Report card from K-State football’s victory at OSU and a look ahead to Utah
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- K-State defense created five turnovers and held Oklahoma State to two FGs.
- K-State offense sputtered without Edwards and Brown; Joe Jackson rushed for 69 yards.
- Utah opens as a 16.5-point favorite; K-State faces injuries and an uphill road game.
Kansas State’s 14-6 victory over Oklahoma State on Saturday at Boone Pickens was the definition of an ugly win.
The Cowboys (373) gained nearly 100 more yards than the Wildcats (284) and they finished the afternoon with a postgame win expectancy of 52.8%, according to ESPN college football statistician Bill Connelly.
But K-State prevailed thanks to a stingy performance from its defense, which created five turnovers and limited Oklahoma State to a pair of field goals.
That was enough for K-State (5-5, 4-3 Big 12) to move within one win of bowl eligibility. The loss sent Oklahoma State (1-9, 0-7 Big 12) one game closer to the end of a dismal season.
Let’s dive into those topics and more with analysis from the Oklahoma State game, plus a look ahead to Utah ...
Player of the game: Zashon Rich
This award could really go to the entire K-State defense.
Desmond Purnell led the team with eight tackles and two QB hurries. Ryan Davis and Cody Stufflebean created havoc on the defenisve line. Zashon Rich, VJ Payne and Daniel Cobbs all had interceptions.
K-State needed all of those plays to win this game.
But Rich finished the day with an interception, a fumble recovery and six tackles. He made the biggest impact.
Stat of the game & quote to note
The Cowboys only reached the red zone one time and never advanced the ball beyond the K-State 11 all day.
As for the quote ...
“Hats off to those guys. They held it down for us all game. They played their rear ends off all game. I’m proud like heck for them, because they played their hearts out.” — K-State running back Joe Jackson on his defensive teammates.
K-State football grades
Offense: F. Here’s a sign of just how dull K-State’s offense has become without Dylan Edwards and now Jayce Brown. Joe Jackson rushing for 69 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries felt like a standout performance against Oklahoma State. The Wildcats couldn’t get much of anything going on Saturday. They punted six times and turned it over once. Avery Johnson threw for 177 yards and then described it as “one of the worst games I have played in my college career.”
Defense: A. The Wildcats didn’t miss star linebacker Austin Romaine, who is out for the remainder of the season with a hand injury. Desmond Purnell took over his duties as the “quarterback of the defense” and K-State responded with its best effort of the season. The Wildcats piled up seven tackles for loss and five turnovers.
Special Teams: B. Simon McClannan pinned Oklahoma State inside the 20 with four of his punts. That was important in a low-scoring game like this. But the Wildcats got nothing from their return game. And Luis Rodriguez missed a 38-yard field goal in the first half. An extra three points would have made life much easier on K-State.
Coaching: B. In a moment of brutal honesty, Chris Klieman admitted that Saturday’s game was a “must win” for the coaching staff. He’s right. The mood around K-State football would have been apoplectic following a loss to the hapless Cowboys. But that didn’t happen. K-State can still hope for a bowl game and a winning season.
Next up for K-State: at Utah
It’s fair to say that the Wildcats are about to go from their easiest road game of the season to their most difficult road game of the season.
K-State will take on Utah at 3 p.m. Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City.
The Utes opened as 16.5-point favorites in the game.
The Wildcats haven’t been double-digit underdogs for a game in more than three years, but this number is completely understandable given how well the Utes (9-2, 5-2 Big 12) have been playing of late. In its past three games, Utah has crushed Colorado 53-7, Cincinnati 45-14 and Baylor 55-28.
Add in the fact that K-State will be down several key players, and this game could be an uphill climb for Klieman’s team.
Quarterback Devon Dampier has guided the Utes to a bounce-back season, and they are contenders for the College Football Playoff.
This story was originally published November 16, 2025 at 11:01 AM with the headline "Report card from K-State football’s victory at OSU and a look ahead to Utah."