Game 6
K-State at Colorado
Date: Saturday, October 12, 2024
Kickoff: 9:15 p.m. (CT)
Location: Boulder, Colo.
Stadium: Folson Field (50,183)
Series: Colorado Leads, 45-20-1
TV: ESPN (watch)
Mark Jones (Play-by-Play)
Roddy Jones (Analyst)
Quint Kessenich (Sidelines)
Radio: K-State Sports Network; 1350kman.com/listen
Wyatt Thompson (Play-by-Play)
Stan Weber (Analyst)
Matt Walters (Sidelines)
X Updates: @KStateFB and @KStateStatsInfo
THE TOP 5
1) Following a dominating 42-20 home victory over No. 20 Oklahoma State and a bye, No. 18 Kansas State heads to Boulder, Colorado, for the first time since 2010 to renew a Big 8/12 rivalry against Colorado. The game, which starts at 9:15 p.m. (CT), will be shown nationally on ESPN with Mark Jones (play-by-play), Roddy Jones (analyst) and Quint Kessenich (sidelines) on the call.
2) Quarterback, Avery Johnson is set to make his seventh career start under center and has thrown for 879 yards and nine touchdowns on 77-of-126 aim while adding 321 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He is one of only eight quarterbacks in the country, one of three Power 4 quarterbacks and the only Big 12 player with at least 800 passing yards and 300 rushing yards this season.
3) Junior running back DJ Giddens has rushed for 604 yards and two touchdowns on 83 carries to go along with eight receptions for 91 yards and another score. Giddens ranks seventh nationally by averaging 120.8 yards per game, while he is 10th nationally in all-purpose yards per game (139.00). Giddens has averaged 7.28 yards per rush this season, which ranks eighth in the country.
4) Kansas State has nine players with 15 or more tackles this season, led by linebacker Austin Romaine’s 34 tops. He ranks second on the team in both tackles for loss (4.0) and sacks (2.0) behind senior defensive end Brendan Mott, who has 5.5 TFLs and 4.0 sacks. Four Wildcats have carded an interception this season – Jacob Parrish, VJ Payne, Marques Sigle and Keenan Garber.
5)Chris Tennant has been true on 8-of-10 field goals with his only misses coming from distances of 48 and 53 yards. Simon McClannan has averaged 42.6 yards per punt this season to rank fourth in the Big 12, while his seven punts that have ended inside the opponent 20-yard line are tied for third in the league. Dylan Edwards enters the game ranked ninth nationally with a 16.0-yard punt return average.
STATISTICAL SPOTLIGHTS
252.2 – Rushing yards per game this year by Kansas State, which ranks seventh in the nation and second in the Big 12.
140 – Big 12 victories by K-State since the conference’s inception in 1996, the most among active programs.
8 – Number of rushing plays of at least 30 yards by K-State this season, which is tied for fourth nationally.
6.93 – Rushing yards per carry by K-State, which ranks second in the nation and is tops in the Big 12 by 1.26 yards.
1 – Quarterback/running back duos in the nation with a rushing average higher than 7.0 – Avery Johnson and DJ Giddens.
TEAM NOTES
RECENT RECAP
• Kansas State bounced back from a setback at BYU with a 42-20 victory over No. 20 Oklahoma State its last time out on September 28.
• The Wildcats accumulated 559 yards of total offense on the Cowboys, which included 300 rushing yards on just 34 carries – good for an 8.8-yard average.
• Quarterback Avery Johnson became the first K-State quarterback since Collin Klein in 2012 (at West Virginia) to tally at least three passing touchdowns and two rushing scores in a Big 12 game.
• After surrendering a field goal on a short field early in the second quarter, the K-State defense did not allow a score over the next 10 Cowboy possessions, which included a fumble recovery and pair of interceptions.
• The Cowboys recorded 72 rushing yards in the first quarter, but the Wildcat defense limited OSU to just 54 rushing yards the remainder of the game.
BIG 12 ROAD TESTS
• K-State is looking to get back to its winning ways on the road in the Big 12 as the Wildcats held a 4-1 conference road record in 2022 on their way to a Big 12 Championship.
• Last season, Kansas State was 2-2 in Big 12 road games, while it lost its only conference road game thus far in 2024.
