big 12 and ninth in school history with a 148.8 pass efficiency rating. His 147.0 career mark currently ranks fourth in K-State history.

GIDDENS GETTING IT DONE
• Running back DJ Giddens has averaged 120.4 rushing yards per game this season to rank 10th in the country, while he is seventh with 146.4 scrimmage yards per game.

  • Giddens’ current rushing average per game ranks third in school history, and that figure is buoyed by 10 rushes of at least 20 yards to tie for fourth in the nation.
  • Additionally, Giddens is the only player in the country with two runs 50 or more yards and two receptions of at least 40 yards.

UP THE CAREER CHARTS
• DJ Giddens enters this week’s game with 2,587 career rushing yards, which ranks seventh in school history, while his 5.89 career yards per rush ranks second at K-State only behind Darren Sproles (6.11; 2001-04).

  • A native of nearby Junction City, Kansas, Giddens also ranks in the top 10 in program history for a career in rushing yards per game (5th; 76.1), receiving yards by a running back (5th; 603) and 100-yard rushing games (T6th; 10).

DEFENSIVE NOTES
LIMITED POINTS PER GAME
• Since the K-State defense switched from a four-man front to a 3-3-5 alignment at the beginning of the 2021 season (46 games), the Cats are allowing just 21.2 points per game, which ranks 20th nationally and is third among active Big 12 teams.

  • Additionally, the Wildcats have only allowed 111 offensive touchdowns over that time, which is tied for 18th in the nation.
  • The Wildcats have finished each of the three previous seasons by allowing less than 22.0 points per game, their longest streak since going 13-straight year from 1991 through 2003.
  • Since head coach Chris Klieman’s first year of 2019, the Wildcats have held 38 of their 48 Big 12 opponents under their season average at the time it faces the Wildcats.

BEHIND THE LINE
• K-State enters this week’s game ranked 18th nationally and second in the Big 12 with 2.86 sacks per game, while they are second in the conference with 6.6 tackles for loss per game.

  • The Wildcats have tallied at least 4.0 tackles for loss in six games this year – including 11 TFLs in each of the first two contests – while they have at least two sacks in four contests – including a season-high six at Colorado.

HIGH SACK YARDAGE
• Kansas State’s six sacks at Colorado resulted in 74 yards of loss, the fourth-most ever in a Big 12 game and second most by any Big 12 team in any game since 2012.

  • It was the most sack yardage accumulated by the Wildcats since at least 1995. Their previous best over that timeframe was 72 yards against Baylor in 2002.
  • The Wildcats have accumulated 174 lost yards via sacks, which ranks fourth in the nation.

STINGY AGAINST THE RUN
• K-State enters this week ranking fifth in the country by allowing only 83.1 rushing yards per game.

  • The Cats have not surrendered more than 152 rushing yards in a game this season, while they have limited opponents to under 100 rushing yards four times, including -29 at Colorado.
  • It was the fewest rushing yards allowed by an FBS team this season, the fewest allowed in a Big 12 game since 2006 and the third-fewest allowed by any team in the nation over the last seven seasons.

CREATING TURNOVERS
• K-State has totaled 73 forced turnovers since the beginning of the 2021 season, which ranks second among active Big 12 teams and 13th among Power 4 teams.

  • Of the 73 turnovers, 47 have been via interceptions to rank second among active Big 12 programs and tie for 12th among Power 4 teams.

DEFENSIVE RED ZONE SUCCESS
• The Cats allowed only 39.39% (13-of-33) of opponent red zone opportunities to turn into touchdowns a year ago, and the Wildcats are at it again this season.

  • Through seven games, K-State’s red-zone touchdown percentage of 47.6% (10-of-21) ranks 21st in the nation.
  • The defense’s performance in the red zone over the last two seasons is a stark difference from 2022 when K-State ranked 108th at 67.5% (27-of-40).

OFF THE EDGE
• Sixth-year senior Brendan Mott is making the most of his final year of college football as he ranks seventh nationally and tops in the Big 12 with 1.00 sacks per game.

  • Mott also ranks second in the Big 12 with 1.21 tackles for loss per game.
  • A former walk-on from Iowa City, Iowa, Mott began the season with at least 1.0 TFL in each of the first six games. It was the longest streak by a Wildcat to open a season since defensive end Jordan Willis had a seven-game streak to begin the 2016 campaign.

ROMAINE LEADS THE WAY
• Sophomore Austin Romaine leads the Wildcats and is tied for 10th in the Big 12 with 51 tackles, while he ranks second on the squad in sacks (2.0) and third in tackles for loss (4.0).

  • A native of Hillsboro, Missouri, Romaine had two sacks at Tulane, the second of which caused a fumble that was returned for a 60-yard, game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.

SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
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.

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 28 more than the next closest Big 12 programs, Oklahoma State and TCU (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.

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.
  • Edwards enters the week ranked 12th in the nation with a 14.1-yard average.

DEFENSE ON KICK RETURNS
• K-State has not allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown since the 2013 season, going the last 145 games and 439 returns without allowing its opponent to find paydirt.

  • The streak is the longest among the active Big 12 teams, 278 more than the next closest team (Arizona State – 161).
  • Since K-State allowed its last kickoff-return touchdown, the Wildcats have scored 14 of their own.