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Kansas State thrust itself into the middle of the national title discussion with a stunning 24-19 victory over the Sooners in Norman.
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Among the aftermath of the Kansas State Wildcats' 24-19 upset win over the Oklahoma Sooners was an interesting observation from Stewart Mandel of SI.com, who raised concern over the play of Sooners quarterback Landry Jones.
But it's clear something still isn't right with Jones, whose play began to deteriorate late last season following a season-ending injury to now-departed All-America receiver Ryan Broyles ... until his final scoring drive, Jones mostly struggled to get into rhythm. - Stewart Mandel
Mandel's claim that links Jones's seeming struggles, to the injury of all-time college great Ryan Broyles, appears to be backed up, statistically.
In the eight full games of 2011 in which Jones enjoyed the services of Broyles, Jones completed 66.5% of his passes, averaged 386 passing yards per game, and posted a 26-to-9 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He eclipsed the 300-yard mark in seven of those eight games, and his team went 7-1.
In the eight games since Broyles' injury (five last season -- including the game in which Broyles went down -- and three this season), Jones has completed just 59.5% of his passes. He is averaging 268 passing yards per game, has an 8-to-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and has eclipsed the 300-yard mark just once. Oklahoma is 5-3 in those games.
For more on the Oklahoma Sooners, visit Crimson And Cream Machine. Get more commentary on Kansas State at Bring On The Cats, while filling all your college football needs on the SB Nation CFB hub.
The Kansas State Wildcats have risen to their highest point in college football rankings in years, after their 24-19 upset win over Oklahoma on Saturday. The Wildcats check in at No. 7 on this week's Associated Press Top 25, their highest ranking since 2003.
The ranking comes as Kansas State has started its 2012 campaign with a 4-0 record. A blowout win over Miami and Saturday's upset of top-10 Oklahoma have moved the Wildcats up the rankings from their 22nd-ranked starting point.
Bill Snyder's reclamation project in Manhattan mirrors his success in his previous stint at Kansas State. His 2003 Wildcats rose as high as No. 6 that season, and included a demolishing of No. 1 ranked Oklahoma in the Big 12 championship game.
In the fourth year of his second stint, Snyder has the Wildcats climbing back into not just relevance, but close to supremacy. After gritty quarterback Collin Klein led Kansas State to a 10-3 record last season, the coach-quarterback duo have knocked off the favorite Sooners and are starting on would could be a special season.
For more on the Kansas State Wildcats, visit Bring On The Cats. Get all your college football news and notes at SB Nation's CFB hub, as well as on its YouTube channel:
The No. 7 Kansas State Wildcats shocked the nation on Saturday, thanks to their 24-19 win over then-No. 6 Oklahoma, in Norman.
Led by the steady leadership of quarterback Collin Klein, the Wildcats have surged to a 4-0 start on the season and put themselves in position to be a legit contender for the Big 12 championship.
Klein, talking to reporters after the game, showed little emotion over the big win and instead acted as if were merely business as usual on the path they had chosen for the season. Stewart Mandel of SI.com says the attitude is just a reflection of Bill Snyder:
That suffices for excitement from a group of players who take their cues from a white-haired, 72-year-old future Hall of Famer who showed the nation, yet again, why we should never doubt his squads. In his first stint as Kansas State's coach, from 1989-2005, Bill Snyder engineered the greatest makeover in college football history, lifting the Wildcats from the dregs of Division I to the brink of a national championship. Four years into his return engagement, K-State is, at the very least, a bona fide Big 12 championship contender.
Klein has 758 yards passing and 309 yards on the ground through four games, including five touchdown passes and four rushing touchdowns. The Wildcats have featured a good mix of defense and steady offense this season, and look to carry that momentum in Saturday's game against Kansas. Kickoff is set for 11 p.m. CT, with coverage on Fox.
