View From The Press Box: #23 K-State Bounces Back With Home Win Over #20 Oklahoma State

The twenty-third-ranked Kansas State Wildcats rebounded from their difficult loss at BYU last Saturday with a win in their Big 12 Conference home opener, defeating the twentieth-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys 42-20. K-State improved to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12 with the win, and dropped OSU to 3-2 and 0-2 in the league.

580 Sports Talk’s Dan Lucero was in attendance at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and has his observations from the contest:

1. This game, like the BYU game the week prior, seemed on the verge of going south in a hurry on the Wildcats, after a horrid interception thrown by Avery Johnson gave Oklahoma State the ball in K-State territory with a 10-7 lead in the second quarter. But unlike in Provo, the Wildcat defense held up facing a short field and forced the Cowboys to settle for a field goal and a 13-7 advantage. The inability to pick up the offense after their turnovers was a point of frustration for Chris Klieman after the BYU loss, and the defense responded well on that drive and throughout this game. K-State took the lead on their next drive and never relinquished it.
2. I’m as baffled by some of the play-calling at the next person. It feels like they’re doing too much drop-back passing and not enough designed running for Johnson. It felt today like they were trying to force-feed Dylan Edwards in the running game at the expense of DJ Giddens, who OSU absolutely could not tackle. And I think they’re a little too pass-happy on first downs. But then you look at the results – outstanding balance, huge games for Johnson (19-for-31 for 259 yards passing with three TDs, plus 60 rushing yards and two TDs on five attempts) and Giddens (15 carries for 187 yards and a score, plus a 22-yard reception), and an easy win.
3. Speaking of Johnson, interception aside, this was his best game yet, I thought. He looked more comfortable in the pocket and in play-action and hit on some big throws down the field, none bigger than the 55-yard TD to Jayce Brown in the second quarter. I still want to see him run the ball more because, with all due respect to Giddens and Edwards, I believe Johnson is K-State’s best runner of the ball. But I do think they’ll eventually find an appropriate balance, and as Avery’s improvement as a passer continues, he and the K-State offense will be better for it.
4. There were some concerning moments early for the defense, with Cowboys star running back Ollie Gordon looking like the Heisman Trophy candidate he was promised to be in gaining 85 yards of total offense in the first quarter of the game. But Gordon managed just 11 total yards the rest of the way and K-State started getting off the field on third down. Interceptions by Marques Sigle and Jacob Parrish put a halt to promising OSU drives as well. Parrish’s pick in particular, in one-on-one coverage on a deep fade to the end zone, showed why I think he has the ability to be one of the best corners in the Big 12. In the end, K-State gave up just one touchdown prior to garbage time, and it came on a trick play.
5. It’s early yet, but home field advantage appears to be a pretty big deal for the Wildcats. Their best football has come in Manhattan, with comprehensive victories over Arizona and Oklahoma State, while they struggled in their win over Tulane in New Orleans and completely crashed out in their loss at BYU. With a young quarterback and a new play-calling hierarchy, it’s not entirely surprising that they’ve appeared more comfortable on offense at home. But the defense will have to bottle up the things that have made them successful at Bill Snyder Family Stadium and bring them with them on their subsequent Big 12 road trips.

Watch Dan’s instant reaction video from Bill Snyder Family Stadium: