2008 Kansas State Wildcats football team
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Kansas State Wildcats football team (variously "K-State" or "KSU") represented Kansas State University
in the season of 2008–2009. The Wildcats played their home games in Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The head coach was Ron Prince
, who was in his third and final season at the helm of the Wildcats. The 2008 signing class was one that saw 26 signees, including 19 junior college transfers.
The schedule kicked off with 4 non-conference games, including a first ever trip to Louisville, Kentucky
to face the Louisville Cardinals
. After the non-conference schedule, K-State headed into Big 12 play with Texas Tech
and ended the Big 12 season with Iowa State
.
!colspan=8| Non-Conference Season
|-
!colspan=8| Big 12 Regular Season
was dominant throwing 3 touchdown passes and running for two more scores in an impressive with over Sun Belt Conference
member UNT. K-State scored on 6 of their first 7 possessions and held the Mean Green to 205 total yards. Kansas State was favored by 24½ going into the game.
ran for two scores and threw for two more and K-State returned two blocked punts for touchdowns for the first time in school history in a 69-10 rout of Montana State. Kansas State also scored on a fumble recovery while ringing up their most points since a school-record 76-0 pounding of Ball State in 2000. Freeman hit 16 of 21 passes for 288 yards, including two 36-yard touchdown strikes, before being lifted midway through the third quarter in favor of back-up Carson Coffman. While rolling up 481 total yards, the Wildcats averaged 7.3 yards per play.
Josh Freeman
went 22-42, threw for 313 yards, 3 TD's, and two interceptions. K-State scored on a spectacular 86 yard punt return by Deon Murphy
but it wasn't enough. Receiver Brandon Banks
continued to shine as he caught seven balls for 153 yards and two TD's. The defense was clearly the issue, giving up 578 yards to the Cardinals, including 303 rushing yards. Freeman broke the Kansas State career completions record of 501 held by Lynn Dickey (1968–70).
The Wildcats took on Louisiana-Lafeyette
for first time since the 2004 season
. The Wildcats won that game by a score of 40-20. The last time K-State lost at home to an unranked non-conference opponent was in 1989 against Northern Illinois, Bill Snyder
's first year in Manhattan.
Josh Freeman
broke K-State’s career yardage record and threw three TD's to help the Wildcats beat Louisiana-Lafeyette
45-37.
Freeman was 21-of-28 for 272 yards and has 6,238 career yards to eclipse Lynn Dickey
for number 1 all-time on the Kansas State list. With 35 touchdowns passes, he’s two short of Ell Roberson
’s school record.
Freeman, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound junior who has started every game since his freshman year, also ran for two TDs. He threw TDs of 12 and 3 yards to Deon Murphy in the first half and connected with Brandon Banks
on a 53-yard scoring play that made it 42-23 with 1:49 left in the third.
Lamark Brown
, who has been a wide receiver since coming to K-State, started at running back and had 137 yards, including a 3-yard TD that put Kansas State on top 35-17 in the third quarter.
Coming into the game, K-State had lost the last 3 of 4 to the Red Raiders. Their last win against Texas Tech
was in 2000 in Manhattan. Texas Tech was favored by 7.
K-State was completely outmatched in the game, with the defense giving up 626 yards. It was the third consecutive game that the Wildcats gave up more than 600 yards on defense.
Graham Harrell
threw six touchdown passes and shattered the Texas Tech record for career yards passing, leading the No. 7 Red Raiders past Kansas State 58-28 in the teams' Big 12 Conference
opener.
Lyle Leong snared three touchdown passes from Harrell, who was 38-for-51 for 454 yards. Texas Tech (5-0, 1-0 Big 12), with its highest ranking in 32 years, scored on seven straight possessions and did not attempt a punt until Taylor Potts replaced Harrell late in the fourth quarter.
Heisman candidate Michael Crabtree
had nine catches for 107 yards and two TDs.
