Kansas State game report: K-State 44, Texas Tech 38

First quarter

The key: Texas Tech gained 200 yards, 93 more than K-State, but the score was tied 14-14 after 15 minutes.

Second quarter

The key: Byron Pringle returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown, giving K-State a special-teams touchdown a quarter after it scored on defense.

Third quarter

The key: The only score was a field goal from Texas Tech kicker Clayton Hatfield.

Fourth quarter

The key: K-State forced Texas Tech to punt once and turn the ball over on downs.

Report card

Offense: C. Texas Tech might have the worst defense in the Big 12, and K-State managed 335 yards against it. The running game was solid, but the passing game still needs work.

Defense: C. No one stops Texas Tech’s offense, but K-State could have done more against the Red Raiders. Outside of a D.J. Reed interception, which was returned for a touchdown, Texas Tech moved the ball almost at will.

Special teams: A. Byron Pringle returned a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown and continually gave the Wildcats excellent field position.

Coaching: B. Texas Tech is a difficult team to prepare for, and the coaching staff had K-State ready. The defense, in particular, remained strong-willed until the end.

Player of the game

Charles Jones. This was his finest game in a K-State uniform. The senior running back rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown in 19 carries.

Reason to hope

K-State is 3-0 as a favorite this season. This team knows how to take care of business.

Reason to mope

The Wildcats will likely be underdogs in three of their remaining four road games.

Next up

K-State heads to Oklahoma next week for what could be the team’s most difficult game yet. The Wildcats have won two in a row in Norman.

Notes

Basketball team holds open scrimmage: Barry Brown and Isaiah Maurice were two of the most productive players for Kansas State during a public basketball scrimmage Saturday afternoon.

Brown, a sophomore guard, made several shots at opportune times, looking sharp from three-point range and in the paint. Maurice, a redshirt freshman forward, showed off his range by making a three and draining several other jump shots.

Combine that with solid play from seniors Wesley Iwundu and D.J. Johnson and K-State coach Bruce Weber was pleased with what he saw.

“I thought Barry was good,” Weber said. “At the end he took a couple of shots, but he has been our best assists-to-turnovers ratio guy in practice. When we scrimmage here and the lights go on he gets a little herky-jerky and we have got to get him to be a little more patient.”

Redshirt freshman center Dante Williams sat out the scrimmage because of an injured tooth, but Weber said he will return to practice next week.

K-State opens the season on Nov. 11 against Western Illinois.

Surprise starter: Abdul Beecham started at left guard and stayed there throughout the game. He is the third K-State offensive lineman to start at that position this season. Tyler Mitchell opened the season there and Will Ash played there the past three games.

Special guests: Five NFL scouts attended the game. They represented the Chiefs, New England Patriots, San Diego Chargers, Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons.

This story was originally published October 8, 2016 at 10:39 PM with the headline "Kansas State game report: K-State 44, Texas Tech 38."