• Although winning on the road in the Big 12 has proven difficult for every program, Kansas State leads active conference teams with 57 Big 12 road wins since the league’s inception in 1996. Oklahoma State is second on the list with 55 wins.
BYE WEEK BLUES
• Kansas State is looking to reverse its recent fortunes in games played after bye weeks as the Wildcats are just 3-5 in their last eight chances, including losses in each of the last three.
• Of the last eight games following a bye week, five have been road games, and this year the Wildcats come out of their first bye with consecutive road games at Colorado and West Virginia.
AMONG THE NATION’S BEST
• K-State has a total of 226 victories since 1996, which ranks 22nd nationally.
• Among active Big 12 teams, the Wildcats rank fourth behind BYU (233), Utah (232) and TCU (232).
• Over the last 14 seasons, the Wildcats have won at least seven games 12 times.
ON A GOOD RUN
• K-State is riding a streak of three-straight years of at least eight wins, its longest since 2011 (10), 2012 (11), 2013 (8) and 2014 (9).
• The Wildcats are the only returning Big 12 team with at least eight wins in each of the last three seasons and one of 13 Power 4 programs to claim that feat.
• K-State has 31 wins since 2021, which ranks third among active Big 12 teams behind Oklahoma State and Utah with 32 wins apiece.
A WINNING TRADITION
• Kansas State has totaled 140 Big 12 victories since the conference’s formation in 1996, which stands as the most among active Big 12 programs.
• The Cats are also second among active Big 12 members in winning percentage since non-divisional play began in 2011. They sit at 59.7% (71-48), trailing only Oklahoma State (64.2%; 77-43).
• During that stretch, the Wildcats are 40-20 (66.7%) at home in Big 12 play and 31-28 (52.5%) on the road.
AP RANKED STREAK
• Kansas State checks in at No. 18 in this week’s Associated Press Top 25 as the Wildcats have been ranked in all seven AP polls this year.
• It is the first time K-State has been ranked in the first seven AP polls of a season since appearing in all 17 polls in 2014.
• K-State has been ranked in the AP Top 25 on 238 occasions since 1993, the most among active Big 12 teams and ranked 22nd nationally.
CFP RANKED STREAK
• Kansas State was ranked No. 25 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 of 2023, marking the 12th-straight time the Cats were ranked in the CFP Top 25. That figure is tied for the sixth-longest active streak.
NEW OPPONENTS
• K-State is only playing four opponents from last year’s schedule – Houston, Iowa State, Kansas and Oklahoma State – in 2024.
• It is the fewest amount of carryover opponents from one year to the next since only three rematches from 1918 to 1919.
• Additionally, half of the Wildcats’ schedule is against teams in which they have not faced in at least 10 years, if ever. Those are UT Martin (First Meeting), Arizona (1978), BYU (1997), Colorado (2010), Arizona State (2002) and Cincinnati (1996).
A TRACK RECORD OF WINNING
• A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds a 115-38 career record, as his 75.2% career winning percentage ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that have led programs for at least 10 seasons. He is also one of just 17 current Power 4 head coaches with at least 100 victories.
• Klieman, who is 43-25 (63.2%) since arriving at K-State, has led the Cats to five victories over teams ranked in the top 10 of the Associated Press Top 25, which is the most of any active Big 12 program since 2019. Next on the list is Utah with four, followed by Baylor, Oklahoma State and TCU with three apiece.
TO’s MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
• Kansas State ranked in the top 10 nationally in turnover margin each of the last two years as the Wildcats finished eighth in 2022 and fifth in 2023, which marked the first time in the top 10 in consecutive seasons since 2011 (9th) and 2012 (3rd).
• After sitting at minus-2 in turnover margin entering the Oklahoma State game, the Wildcats are now even on the year.
TOP-NOTCH DISCIPLINE
• Kansas State enters the week ranked 12th nationally with only 36.8 penalty yards per game.
• The Wildcats are looking for their fourth-straight season under 50.0 penalty yards per game, which would be their longest since staying under that mark from 2010 through 2015.
CATS TOPS IN NON-OFFENSIVE TDs
• K-State is the nation’s best in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 25-plus seasons as it has 134 since 1999, nine more than the next closest team (Alabama – 125).
