Kansas State Wildcats come back to beat Tulane Green Wave 34-27

The Kansas State Wildcats got all they could handle from the Tulane Green Wave in Week 2, but the 17th-ranked team in the country mounted a 10-point comeback in the second half to win 34-27.

K-State struggled on both sides of the ball in the first half. Going into the break, the Wildcats trailed 20-10 and were outgained by nearly 100 total yards offensively. Their pass defense was especially porous, allowing 216 yards to Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah in the opening 30 minutes.

Momentum swung completely in the other direction after the half, however. K-State quarterback Avery Johnson started to heat up and found running back D.J. Giddens for a deep touchdown strike to tie the game late in the third quarter.

Tulane responded with a score on its next drive, but Kansas State scored the final 14 points of the game on a touchdown by running back Dylan Edwards and a scoop-and-score fumble return by safety Jack Fabris.

The Green Wave had one final chance to tie or potentially win the game, reaching the red zone in the final minute of the game. However, an offensive pass interference penalty that negated a touchdown and an interception by Wildcats safety V.J. Payne with 12 seconds left squashed that final threat.

Johnson finished the game 15-of-23 passing for 181 yards and two touchdowns, and the sophomore from Maize also ran eight times for 40 yards. D.J. Giddens led K-State in both rushing and receiving in the victory. He recorded 114 yards on 19 carries and also caught four passes for another 63 yards and the aforementioned touchdown.

Mensah had a career game for Tulane in the losing effort, going 19-of-28 passing for 342 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.

That’s K-State’s first-ever win over Tulane; the Wildcats were 0-2 entering Saturday.

Next up for Kansas State is a return to Bill Snyder Family Stadium for a matchup with the 20th-ranked Arizona Wildcats. Despite both teams being in the Big 12, that will be a nonconference game in order to fulfill a previous scheduling agreement. That matchup is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 13 at 7:00.

For more coverage of the Kansas State Wildcats, check out 580 Sports Talk weekday afternoons from 3-6 on 580 WIBW.