Head over to Bring On The Cats for more Kansas State football coverage, and check out Crimson And Cream Machine for more Oklahoma analysis. Also visit SB Nation's college football hub for more news from around the country.
Clearly unhappy with a gut-wrenching 24-19 loss to Kansas State on Saturday, Oklahoma quarterback Landry Jones spoke to the media after the game and pinned much of the blame on his team's poor decision-making in key situations.
Above all though, the 23-year-old senior owned up to his meager one touchdown performance like a leader should.
"It seemed like we couldn’t put it together," Jones said. "We played really dumb football, me especially. The fumble, the pick, missed Moose [Brannon Green] on the tight end pop-up play. A lot of different plays left up to me."
Although he tossed a season-high 43 passes in the loss, Jones' biggest play of the evening actually came on a 27-yard pass to freshman Trey Metoyer to push the Sooners into scoring position. The fact that a high-powered offense like Oklahoma's was held to such a meager offensive performance speaks volumes about head coach Bill Snyder's Kansas State defense going forward. And while Jones is quick to point the blame at his own program for the loss, there's no denying the Wildcats earned every last bit of Saturday's victory.
Head over to Bring On The Cats for more Kansas State football coverage, and check out Crimson And Cream Machine for more Oklahoma analysis. Also visit SB Nation's college football hub for more news from around the country.
The Kansas State Wildcats' upset of the Okahoma Sooners on Saturday was much to do with three OU turnovers, but Bob Stoops also gave credit to the Wildcats for taking advantage of those with sound execution. The Wildcats' 24-19 victory was about opportunity.
Said Stoops via Kansas State's website:
"The (Kansas State) guys really, which they have been doing and everyone knows, played hard, played well," Stoops said. "Executing in a big football game. As our team goes, the number one thing that's obvious is turnovers. It's just bad football when you turn the football over, give a touchdown when you're inside the one yard line on second down and you lose the football."
Sooners quarterback Landry Jones was hit by Justin Tuggle early in the second quarter near the goal line, and the KSU defense recovered to score a touchdown and put the Wildcats ahead 7-3. Another fumble resulted in a field goal for the Wildcats on the next possession.
Jones also threw a pick later in the game that turned into points for Bill Snyder's team.
Check out Bring On The Cats for more Kansas State football coverage or head over to SB Nation's college football hub.
Kansas State shocked the world with its upset of the Oklahoma Sooners, thanks to a very tough defensive performance as well as some solid ball movement on the offense. The 24-19 win over the Sooners will probably vault the Wildcats even higher than No. 15 in the polls and should do wonders for their confidence as well.
Going into the game, the Wildcats weren't expected to take a victory in their first road game, despite being a tough squad. However, quarterback Collin Klein went into the game knowing that it was going to be a right to the finish, as did the rest of the Wildcats:
"We knew it would be a battle and it was exactly that. We credit everyone for hanging together. The defense got big stops and turnovers. Again we were able to do enough to get a win."
Kansas State will continue its schedule at Bill Snyder Family Stadium against the Kansas Jayhawks on Oct. 6 after a very well earned bye week.
For more on Kansas State, check out Bring On The Cats for analysis and discussion, and stay tuned to SB Nation Kansas City. For all your latest college news and notes, check out SB Nation's college football hub, and while you're here, watch some of the many fine college football videos from SB Nation's YouTube channel.
With an impressive 24-19 road victory over Oklahoma, the Kansas State Wildcats jumped from No. 15 last week to No. 7 in this week's Associated Press Top 25 Poll.
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Coming off a road victory against Oklahoma every game on K-State's schedule now should be considered winnable. That does mean though that it will be easy for the Wildcats.
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In the aftermath of Kansas State's 24-19 win over Oklahoma Saturday night, Wildcat fans were singing the praises of quarterback Collin Klein. SB Nation K-State blog Bring on the Cats even invoked the "H" word:
Collin Klein's numbers weren't spectacular, but as usual, he was the glue that held the team together, the straw that stirred the drink, the capstone in the arch. Klein was 13-21-0 for 149 yards, and ran for 79 yards on 17 carries (with one TD). Those may not be numbers that scream "Heisman contender," but this was the type of win that screams exactly that.
