MANHATTAN, Kan. — In an exciting showdown, Avery Johnson led the No. 16 Kansas State Wildcats to a thrilling 29-27 win against their arch-rival Kansas on Saturday night, securing their 16th consecutive victory over the Jayhawks. Johnson excelled in the game, throwing two touchdown passes and also scoring on the ground, while Chris Tennant nailed a clutch 51-yard field goal with just 1:42 remaining on the clock.
D.J. Giddens was another standout for the Wildcats, rushing for an impressive 102 yards. This win improved Kansas State’s record to 7-1 overall and 4-1 in the Big 12, keeping their hopes alive for a conference title and a potential spot in the College Football Playoff.
Kansas, now with a record of 2-6 and 1-4 in the conference, fought hard to stay in the game. After Tennant’s long field goal, Daniels and the Jayhawks managed to gain quick yardage for a first down. However, after a series of incomplete passes, Daniels was unable to connect on fourth down, allowing Kansas State to regain possession and wind down the clock.
Daniels threw for 209 yards, contributing two touchdown passes but also making an interception. Devin Neal added 66 rushing yards and a touchdown to the Jayhawks’ efforts.
Kansas started the game strong with a 75-yard drive that resulted in an early touchdown. However, a missed opportunity occurred just moments later, as senior wide receiver Quentin Skinner dropped a potential 49-yard touchdown pass from Daniels, leading to a punt.
Capitalizing on this miscue, Kansas State orchestrated a 95-yard drive to equalize the score. Following that, a critical mistake occurred when Kansas freshman Jameel Croft Jr. caught the ensuing kickoff at the 1-yard line but then inadvertently stepped out of bounds, leading to a safety on the next play. Kansas State quickly took the lead by completing a 59-yard scoring drive shortly thereafter.
As the game progressed, Daniels’ composure helped Kansas stay competitive, culminating in a touchdown pass to Luke Grimm that put the Jayhawks within 16-14 at halftime. The second half saw both teams exchanging touchdowns, with the Jayhawks reclaiming the lead late in the third quarter thanks to a touchdown run from Daniels, marking the second consecutive game they had led against Kansas State in the second half.
With only 3:44 remaining and Kansas holding a narrow 27-26 lead, things took a turn when Daniels, attempting to evade defenders, lost the football. Kansas State’s Brendan Mott was quick to recover the fumble, giving the Wildcats one last opportunity. They moved the ball effectively to set up Tennant’s crucial field goal inside the final two minutes, ultimately sealing the victory.
Despite moments of dominance throughout the game, Kansas struggled with turnovers, with Daniels having two that hurt their chances. The Wildcats totaled 479 yards of offense but faced challenges on third downs. They were also poised to score a touchdown in the fourth quarter but settled for a low-risk field goal instead, which nearly proved costly.
Looking ahead, Kansas will face No. 10 Iowa State on November 9 at Arrowhead Stadium, while Kansas State prepares for a matchup against Houston next Saturday.