TCU Football at Kansas State: Halftime Report

The Horned Frogs trail 27-3 in Manhattan

The TCU Horned Frogs and the Kansas State Jayhawks are meeting in Manhattan, Kansas tonight. These two teams last met in the 2022 Big 12 Championship game in Arlington. 

The score at the half is TCU 3- Kansas State 27

TCU trails Kansas State 27-3 at the half in the Week 8 matchup in Manhattan, Kansas.  / X: @TCUFootball

TCU has not looked like the complete team they were just a week ago. Kansas State could move the ball, whether by air or on the ground, without much pushback from the TCU defense. Josh Hoover threw more incompletions than completions and was sacked once. 

First Half Highlights:

The Wildcats received the opening kick, and right away, we saw the duo quarterback scenario of the Cats. Avery Johnson took the first play of the game, and then WIll Howard got into the game. It only took eight plays and 3:10 off the clock before running back DJ Giddens took it on for a 2-yard touchdown to put KSU on the board. Score: 7-0 KSU 11:50 1st

TCU was not as lucky on their first drive. Hoover started the game with a 12-yard pass to Dylan Wright. But, four plays later, TCU punted, giving the Cats the ball back with 10:15 left in the quarter.  

On their second possession, K-State had no problem moving the ball on the ground and the air. A 26-yard pass from Johnson to Keenan Garber set up a 2-yard pass to Treshaun Ward for another Cats touchdown. That scoring drive took seven plays, 73 yards, and 3:57. Score: 14-0 KSU 6:20 1st. 

Thanks to a pass interference call on third down followed by a 35-yard by Emani Bailey, the Frogs got on the board with a 32-yard field goal by Griffin Kell. Score: 14-3 KSU 4:12 1st. 

A short pass from Howard to Giddens to the right led to a 61-yard touchdown. That scoring drive was 75 yards, three plays, and only 1:06. Score: 21-3 KSU 3:06 1st. 

The Wildcats, on their fourth possession, the Frogs' defense finally kept the Cats out of the endzone, and KSU was forced to kick a 27-yard field goal. Score: 24-3 KSU 10:41 2nd.

Kansas State drove the ball down the field on their fifth possession. On 4th down and four at the TCU 38, Howard threw an incomplete pass to Garrett Oakley and turned the ball over on downs. It was the first Cats' possession that did not put points on the board. 

As time ran out in the first half, KSU kicked another field goal, this one from 40 yards out. Score: 27-3 KSU 0:00 2nd. 

Key Players of the First Half:

Emani Bailey - Carried the ball nine times for 59 yards, including one run of 35 yards. 

Jayce Brown - Caught three passes for 77 yards, including one for 43 yards. 

DJ Giddens - Carried the ball seven times for 57 yards and one touchdown. He also caught two passes for 75 yards and a touchdown. 

Josh Hoover - Completed seven of 17 pass attempts for 66 yards. Has a 73.8 QB Rating at half. 

Will Howard - Completed four of 10 pass attempts for 96 yards and one touchdown. He also ran the ball twice for a total of 41 yards. 

Avery Johnson - Completed three of eight pass attempts for 72 yards and one touchdown. He also ran the ball 12 times for 78 yards. 

Jordy Sandy had a 49-yard punt late in the 1st and a 42-yard punt in the second. When your offense sputters, having a punter put some distance on the ball helps. 

Savion Williams - Was targeted numerous times. He had one catch for 16 yards and carried the ball once for five yards.

Dylan Wright is the only Horned Frog with more than one catch in the half. He had two catches for 20 yards. 

Halftime Stats:

Scoring Summary	1st Quarter	2nd Quarter	Total
TCU	3	0	3
Kansas State	21	6	27

Team Stats	TCU	Kansas State
First Downs	8	19
Third Down Efficiency	1/6	5/7
Fourth Down Efficiency	0/0	0/1
Total Yards	122	406
Passing Yards	66	168
Rushing Yards	56	238
Turnovers	0	0
Times Sacked	1	0
Penalties	3/28	3/25

TCU Football at KSU: Live Game Day Thread

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