It wasn't the Kansas State offense that held Oklahoma to 19 points and forced three turnovers Saturday, though. The Wildcat defense received most of the praise:
K-State held Oklahoma under 400 yards for the game, sacked Landry Jones twice and intercepted him once. Even better, Justin Tuggle and Jarrell Childs combined for a sack/fumble/touchdown in the first quarter to get K-State on the board. Ty Zimmerman had a huge interception and just missed another. Arthur Brown was all over the field. Allen Chapman hit and wrapped up to limit yardage after catches.
On the other side of the coin, Crimson and Cream Machine focused on Oklahoma's defensive struggles:
The Oklahoma defense is not without fault in the incredibly disappointing loss to a very tough Kansas State team Saturday night in Norman, but they were certainly done no favors for their teammates on the offensive side of the ball. The OU defense was put in difficult position after difficult position throughout most of the night following multiple gut-punch type turnovers from the Sooner offense.
That said, there is no denying that the defense came up short, on multiple occasions, in the fourth quarter when it absolutely had to have a stop. Kansas State went three-for-three on third down conversions that essentially sealed the victory.
Both teams have a bye next week. Kansas State returns to action Oct. 6 against Kansas, while the Sooners will face Texas Tech.
For more on the Kansas State Wildcats, check out Bring on the Cats, and for more on the Oklahoma Sooners, head over to Crimson and Cream Machine. You can find more on college football across the country at SB Nation's NCAA hub.
The No. 15 Kansas State Wildcats used two fourth quarter touchdowns to hold off a late rally and upset the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners, 24-19.
The Wildcats scored 14 unanswered points on their first two possessions of the fourth quarter to take a 24-13 lead over the Sooners. Oklahoma answered with a touchdown of their own, but their two-point attempt failed and they were unable to get the ball back from the Wildcats.
Oklahoma got the scoring started, as their first drive resulted in a 28-yard field goal off the foot of kicker Michael Hunnicutt. Kansas State’s defense scored the game’s first touchdown, as they forced a Landry Jones fumble and returned it for a score. The Wildcats converted another Sooners’ turnover into three more points before Hunnicutt kicked his second field goal of the game, a 38-yarder, to make it 10-6 Kansas State at half.
Oklahoma regained the lead in the third, as Blake Bell scored on a three-yard touchdown run, but another turnover by Jones set up the Wildcats first score in the fourth.
Box Score Hero: Wildcats running back John Hubert rushed for 130 yards on 23 carries and scored the game’s decisive touchdown.
Rankings Ramifications: With their impressive win, the Wildcats will likely move into the top 10, while the Sooners could fall out.
But Did They Cover? Oklahoma didn’t manage to pick up the victory, much less cover the spread.
For More On This Game: For more on the Kansas State Wildcats, check out Bring on the Cats, and for more on the Oklahoma Sooners, head over to Crimson and Cream Machine.
Next Week’s Schedule: Kansas State plays Kansas on Oct. 6, while Oklahoma plays Texas Tech on the same day.
This article was originally published on SB Nation.com.
The Oklahoma Sooners regained the lead over the Kansas State Wildcats in the third, as they head into the final quarter with a 13-10 advantage.
The story of the third was a Landry Jones turnover that wasn’t and then one that was.
What was initially ruled a Jones’ fumble was overturned early in the quarter. Oklahoma retained possession and completed an 88-yard scoring drive, capped off by running back Blake Bell’s three-yard touchdown run.
While Jones avoided his second turnover earlier in the quarter, he threw his first interception of the game with a little over a minute left. The pick set the Wildcats up in Sooners territory for the start of the fourth quarter.
