Does Arizona State Display The Same Resilience Kansas State WR Saw In Houston?
The Kansas State Wildcats were stunned by the Houston Cougars in their latest matchup, which should serve as a wake-up call for the rest of the season.
Their next game comes against the Arizona State Sun Devils on Nov. 16, following a bye week for the Wildcats. The Sun Devils are 6-2 on the season—a much more impressive record than the 4-5 Cougars. This should put into perspective for coach Chris Klieman and company the challenge awaiting them.
While the Sun Devils are the stronger opponent from a record standpoint, Kansas State wide receiver Keagan Johnson saw a different level of resilience in the Cougars.
"I feel like we had the momentum, but that team they fought hard," Johnson said. "There's certain teams that when they lose momentum, they kind of back off. Man, that team, they were fighting."
Johnson brings up a valid question: will Arizona State display the same level of fight that Houston did on Sunday?
Take the Sun Devils' 35-31 victory over the Kansas Jayhawks as an example. The two teams were tied at halftime before the Jayhawks took a three-point lead entering the final quarter. Arizona State stormed back to win with a 21-point fourth quarter.
A less flashy example comes in their three-point win against Texas State. The teams were tied all the way until the fourth quarter, where the defense bolstered down with an interception and fumble recovery while the offense delivered a game-winning field goal.
Arizona State has either led or trailed by a decent margin by halftime in more recent weeks, meaning there's been no need or opportunity to fight back.
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Anthony Pasciolla is a contributing writer to K-State On SI. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or followed on X @AnthonyPasci.
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Anthony Pasciolla is a sports journalist who began covering the NBA in June 2023. A Philadelphia native, Anthony has experience covering the Philadelphia 76ers as a credentialed reporter. He has written for Miami Heat, Back In The Day Hoops, Kansas State Wildcats, and Illinois Fighting Illini on Sports Illustrated. His work also includes 76ers coverage for The Sporting News and previous stories for Athlon Sports and BasketballNews. When he’s not covering the NBA, you can find him spending time with friends and family or diving into the world of fantasy football. Follow him on X @AnthonyPasci or reach him via email at ampasciolla@gmail.com