Manhattan
A 41-28 victory over TCU had to feel therapeutic for the Kansas State football team on Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
After weeks of frustrating results, the Wildcats finally flexed their muscles and celebrated a drama-free win in front of their home crowd.
The ball rarely seemed to bounce K-State’s way during the first half of the season. But that changed in a big way when the Wildcats (3-4, 2-2 Big 12) scored on a pair of defensive touchdowns, courtesy of Wesley Fair and Desmond Purnell, against the Horned Frogs (4-2, 1-2 Big 12).
Add that to a productive day from quarterback Avery Johnson (198 yards and three touchdowns) and running back Joe Jackson (110 yards on 21 carries) and K-State had more than enough to do something that hasn’t happened much this season — win easily.
The Wildcats will next be in action in two weeks on the road against the Kansas Jayhawks. Until then, here are some takeaways from Saturday’s action:
K-State fans have reason to hope
Look, no one was happy about the way K-State started this year.
Dropping the season-opener against Iowa State in Dublin was a major disappointment for all the fans who traveled to Ireland for the game. And a 2-4 start, which featured four losses by a combined 13 points, felt like a prolonged nightmare.
But K-State has looked like an improved team during its past three games. If it continues to play this way, it will have opportunities to add quality wins to its resume. Up next is the Sunflower Showdown at Kansas. Texas Tech, the current bully of the Big 12, comes to Manhattan after that.
Much will be forgiven if the Wildcats can go on a winning streak.
Will that be easy to do? No. But after a game like this, that feels within the realm of possibility.
Garrett Oakley keeps catching touchdowns
The junior tight end is rapidly becoming one of Avery Johnson’s favorite targets.
Oakley caught four passes for 71 yards and two touchdowns against TCU, which is a notable stat line on its own. But this is not the first time that Oakley has found the end zone for the Wildcats. It is also not the first time he has celebrated with a fun dance afterward.
He has now scored a touchdown in three straight games.
Johnson likes to look his way whenever they are in the red zone. That strategy has paid off lately.
Oakley has caught at least one pass in every game, and his role within the offense continues to grow.
Wesley Fair was in the right place at the right time
Not every touchdown requires a jaw-dropping play of athleticism.
K-State defensive back Wesley Fair proved as much late in the second quarter when he scooped up a loose ball and carried it 15 yards into the end zone while many other players on the field were confused about what was happening.
Credit Fair for making a heads-up play.
Here’s what happened: TCU quarterback Josh Hoover sent a short pass to DJ Rogers in the flats, but he was unable to haul it in for a catch. The pass turned out to be a lateral, which gave Fair an opportunity to pick up the ball and score after it fell incomplete. TCU players didn’t exert much effort to stop Fair, because they assumed Hoover had thrown a forward pass instead of a lateral.
Fair was wise enough to make a play and let the officials sort things out later.
The ball hasn’t bounced K-State’s way many times this season. But it certainly did in that situation.
Desmond Purnell gave K-State another defensive score
Kansas State’s odds of defeating TCU skyrocketed early in the third quarter when Desmond Purnell intercepted a pass from Hoover and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown.
Not only did the nifty play give the Wildcats a commanding 21-7 lead, it gave them multiple defensive touchdowns for the day.
Winning becomes exponentially easier when you get 14 points from your defense.
That was an uplifting moment for K-State and an equally crushing development for TCU. Both offenses had scored seven points apiece, but the Wildcats were on top for other reasons.
This marked the first time that K-State returned a fumble and an interception for touchdowns in the same game since 2023.
Purnell made it an even better day for him when he grabbed an interception in the fourth quarter.
Joe Jackson had another productive game
The Wildcats will miss starting running back Dylan Edwards for however long he remains out with injuries. On Saturday, he watched from the sideline with a walking boot on his right foot.
But K-State has been getting solid production from Joe Jackson.
Last week, Jackson eclipsed 100 total yards as a versatile playmaker. This week, he rushed for 110 yards on 27 carries with a long of 21 yards.
He may not be as dynamic as Edwards in the backfield, but he can run with both speed and power. He can also catch the ball in the flats and make things happen in space.
The Wildcats have found a capable replacement until Edwards is able to return.
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Kellis Robinett
The Wichita Eagle
Kellis Robinett covers Kansas State athletics for The Wichita Eagle and The Kansas City Star. A winner of more than a dozen national writing awards, he lives in Manhattan with his wife and four children.