For more on the Kansas State Wildcats, check out Bring on the Cats, and for more on the Oklahoma Sooners, head over to Crimson and Cream Machine. You can find more on college football across the country at SB Nation's NCAA hub.
Two lost fumbles by the Oklahoma Sooners have been the difference in this one, as they enter halftime trailing the Kansas State Wildcats 10-6.
The Sooners took a first quarter lead off the foot of kicker Michael Hunnicutt, who kicked a 28-yard field goal.
The game’s first touchdown came from the Wildcats' defense as a Landry Jones fumble was taken in for six by Jarell Childs. Sooners running back Blake Bell was the next to cough it up, resulting in a 23-yard field goal from Wildcats’ kicker Anthony Cantele.
Jones and the Sooners finished the half with a drive that resulted in Hunnicutt’s second field goal of the night, a 34-yarder.
For more on the Kansas State Wildcats, check out Bring on the Cats, and for more on the Oklahoma Sooners, head over to Crimson and Cream Machine. You can find more on college football across the country at SB Nation's NCAA hub.
The No. 15 Kansas State Wildcats have struggled to establish any momentum against the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners, and trail 3-0 at the end of the first quarter. The Wildcats have failed to gain any momentum, seeing two drives sputter out after entering Sooners territory.
The Sooners scored on their first possession, with kicker Michael Hunnicutt connecting on a 28 yard field goal to cap off a 14-play, 80-yard drive by Oklahoma. The drive saw Kansas State struggle to contain the Oklahoma run game, as Dominique Whaley ripped off multiple long runs.
The Wildcats were able to force an Oklahoma three-and-out in the final minute of the quarter, and will have the ball to begin the second quarter.
Stick with this Story Stream for more updates as the game progresses. For more on the Wildcats, visit Bring On The Cats. For more on the Sooners, visit the Crimson And Cream Machine.
During the Big 12 media days this past summer, Oklahoma Sooners head coach Bob Stoops admitted to Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Collin Klein that Oklahoma's short-yardage "Belldozer" package was stolen from the Wildcats.
As told to ESPN's Jake Trotter, Stoops confessed: "I saw you running all those plays, and I got a guy just like that or bigger. So we started running all of your plays."
Klein is considered to be one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the country and obviously has an admirer in Stoops. Stoops' counter to Klein is sophomore quarterback Blake Bell. Bell scored 13 rushing touchdowns last season to lead the Sooners, turning them into one of the best short-yardage offenses in the country.
It's all because of Klein, according to Oklahoma defensive coordinator Mike Stoops:
"Their quarterback run game is very extensive, very detailed. One of the best rushing teams in the country, year in, year out. A lot of that is predicated on their quarterback. Collin Klein is a tremendous player with his hands on the ball."
The No. 6 Sooners welcome the 15th-ranked Wildcats to Norman on Saturday and they'll get a chance to see who is better at the offense that was previously the sole possession of the Wildcats.
For more on K-State football, visit Kansas State blog Bring On The Cats and SB Nation Kansas City. You can also get the latest news and discussion regarding the Sooners at Crimson And Cream Machine. SB Nation's college football hub has all your CFB news across the country.
Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Collin Klein made The Sporting News list of the country's best dual-threat quarterbacks.
The list called Klein the "most valuable" of dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. Written by The Sporting News' Bill Bender, it does not specify what it means by "most valuable."
It cited four dual-threat quarterbacks as the best in the country and gave each a further distinction among the group: West Virginia Mountaineers quarterback Geno Smith, best passer; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Denard Robinson, best runner; Klein, most valuable; and Ohio State University Buckeyes quarterback Braxton Miller, best all-around talent.
The list also predicted that among that group, Smith was the most likely to win the Heisman Trophy.
Klein averages 203 passing yards and 70 rushing yards per game. He's thrown for five touchdowns and run for four.