• K-State has recorded three non-offensive scores this season with a Ty Bowman blocked punt against UT Martin that was returned one yard for a score by Colby McCalister in addition to a Jack Fabris 60-yard fumble return at Tulane. Dylan Edwards then added a 71-yard punt return against Arizona.
• It was the longest streak of games with a non-offensive touchdown since the final three games of the 2019 season, while it was the first time K-State had a non-offensive touchdown in each of the first three games of a season since 2002.
COMEBACK KIDS
• Kansas State rallied from a 20-10 halftime deficit at Tulane to take a 34-27 win in New Orleans.
• The win was the first since last year’s KU game when trailing at halftime and also marked the first time since the 2021 Texas Tech game that the Wildcats rallied from a double-digit halftime deficit to win as they trailed 24-10 at half in that contest.
FILL THE BILL
• With the entire six-game 2024 home slate trending toward being sold out, K-State is currently riding a streak of 17-consecutive sellouts dating back to the beginning of 2022.
• Kansas State is one of only three schools in the nation to rank in the top 20 of percentage of capacity filled each of the last 10 seasons, joining Ohio State and Oklahoma.
• So far this year, K-State ranks 10th nationally by filling its stadium to 102.85% capacity.
OFFENSIVE NOTES
GROUND AND POUND
• Kansas State enters this week’s matchup at Colorado ranking seventh nationally and second in the Big 12 by averaging 252.2 rushing yards per game, while the Cats are second in the country and tops in the Big 12 in rushing yards per carry (6.93).
• K-State’s school record for rushing yards per game is 264.1 yards in 2002, while its record for average yards per rush is 5.27 yards in 2016.
• The average is driven by 43 rushes of at least 10 yards to tie for fifth in the nation, while K-State’s eight rushing plays of 30 or more yards this season are tied for fourth in the country.
• The Cats have rushed for at least 200 yards in each of the last seven games dating back to last season, their longest streak since the final seven games of the 2016 season.
ONLY DUO IN THE NATION
• Four K-State players have had at least 10 rushing attempts and each average at least 5.0 yards per carry.
• Headlining that group is DJ Giddens and Avery Johnson with both averaging 7.3 yards per rush. K-State has the only quarterback/running back duo in the country to average at least 7.0 yard per rush on at least 40 attempts.
TOTAL OFFENSE
• K-State has totaled at least 375 yards of offense in 26 of the last 32 games dating back to the beginning of the 2022 season.
• During that stretch, the Cats held a 10-game streak against Big 12 foes with 375 or more yards, the longest in school history.
TWENTY-EIGHT IS GREAT
• K-State has scored at least 28 or more points in 12 of its last 13 games, its most over a 13-game stretch since also doing so 12 times over the 2013 and 2014 seasons.
• Included in the current stretch of games was an 11-game streak, which was the longest since the 1998-99 seasons when the Cats did so in 16 consecutive games.
RED ZONE SUCCESS
• The 2024 season is a continuation of red-zone success under Chris Klieman, as the Wildcats rank first among active Big 12 programs by scoring on 90.7% (244-of-269) of their overall red-zone trips since 2019 with 181 touchdowns (67.3%).
• Last season, the Cats ranked second nationally by finding paydirt on 78.5% percent of their red-zone possessions (51-of-65), and they narrowly finished behind Oregon State by 0.11%. K-State would have led the nation last year had the Cats not been in the red zone when taking a knee to close out the Pop-Tarts Bowl win.
• K-State enters play this week ranked 22nd nationally and third in the Big 12 in red zone scoring at 94.44% (17-of-18).
RED ZONE THREATS
• Kansas State’s tight end unit has combined for six touchdown receptions this year, which is tied for the second most in the nation.
• Four different K-State tight ends have touchdowns as Brayden Loftin and Will Swanson lead the way with two apiece, while Will Anciaux and Garrett Oakley each have one.
OFFENSIVE LINE STEPPING UP
• Although the offensive line lost four starters from a year, the current group is stepping up. In addition to its rushing rankings, K-State is also ninth nationally and leads the Big 12 with fewest tackles for loss allowed (3.40 per game), while the Cats are 12th in the country in fewest sacks allowed (0.80 per game).
