A very frustrating game ended with a K-State loss, as Arizona State comes to Manhattan and put an end to K-State’s Big 12 champs hopes. The Wildcats made mistakes from the start, and could never recover from it, as they fell to Arizona, 24-14.
K-State’s problems started on the opening drive by K-State. On the second play from scrimmage, Avery Johnson was picked off by an Arizona State defender, leading to great field position. The Sun Devils faced a long 3rd down on their next drive, but quarterback Sam Leavitt connected with a wide-open Jordyn Tyson for a touchdown.
K-State got rare offensive momentum later in the first half, but a Jayce Brown fumble paused the drive. Just as they did all night, the Sun Devils took advantage of K-State’s mistakes and made them pay. Leavitt would find Tyson again to double the Sun Devils lead.
Later in the half, Leavitt found Chamon Metayer for another touchdown to push the lead to 21-0. The Wildcats had something going for them to end the half, but they were forced to settle for a field goal. The long snapper was a problem at Houston, and it was a bigger problem tonight. A bad snap led to no field goal and a 21-0 deficit at half.
The Sun Devils opened up the second half with a field goal, but that’d be all the scoring for them tonight. They gave the Wildcats an opportunity, but a 24-point deficit was too much to overcome.
Johnson and the rest of the offense finally showed some life with back-to-back touchdowns. Johnson rushed one in for 10 yards, and Joe Jackson scored on a four-yard run to cut the Sun Devils lead to ten.
The Wildcats got the ball back with 5:31 left on the clock and had a promising drive. They were forced to settle for a field goal as history repeated itself. K-State brought in a different long snapper, but another botched snap led to a missed field goal.
The loss ends K-State’s hopes of making the Big 12 Championship Game and, potentially, the College Football Playoff. The Wildcats will play their final home game of the season next week against Cincinnati.