Klein's No. 15 Wildcats and No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners kick off Saturday at 6:50 p.m. CT on Fox.
For more on K-State football, visit Kansas State blog Bring On The Cats and SB Nation Kansas City. You can also get the latest news and discussion regarding the Sooners at Crimson And Cream Machine. SB Nation's college football hub has all your CFB news across the country.
If the No. 15 Kansas State Wildcats were to beat the sixth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday, Sooners head coach Bob Stoops would be stooped in a way he's never been stooped before.
Stoops has been the Oklahoma coach since 1999, and he has never lost a home game to a ranked opponent.
Both teams are undefeated so far this season, but that doesn't illustrate how dominant Stoops' Oklahoma teams have been at home against quality opponents. The Sooners are 14-0 at home against ranked opponents during Stoops' tenure, and they're also 44-2 against Big 12 teams at home. Those two losses: Nov. 24, 2001 against Oklahoma State, 16-13, and Oct. 22, 2011 against Texas Tech, 41-38.
The Sooners own the all-time series against Kansas State. Oklahoma has gone 71-17-4 against the Wildcats. Kansas State's last win in Norman was a 26-7 win over the John Blake-coached Sooners on Oct. 25, 1997.
The No. 15 Wildcats and No. 6 Sooners kick off Saturday at 6:50 p.m. CT on Fox.
For more on K-State football, visit Kansas State blog Bring On The Cats and SB Nation Kansas City. You can also get the latest news and discussion regarding the Sooners at Crimson And Cream Machine. SB Nation's college football hub has all your CFB news across the country.
The Kansas State Wildcats, ranked No. 15 in the nation, will travel to Oklahoma Memorial Stadium to take on the No. 6 ranked Oklahoma Sooners in what will be the biggest game for each of the two respective teams so far this season.
Each of the Big 12 teams are undefeated and are coming off of large margin of victories, albeit against weak competition, but something has to give in this Saturday showdown.
Through this short lived season, the Wildcats and Sooners have played similar styles and yielded similar results. Kansas State enters the game ranked No. 18 in rushing yards per game to Oklahoma's No. 12 ranking. The teams are virtually scoring the same amount of points (Kansas State is averaging 46.0 points per game to Oklahoma's 46.5).
But it is their defensive units that show the greatest disparity, as Oklahoma is holding opposing teams to just 10.0 points per game while Kansas State is allowing 14.3 per contest. Something the Wildcats will need to focus on, especially on the road.
Game time/date: 7:50 PM ET on Sept. 22
Location: Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman, OK
TV: FOX
Odds: Oklahoma is currently a 14 point favorite.
Match-Up History: The Wildcats suffered a 41-point loss at home against Oklahoma last season.
For more on K-State football, visit Kansas State blog Bring On The Cats and SB Nation Kansas City. You can also get the latest news and discussion regarding the Sooners at Crimson And Cream Machine. SB Nation's college football hub has all your CFB news across the country.
There is not a team or a head coach in the Big 12 Conference that Oklahoma's Bob Stoops respects more than his opponent this Saturday. Bill Snyder, dean of Big 12 football coaches, brings his undefeated and 13th ranked Kansas State Wildcats to Norman, where just about every Oklahoma opponent in the Stoops era has come to die, to do battle with the country's No. 5 team in the Sooners.
Stoops was the defensive coordinator at K-State under Snyder, along with his brother Mike, when he accepted the offer to come to Oklahoma. Snyder also was on the coaching staff at Iowa when Bob played there as a defensive back in the early 1980s. As an opposing coach, Stoops hasn't been nearly as kind to his former coach.
Stoops' OU teams have a 7-1 record against Snyder's teams, the lone loss coming as an upset in the 2003 Big 12 Championship game, when Kansas State turned back then No. 1 and undefeated Oklahoma 35-7. The Sooners have won the last five meetings between the two teams and eight of the last nine.