The Red Raiders, leading the nation in total offense (572.8 yards per game), and passing (426.2), had 417 and 316 while putting up a 38-14 halftime lead.
The six TD passes tied the career-best for Harrell, who spread his passes around to 10 different receivers. The three-year starter ran his career total to 12,709 yards, erasing the record of 12,429 yards by Kliff Kingsbury
from 1999-02.
Facing fourth-and-inches from their own 29 late in the first quarter, the Red Raiders sent Shannon Woods on a sweep. But he was stuffed, and four plays later, Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman
scored on a 1-yard run, knotting the game 14-all.
A moment later, Texas Tech’s Richard Jones recovered Lamark Brown
’s fumble on the Kansas State 34 and Baron Batch made it 58-21 on a 9-yard run.
On successive possessions in the second quarter, Harrell led quick-hitting drives of 53, 70 and 54 yards. Freeman, in the meantime, went cold, misfiring on 9 of 10 passes, several of which Tech defenders got their hands on.
The Kansas State junior, who a week earlier had become his own school’s career passing leader, was 13-for-28 for 170 yards, including a 33-yard TD pass to Ernie Pierce. Pierce also scored on an 18-yard return of a blocked punt late in the game.
Kansas State has now lost 4 out of the last 5 games against Texas Tech. The two teams will play again in 2009 in Lubbock
. Texas Tech leads the all-time series 6-3.
came in 1996. Kansas State was favored by 3 going into the game.
Kansas State junior quarterback Josh Freeman
completed 21 of 26 passes and ran for four touchdowns as Kansas State snapped its five-game losing streak to Texas A&M with a 44-30 win.
Courtney Herndon returned a blocked punt for a touchdown for the Wildcats (4-2, 1-1 Big 12), who moved the ball at will in the first half and led 27-10 at the break.
Sophomore quarterback Jerrod Johnson
tried to rally the Aggies, but the comeback stalled when Kansas State’s defense stuffed Jorvorskie Lane
twice at the goal line midway through the fourth quarter.
Freeman led a 98-yard drive the other way and sealed the win on a short touchdown run with 4:37 left.
Johnson, starting again for the injured Stephen McGee
, completed 29 of 41 passes for a school-record 419 yards. He also ran for a score and finished with 487 total yards, also a school record.
The Aggies (2-4), dropped to 0-2 in the Big 12 for the first time.
The Wildcats found the end zone on their opening drive for the fourth time this season. Freeman threw a 32-yard pass to Brandon Banks
before scoring on a 12-yard run just over three minutes into the game.
Kansas State forced a punt by Justin Brantly, who was blocked by linebacker Reggie Walker. Herndon’s touchdown made it 13-3. The Wildcats have returned four blocked punts for touchdowns this season.
The Wildcats glided down the field again on their next possession. Logan Dold finished the drive with a 4-yard TD run. Freeman went 6-for-7 and scampered for 12 yards on a fourth-and-1 from the Aggies 28.
Freeman finished a quick drive with another touchdown run with 4:20 left in the half. At that point, the Wildcats had 269 total yards and were averaging 7.7 yards per play.
On fourth down from the 1, Lane barreled into the end zone for his first touchdown of the season. Lane set two school records with his 46th career touchdown and his 45th rushing. He had been tied with Darren Lewis for first on both lists.
The Aggies drove to the Kansas State 2 early in the fourth quarter, but Lane was gang-tackled on third and fourth down.
After Kansas State’s 98-yard drive, Johnson threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Goodson. The Wildcats recovered the ensuing onside kick near midfield and Freeman scored again with 1:14 left.
Johnson threw a 55-yard touchdown pass to Tannehill in the final minute.
The Colorado Buffaloes
found an answer to their quarterback troubles, turning to freshman Tyler Hansen, who sparked them to a 14-13 win.
Cody Hawkins
, the son of Buffs coach Dan Hawkins, was benched and switched offensive series with Tyler Hansen.
