K-State Football Second Half Recap: Wildcats Triumph Over Iowa State, 41-7

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note: this is only our second-half recap. To complete the picture, we suggest you check out our first half recap, and follow it up with this delicious appetizer.

Starting the second half, Jake Waters was once again the starter but had to temporarily leave the game with a minor injury as Daniel Sams came in to run one play before Jack Cantele, having already hit from 44 yards, connected on 42 yards to put K-State up 20-0 five minutes into the third quarter.

On Iowa State’s ensuing drive Ryan Mueller appeared to have the wind knocked out, immediately signaling to the sidelines after completing a tackle and having to leave the game. Kansas State forced yet another punt – it’s fourth of the game – but saw the ball downed at the nine as Iowa State effectively prevented punt returns all day.

Waters came back into the game on an ineffective drive that saw John Hubert put the ball on the ground and bounce towards the sidelines. An Iowa State defender grabbed the ball sliding towards the sidelines and the officials ruled Cyclone football. However, he bobbled the ball before sliding out, and was ruled to not have possession upon official replay. The forward fumble was brought back and K-State punted, but avoided a major momentum-changer. Mark Krause then booted a 67-yard punt after an Iowa State returner lost the ball in the sun to pin the Cyclones inside their own 20. Iowa State had two close misses that almost resulted in having the ball in field goal range, but the K-State defense held strong enough to force another punt and maintain the shutout – something the team hadn’t done at home against a Big 12 opponent since Mark Simoneau’s final home game.

With 1:27 left to play in the 3rd, Sams re-entered the game as the coaching staff appeared ready to run out the clock, but on 3rd and 12 Waters was brought in to get a first down, finding Tyler Lockett for 34 yards at the Iowa State 41. He followed that up with a 16 yard rush and, after two plays that achieved nothing, found Tramaine Thompson for 27 yards on 3rd-and-15. Thompson was forced to go to the sidelines with a apparent chest issues, but John Hubert punched it in for three yards on the next play to put K-State up 27-0.

Iowa State incurred two sacks on its next drive, going for it on 4th-and-11 in a final attempt to get back in the game that ended with K-State’s second sack of the drive. The Wildcats got the ball back on their own 39 yard line with 8:30 to go, sealing the deal for K-State. Sams began the drive with a nine yard run in which he almost ran out of bounds, then deliberately took a hard hit for the sake of staying in and keeping the clock running. The truly amazing play of the drive, though, came two plays later. With a 28-yard bomb looking to find Tramaine Thompson in the end zone, Thompson’s defender straight up tackled Thompson before the ball arrived, choosing to take the penalty rather then give up the touchdown. However, Thompson still pulled in the ball while getting the snot knocked out of him, landing on his back but never releasing possession. K-State, 34-0. Seven minutes left to preserve the shutout at this point.

Iowa State seemed determined to help K-State secure its first shutout in ten years, taking 90 seconds off the clock before throwing an interception to Dorrian Roberts who returned the ball 41 yards to the ISU 19. Robert Rose had replaced John Hubert by that point in the game, and provided two carries (10 and nine yards) before finding the end zone and putting the Wildcats up 41-0.

K-State forced a three-and-out, and on probably Iowa State’s best play of the game so far the Cyclones downed the ball at the one. Rose had a nice run to get the team away from the danger zone of a safety (safety zone?), but on the next play he got hit hard and fumbled as his left foot bent in angles only replicated in geometry class. K-State gave up a 10-yard run the next play – one of the best by the offense on the day – and the score read 41-7 with 3:30 left to play.

The only other observation to make over the rest of the game was a frustration that Iowa State wouldn’t let the game end. Snyder put in Rose midway through the fourth quarter, and the third-string quarterback Joe Hubener on the last drive. Yet Paul Rhoads continued calling time outs and trying to score. Karma happened when Dakorey Johnson secured the team’s third interception, bringing it back to the one yard line with a minute to play. Bill Snyder – ever the classy coach – went into victory formation and had Hubener take kneel-downs to finish the game. The final: K-State 41, Iowa State 7. The Wildcats improve to 4-4 with the winds of momentum at their backs and look very ready for next Saturday’s match in Lubbok. Look out, Texas Tech, there’s an angry and extremely underrated defense headed your way.