Snyder knows that the Wildcats will have to bring their game for a full four quarters if they want to beat the Sooners and especially in front of a hostile, crimson-clad crowd. A year ago in Manhattan Kansas State didn't show up after a closely fought first half. The Sooners pushed across the final nine points in the first half and then rolled off 35 more unanswered second-half points to hand the Cats a 58-17 defeat and what would be their worst loss of the season.
Saturday night's contest should be a battle of wills. Oklahoma, with a renewed multi-back running attack and high-powered passing game behind fourth-year starter Landry Jones at quarterback, wants to operate up-tempo in hurry-up style, hoping to catch the defense off guard and out of position. The Sooners execute the no-huddle offense as well as anyone in the country, and they have the offensive weapons to put up points fast and often.
Kansas State, on the other hand, is more comfortable playing more deliberately on offense. The Cats mostly like to run the ball, using the pass when necessary, and sustaining long drives that control the clock, put a strain on the opponent's defensive team and keep the other team's offense off the field.
In a nutshell, the team that is the most successful in executing its offensive style of play is going to come out on top at the final gun in the Big 12's marquee game this weekend.
Behind senior quarterback Collin Klein and running back John Hubert, this K-State team has built its reputation on power football, with both Klein and Hubert totaling over 200 yards on the ground in the Wildcats three wins. The Kansas State rushing attack ranks 18th in the country, averaging 251.7 yards a game.
Oklahoma, which typically features one of country's leading.passing attacks, has added a strong running game to give more balance to its offense through the early going this season. The Sooners have actually out-rushed the run-oriented Wildcats so far this season, averaging 277 yards a game. Most of OU success running the ball has been the work of junior-college recruit Damien Williams, who is averaging 129 yards a game, including touchdown runs of 68 and 89 yards.
Kansas State is hoping to put the clamps on Oklahoma's rejuvenated running game and literally put the pressure on OU's Jones, challenging him to beat them through the air. Jones has been sacked four times already this season, by teams far less talented than Kansas State, after suffering only 10 sacks all of last season. This will set up two key positional matchups in the game: the K-State defensive line vs. the Oklahoma offensive front, and Jones vs. the K-State secondary, which has virtually the same personnel as last season, when Jones torched the Wildcat defense for 505 yards through the air and five touchdowns.
Another key to the game will be how well the Oklahoma defensive line and linebackers are able to contain the dual threat running ability of KSU's Klein and Hubert. Special teams also could be a big factor, and the edge here has to go to Kansas State and the huge return threat the Cats have in speedster Tyler Lockett.
A sellout crowd of over 85,000, OU's 82nd consecutive sellout, is expected for the game Saturday night at Gaylord Family-OU Memorial Stadium, where the Sooners' home record under Stoops is an incredible 78-3 over the last 14 seasons. Oklahoma also is 13-0 in its opening Big 12 home game with Stoops on the sidelines and 14-0 against ranked opponents who come to Norman.
Kansas State poses one of the bigger challenges the Sooners will face this season, but the fact that this game is being played in Norman, where Stoops' teams almost never lose, the advantage scale tips in favor of Oklahoma. Game prediction: Oklahoma 33, Kansas State 20.
Other Big 12 Games This Weekend (Week 4)
(Projected winner in bold face)
Baylor @ University of Louisiana-Monroe (Friday)
Virginia @ TCU
Maryland @ West Virginia
Kansas @ Northern Illinois
Byes: Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Iowa State, Texas
Last week: 8-0
For the season: 24--2
Follow Big 12 football all season long, including news and commentary on all 10 conference teams, at SB Nation Kansas City.
Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein has been named a candidate for the Senior CLASS Award, a prize which "honors a student-athlete that is a senior at a NCAA Division I FBS school and has notable achievements in four areas of excellence - community, classroom, character and competition" according to the organization.
He is one of 30 players nominated for the award. The list will be whittled down to 10 players around midseason before the official ballot comes out at the end of the year.
