Game report: Kansas State 45, Texas Tech 13
First quarter
Key play: Texas Tech was just one of three on third downs.
Key stat: On Texas Tech’s first drive, K-State defensive back Morgan Burns intercepted Davis Webb in the end zone on second and 5 at the Wildcats’ 7-yard line.
Second quarter
Key play: K-State quarterback Jake Waters finished the first half with 91 rushing yards and one touchdown, keeping Texas Tech’s defense constantly guessing.
Key stat: Waters hit Tyler Lockett on a 15-yard touchdown pass with 21 seconds left before halftime for a 24-7 lead.
Third quarter
Key play: Webb threw his third interception of the game, and his second in K-State territory.
Key stat: Texas Tech had a 34-yard touchdown catch by D.J. Polite-Bray overruled after a review showed a wide-open Polite-Bray bobbled the ball before going out of bounds
Fourth quarter
Key play: Texas Tech had the ball for just over 4 minutes, negating any chances for a big rally.
Key stat: Curry Sexton made a highlight-reel, one-handed catch over a Texas Tech defender for a 3-yard touchdown.
Player of the game: Waters racked up 395 yards of offense in probably his most complete game as a Wildcat.
Reason to hope: Coach Bill Snyder gets two weeks to figure out a way to beat Oklahoma, and his team has a ton of momentum headed into the Oct. 18 showdown in Norman.
Reason to mope: Injuries are taking their toll. Linebacker Dakorey Johnson didn’t play against Texas Tech, and safety Travis Green went down because of an apparent knee injury after his second interception. It’s hard to see the Wildcats beating Oklahoma without all of their weapons on defense.
Looking ahead: The Sooners won’t be totally on edge when they face K-State, as they get to work their frustrations out on lowly Texas next Saturday following a loss to TCU.
Report card
A | Offense | Jake Waters was sharp throwing and running the ball and had plenty of time in the pocket to find receivers. |
A | Defense | The Wildcats forced four turnovers — all interceptions — and the defensive front pressured Davis Webb all night with mostly a four-man rush and no blitzing linebackers. |
A | Special teams | K-State’s coverage units were sharp — and there were plenty of chances for Texas Tech to break a kickoff return. Mitch McCrane nailed his one field-goal attempt from 27 yards. |
A | Coaching | The K-State coaching staff was able to put together a balanced game plan on offense. |
This story was originally published October 5, 2014 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Game report: Kansas State 45, Texas Tech 13."