• Despite limited starting experience at K-State, the line has plenty of game reps under their belt with a combined 98 starts and 6,669 career offensive snaps. The leaders in those departments are on the left side in tackle Easton Kilty (42 starts, 2,607 snaps) and guard Hadley Panzer (31 starts, 2,027 snaps).
BY AIR AND GROUND
• Quarterback Avery Johnson was the top dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2023, and he’s putting that on display during his true sophomore season as he is one of only nine quarterbacks nationally, one of only three Power 4 signal callers and the only Big 12 player with at least 800 rushing yards and 300 passing yards.
• If he were to stay at his current averages, Johnson would become just the 15th quarterback in Big 12 history with at least 2,100 passing yards and 700 rushing yards in a season. Three other Wildcats have hit those marks – Michael Bishop (1998), Ell Roberson (2003) and Collin Klein (2012).
MULTIPLE TDs
• Avery Johnson threw for three touchdowns and rushed for two others in K-State’s 42-20 victory over No. 20 Oklahoma State en route to Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors.
• He was the first K-State signal caller to have at least three passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a conference game since Collin Klein at West Virginia in 2012.
• A product of Wichita, Kansas, Johnson produced just the 30th such game against a ranked opponent since 1996, including just the ninth by a Big 12 player. Johnson and TCU quarterback Max Duggan (2022 vs. Oklahoma) are the only two Big 12 signal callers to accomplish the feat since 2018.
GIDDENS GETTING IT DONE
• Running back DJ Giddens has averaged 120.8 rushing yards per game this season to rank seventh nationally and third in the Big 12, while he is 10th nationally in scrimmage yards per game at 139.0.
• Giddens’ current rushing average per game ranks third in school history, and that figure is buoyed by six rushes of at least 30 yards to rank third in the nation.
• Additionally, Giddens is the only player in the country with two runs 50 or more yards and a reception of at least 40 yards.
UP THE CAREER CHARTS
• DJ Giddens enters this week’s game with 2,348 career rushing yards, which ranks ninth in school history, while his 5.94 career yards per rush ranks second at K-State only behind Darren Sproles (6.11; 2001-04).
• A native of nearby Junction City, Kansas, Giddens also ranks in the top 10 in program history for a career in receiving yards by a running back (4th; 714), rushing yards per game (5th; 73.4) and 100-yard games (T9th; 9).
• Giddens enters the week ranked ninth among active players in career rushing yards per carry.
TDs BY ANY MANNER
• Running back Dylan Edwards has recorded four touchdowns on just 45 touches this year with two coming on the ground, one via a reception and one on a punt return.
• He was the first Wildcat with a rushing, receiving and return touchdown over the first three games of a season since Deon Murphy did so in 2007.
DEFENSIVE NOTES
LIMITED POINTS PER GAME
• Since the K-State defense switched from a four-man front to a 3-3-5 alignment at the beginning of the 2021 season (45 games), the Cats are allowing just 21.1 points per game, which ranks 19th nationally and is third among active Big 12 teams.
• Additionally, the Wildcats have only allowed 105 offensive touchdowns over that time, which ranks 17th in the nation.
• The Wildcats have finished each of the three previous seasons by allowing less than 22.0 points per game, their longest streak since going 13-straight year from 1991 through 2003.
• Since head coach Chris Klieman‘s first year of 2019, the Wildcats have held 36 of their 46 Big 12 opponents under their season average at the time it faces the Wildcats.
BEHIND THE LINE
• K-State enters this week’s game tied for first in the Big 12 with 2.40 sacks per game, while they are tied for second with 6.6 tackles for loss per game.
• The Wildcats have tallied at least 4.0 tackles for loss in four games this year – including 11 TFLs in each of the first two contests – while they have at least two sacks in three contests – including a season-high five at Tulane.
STINGY AGAINST THE RUN
• Kansas State enter this week’s matchup at Colorado ranking 16th in the country and second in the Big 12 by allowing only 91.8 rushing yards per game.
• The Wildcats have not surrendered more than 149 rushing yards in a game this season, while they have limited opponents to under 100 rushing yards on three occasions.