The Wildcats quarterback has put up impressive numbers early into the season, tossing 609 yards and five touchdowns so far. Klein will lead the Wildcats against the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday.
For more on the Kansas State Wildcats, head over to Bring On The Cats. For more on OU football, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson And Cream Machine. More on NCAA football can be found over at SB Nation's College Football hub.
Saturday's game against No. 6 Oklahoma will arguably be the toughest test for the Kansas State defense all season, when they are charged with the task of stopping Landry Jones. In his last game against the Wildcats, Jones racked up more than 500 yards and five touchdowns through the air as the Sooners easily won 58-17.
Now No. 15 K-State is looking to avoid a similar result in a clash of two top Big 12 teams on Saturday.
"Landry Jones is a very, very talented young quarterback with great experience," Wildcats head coach Bill Snyder told the Kansas City Star. "You have to get pressure on him. We've been better the first couple ballgames than we were perhaps a year ago. But this is a level up in regards to how they protect him and how quickly he can get the ball off and move around in the pocket and avoid the rush. It's all got to work together."
Jones has drawn criticism throughout his career at OU for his propensity to throw interceptions and make big mistakes. That's something that K-State will look to take advantage of.
"For us, it's really going to be about disguising our defenses so Landry Jones doesn't know what defense we are in," backup cornerback Dante Barnett told the KC Star. "We want to try and trick him."
For more on the Kansas State Wildcats, head over to Bring On The Cats. For more on OU football, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson And Cream Machine. More on NCAA football can be found over at SB Nation's College Football hub.
When the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners face the No. 15 Kansas State Wildcats it will be on a national stage that could vault OU into national title talks. It also presents a great opportunity for Sooners quarterback Landry Jones to silence his critics with all eyes on him.
In his fourth year as starter, Jones already holds team records for passing yards, completions and touchdowns, but has been unable to earn much respect with 42 career interceptions and underachieving Oklahoma teams. After appearances in the Sun Bowl, Fiesta Bowl and Insight Bowl in his three seasons as starter, Saturday's game is the perfect opportunity for Jones to prove he is worthy of Heisman consideration and that the Sooners are ready for national championship consideration.
Dave Miller of National Football Post thinks it's the perfect setup for Jones:
With K-State being the first tough battle of the season for OU, it's the perfect time for that extra work with receivers to pay off. Much has been made of Jones' struggles in the post-Broyles era, so Saturday night will present the perfect opportunity for the leader of the offense to show that the unit can get back to its prolific ways.
For more on the Kansas State Wildcats, head over to Bring On The Cats. For more on OU football, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson And Cream Machine. More on NCAA football can be found over at SB Nation's College Football hub.
Kansas State senior quarterback Collin Klein has made big improvements since his struggles as a junior, and Wildcats head coach Bill Snyder chalks that up to the 23-year-old's experience and work ethic, according to comments made at a weekly press conference.
Klein threw for 1918 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions as a junior in 2011, but only completed 57.3 percent of his passes. Through three games in 2012 his completion percentage has jumped to 72.9, and he's thrown for 609 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions, while leading the explosive Wildcats offense.
Snyder cites Klein's experience and hard work as the reasons behind the marked improvement:
"It probably runs across the board. I think a year in the system has given him a better understanding of both our offense and opponents' defenses. It allows him to make decisions a little bit quicker than he might have done perhaps a year ago. Probably all of it, you know, we've addressed this many times. Collin is just adamant about improving all aspects of his game and certainly works diligently to do that, but I think those things probably stand out immensely. I think he feels more confident. He has the capacity to make decisions a little quicker. It gives him the opportunity to get rid of the ball a little bit faster. It all works hand-in-hand."
The No. 15 Wildcats (3-0) will face their toughest test of the young 2012 season on Saturday as they face the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners (2-0) at Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:50 p.m. CT and the game will be televised on FOX.
