Chris Tennant tied his career long with a 51-yard field goal in the final two minutes, helping No. 16 Kansas State to a 29-27 victory over in-state rival Kansas on Saturday in Manhattan, Kan.
Kansas State extended its winning streak over Kansas to 16 games.
Avery Johnson was 19-of-34 passing for 253 yards and two touchdowns for the Wildcats (7-1, 4-1 Big 12). Johnson also had a rushing touchdown.
Kansas State opened the second half with a quick scoring drive, capped by Johnson’s 10-yard TD run. The big play on the drive was a 54-yard run by DJ Giddens.
Kansas (2-6, 1-4) answered with Devin Neal’s 24-yard rushing touchdown. The extra-point attempt hit the upright, making the score 23-20 in favor of the Wildcats. Neal’s touchdown was the 44th of his career, making him the all-time TD leader in Kansas history.
Jalon Daniels later put Kansas ahead 27-23 on an 8-yard touchdown run up the middle with 36 seconds left in the third quarter.
Kansas State drew within 27-26 on a 28-yard field goal by Tennant early in the fourth quarter.
Kansas State went for it on fourth-and-12 from the Kansas 42 with just over four minutes left. An incomplete pass gave the ball back to the Jayhawks. But Daniels fumbled and Kansas State got the ball at the Kansas 48 with 3:44 left. The Wildcats’ drive lasted 2:02 and ended with Tennant’s 51-yard field goal with 1:42 left.
Daniels’ rush on fourth down with a minute left was short, and the Wildcats held on.
Kansas opened the scoring with an 11-play, 75-yard drive on its first possession. Sevion Morrison bounced around the right end for a 38-yard touchdown to cap the march.
Kansas State later answered with a 13-play, 95-yard drive. Johnson hit tight end Will Anciaux with a 24-yard touchdown pass.
On the ensuing kickoff, Kansas returner Jameel Croft Jr. caught the ball at his own 1-yard line before stepping out of bounds. On the next play, Neal was stopped in the backfield for a safety. On the next drive, Johnson found another tight end, Garrett Oakley, for a 2-yard touchdown on a jump pass for a 16-7 lead.
Kansas responded with a 10-yard touchdown pass from Daniels to Luke Grimm to cap a 75-yard drive. The Jayhawks appeared to be driving for a go-ahead score late in the first half when Daniels threw an interception in the end zone.
Daniels finished with 209 yards, the TD and the pick on 18-of-31 passing.
–Field Level Media
