Kansas State vs. Oklahoma State Recap: Wildcats' Ground Game Powers Dominant Victory
The Kansas State Wildcats responded in bold fashion to their only loss of the season.
The Wildcats defeated the No. 20-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys, 42-20, on Saturday afternoon. This comes just a week following the blowout against the BYU Cougars.
The ground game was the highlight of the day for K-State, as quarterback Avery Johnson and running back D.J. Giddens took over. Johnson finished with five carries for 60 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. Giddens comfortably outperformed OSU standout back Ollie Gordon II by recording 15 carries for 187 rushing yards (209 total) and a touchdown. Gordon was held to less than 100 yards and kept out of the end zone by the Wildcats’ defense.
Johnson’s rollercoaster campaign throwing the ball came to a screeching halt, as the wide receivers also made strides. Johnson threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns to a single interception. Jayce Brown concluded with four receptions, 78 yards, and a touchdown while Jadon Jackson and Keagan Johnson tallied more than 50 yards each.
Kansas State coach Chris Klieman dared the Cowboys to beat his team through the air, and it paid off. OSU quarterback Alan Bowman threw a pair of interceptions en route to a 364 passing yard day. Wideout De’Zhaun Stribling did, however, cause some serious issues for the secondary. His outing was highlighted by a 77-yard TD catch, as he finished with seven receptions for 157 yards.
Kansas State gets a week off before taking on the nationally-spotlighted Colorado Buffaloes on Oct. 12.
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