The No. 15 Kansas State Wildcats (3-0) visit Norman, Okla. Saturday to play Oklahoma (2-0) in the Big 12 opener for both teams. Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein knows his team needs to do everything right to beat the Sooners in their own house:
"I would say a collective effort. We cannot turn the ball over and cannot go three-and-out. That puts a lot of pressure on not only us in terms of field position, but it also puts a lot of pressure on our defense. We are going to need to execute, protect well and make some plays. I think it is going to be everything – we cannot do just one thing. It has to be everything."
The Wildcats have not left home yet in 2012, beating Missouri State, Miami (Fl.) and North Texas in Manhattan. Oklahoma beat UTEP on the road and blew out Florida A&M at home.
For more on the Kansas State Wildcats, head over to Bring On The Cats. For more on OU football, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson And Cream Machine. More on NCAA football can be found over at SB Nation's College Football hub.
As the Kansas State Wildcats prepare to visit the Oklahoma Sooners in a huge Big 12 showdown on Saturday night, Wildcats head coach Bill Snyder noted in his weekly press conference how difficult a task facing the sixth-ranked Sooners will be.
Here's Snyder, on playing smart against an imposing Oklahoma team:
I can't think of any negative things that happen there. That certainly does not work in our favor. We say all the time to keep it between the white lines and play error free football, you know, as close as you can. It's just difficult to ask.
No. 15 Kansas State (3-0) enters Saturday coming off a 35-21 win over North Texas at home on Sept. 15 and a 52-13 blowout of the University of Miami (Fla.) on Sept. 8. They will present the Sooners with their toughest challenge yet, after Oklahoma has started off the season with decisive victories over UTEP and Florida A&M.
For more on the Kansas State Wildcats, head over to Bring On The Cats. For more on OU football, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson And Cream Machine. More on NCAA football can be found over at SB Nation's College Football hub.
Oklahoma safety Tony Jefferson is on track to play Saturday against No. 15 Kansas State, according to The Oklahoman's Jason Kersey.
Jefferson suffered a bruised ankle during the Sooners' 69-13 win over Florida A&M on Sept. 8. and was in a walking boot for most of the past two weeks. Jefferson recently returned to practice after coach Bob Stoops stated he'd have to see the safety in practice before making a determination on his playing status.
After taking every snap in practice on Tuesday, it appears Jefferson is ready to go.
Jefferson was the 2010 Big 12 co-Defensive Freshman of the Year and was named a 2010 Freshman All-American. In two games this season, Jefferson has 11 total tackles and one pass breakup.
The No. 6 Sooners will open Big 12 play against the Wildcats at 6:50 p.m. CT in Norman, OK, with coverage on FOX.
For more on the Kansas State Wildcats, head over to Bring On The Cats. For more on OU football, visit Oklahoma blog Crimson And Cream Machine. More on NCAA football can be found over at SB Nation's College Football hub.
The Kansas State Wildcats got a boost from Tyler Lockett during their 35-21 victory over North Texas last weekend, as the sophomore had a 96-yard kick return for touchdown. It came immediately after a North Texas touchdown, keeping the Cats in control of the game as they avoided the upset. Now, Lockett has been rewarded by being named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week.
The sophomore also ranks second nationally among active players in career kickoff return touchdowns. He finished the night with 119 yards on two kickoff returns, while he also caught one pass for six yards. Lockett was joined by Texas quarterback David Ash (offensive) and TCU linebacker Joel Hasley (defensive) in earning weekly honors from the Big 12.
Taking the prize after the North Texas game marks the third time that Lockett has won the award, also earning the honor after the games against Kansas and Oklahoma State in 2011.
For more on the Kansas State Wildcats, head over to Bring On The Cats. More on NCAA football can be found over at SB Nation's College Football hub.
The Wildcats face a tough test in Norman this week, taking on the Oklahoma Sooners after a narrow victory against North Texas the week before.
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