QB Avery Johnson Leads Kansas State To Late Victory Against Colorado
Somehow, Kansas State was the underdog.
Despite entering ranked No. 19, many picked the Wildcats to lose on the road against coach Deion Sanders and Colorado.
K-State quarterback Avery Johnson had other plans.
He hooked up with receiver Jayce Brown for a 50-yard touchdown with a little more than two minutes to lead the Wildcats to a 31-28 victory Saturday night. Johnson completed 15 of 23 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns against one interception.
“Ultimately you’ve just got to make plays in big moments,” Johnson said. “Ultimately, that’s what our guys did.”
While Johnson made plays when it counted, it was the K-State running game stealing the show. Running back DJ Giddens ran 25 times for 182 yards. Dylan Edwards, a Colorado transfer, had seven carriers for 21 yards and a touchdown.
The Buffaloes were at a disadvantage in the second half, losing receivers Travis Hunter and Jimmy Horn Jr. to injury. Hunter, who also plays defensive back, is considered one of the best players in the country.
Still, coach Sanders refused to blame the loss on their absences.
"Certainly losing Travis and Jimmy and others was tremendous, because they're a vital part of our team, a part of our identity," Coach Prime said. "That took a lot out of us. But other guys had the opportunity to step up, and they did. So I'm proud of them."
Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Kansas State Wildcats On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com
Follow our updates on Facebook
X: @KStateOnSI