CREATING TURNOVERS
• K-State has totaled 70 forced turnovers since the beginning of the 2021 season, which is the third most among active Big 12 teams and tied for 13th among Power 4 teams.
• Of the 70 turnovers, 44 have been via interceptions to tie for first among active Big 12 programs and 13th among Power 4 teams.
DEFENSIVE RED ZONE SUCCESS
• The Cats allowed only 39.39% (13-of-33) of opponent red zone opportunities to turn into touchdowns a year ago, and the Wildcats are at it again this season.
• Through five games, K-State’s red-zone touchdown percentage of 33.33% (5-of-15) ranks sixth in the nation.
• The defense’s performance in the red zone is a stark difference from 2022 when K-State ranked 108th at 67.5% (27-of-40).
OFF THE EDGE
• Sixth-year senior Brendan Mott is making the most of his final year of college football as he ranks 22nd nationally and second in the Big 12 with 0.80 sacks per game.
• Mott also ranks fifth in the Big 12 with 1.10 tackles for loss per game.
• A former walk-on from Iowa City, Iowa, Mott has at least 1.0 TFL in each of the first five games. It is the longest streak by a Wildcat since linebacker Daniel Green did so in the final six games of 2021, while it is the longest to open a season since defensive end Jordan Willis had a seven-game streak to open the 2016 campaign.
ROMAINE LEADS THE WAY
• Sophomore Austin Romaine leads the Wildcats and is tied for 15th in the Big 12 with 34 tackles, while he also ranks second on the squad in both tackles for loss (4.0) and sacks (2.0).
• A native of Hillsboro, Missouri, Romaine had two sacks at Tulane, the second of which caused a fumble that resulted in a 60-yard, game-winning touchdown return in the fourth quarter.
• His two sacks against the Green Wave are tied for the most in a single game by a Big 12 player this season.
SPECIAL TEAMS NOTES
BLOCK PARTY
• K-State totaled three blocked kicks in 2023 to rank 10th in the nation and added one in the 2024 season opener.
• Last year was the second time under head coach Chris Klieman that the Wildcats had at least three blocks as they had four in 2020 to tie for fourth nationally.
• K-State blocked an extra point last year at Kansas that was returned 91 yards for a defensive extra point by Keenan Garber, Marques Sigle blocked a field goal at Oklahoma State, and the Wildcats also blocked a punt at Texas.
SEVEN STRAIGHT
• Kansas State’s blocked punt against UT Martin marked the seventh-straight season the Wildcats blocked a punt, the longest streak in the nation.
• San Diego State is second at six-straight years, while Oregon and Iowa State are tied for third at five-straight years.
SCORING IN THE THIRD PHASE
• The Wildcats continue to lead the nation in total return touchdowns since 2005 with 62, which is 22 more than the next closest team in Alabama (40) and 27 more than the next closest Big 12 programs, Oklahoma State and TCU (34).
• Of the 62 total returns, a nation-leading 31 are on kickoff returns, and the next closest team is Houston with 21.
• The 2023 season marked the first time since 2004 in which the Wildcats did not score via a kickoff or punt return, but the Wildcats got off the schneid with a blocked punt that was returned for a score against UT Martin and a 71-yard punt return touchdown against Arizona.
NEW MAN BACK DEEP
• Sophomore transfer Dylan Edwards made a splash on just his third punt-return attempt of the season as he took one 71 yards for a touchdown against Arizona.
• It was the Wildcats’ first non-blocked punt-return touchdown since the second game of the 2022 season.
• He became the first K-State running back to record a punt-return touchdown since Darren Sproles took one back 63 yards against Kansas in 2003, while it was the longest by a K-State running back since David Allen had a 74-yarder at Texas in 1999.
• For his effort against Arizona, Edwards was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week.
• Edwards enters the week ranked ninth in the nation with a 16.0-yard average.
DEFENSE ON KICK RETURNS
• K-State has not allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown since the 2013 season, going the last 143 games and 434 returns without allowing its opponent to find paydirt.
• The streak is the longest among the active Big 12 teams, 275 more than the next closest team (Arizona State – 159).
• Since K-State allowed its last kickoff-return touchdown, the Wildcats have scored 14 of their own.
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