Although Hawkins mostly handed off to Rodney Stewart (29 carries for 141 yards), he also hit J.R. Smith for 22 yards on third-and-15 from his own 29 on the drive.
His fourth-and-4 pass to Smith, however, fell incomplete and Kansas State took over at its own 31 with 59 seconds remaining.
Josh Freeman
’s fourth-down desperation heave to Brandon Banks
at the Buffs’ 20-yard line was broken up by free safety Ryan Walters on the last play of the game.
Hansen finished a modest 7-of-14 for 71 yards with one TD and one interception, but he also ran 19 times for 86 yards, bringing a dimension that Hawkins doesn’t have. Hawkins was 6-of-11 for 35 yards.
Trailing 6-0 and in need of a spark to break out of their monthlong slump, Hansen entered the game and promptly fumbled his first snap out of bounds. But on third-and-12 from his 28, Hansen gained 13 yards on a draw play and suddenly the Buffs, who snapped a three-game skid, had the momentum.
He drove them to the Kansas State 4, where Hawkins re-entered and handed off to Stewart, who ran into the end zone to give Colorado a 7-6 lead.
The next time Hansen drove the Buffs downfield, Hawkins stayed on the sideline and Hansen hit Scotty McKnight with a 21-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline for a 14-6 lead.
Brooks Rossman kicked field goals of 37 and 53 yards but was wide right from 47 yards and wide left from 42 in the first half.
The Wildcats pulled to 14-13 when Freeman scored untouched on 17-yard keeper early in the third quarter.
Colorado had a chance to pad its slim lead but Aric Goodman’s 47-yard field goal try sailed wide right at the last moment. Goodman’s 48-yard attempt in the first half was blocked by Ian Campbell
, Kansas State’s seventh block in seven games, best in the nation.
, 2001
, 2004
and 2005
). K-State has now lost three games in a row to the Sooners. The Wildcats' last regular season win against the Sooners came in 1997
(and another win in 1996
), though the Wildcats beat the Sooners in the 2003 Big 12 Championship Game
, after losing in 2000
to OU in the Championship game. Oklahoma now leads the all-time series, 69-17-4. The game was scheduled for the 2008 Homecoming
game. OU was favored by 19.
DeMarco Murray
racked up 167 total yards and four touchdowns, and No. 4 Oklahoma sustained a 21-point Kansas State rally in the highest-scoring first half in school history to beat the Wildcats 58-35.
Sam Bradford
added three TD passes in the first half in which the Sooners (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) give up a 28-7 lead before taking control by scoring 27 consecutive points.
The capper was a 68-yard punt return touchdown by redshirt freshman Ryan Broyles that gave the Sooners a 55-28 halftime lead. That total matched the school record for points in a half, set in the second half of Oklahoma’s 76-0 shutout of the Wildcats in 1942.
Josh Freeman
threw for a career-high 478 yards for K-State, with all three of his touchdown passes coming as the Wildcats charged back to tie it at 28.
But with 8 minutes left in the half, the Sooners found time to score four touchdowns.
Murray ended up running for 104 yards on 17 carries and making four catches for 63 yards, with two touchdowns each way. Chris Brown ran 20 times for 142 yards and one touchdown.
Bradford, who came in completing 71 percent of his passes, went only 13-for-32 for 255 yards. The 40 percent completion rate was the lowest of his career and only the second time more than half of his passes were incomplete.
Oklahoma looked as if it might cruise after snuffing out K-State’s deceptive onside kick attempt after its first touchdown. After tailback Logan Dold threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Deon Murphy
on a trick play, kicker Brooks Rossman took a designed fall on his approach to the tee and backup Jared Parker kicked the ball instead.
The ball squirted loose momentarily before Jermaine Gresham
pounced on it for the Sooners. Murray caught a 15-yard touchdown pass two plays later to make it 21-7, and Brown’s 11-yard run stretched the lead to 21.
Freeman rallied K-State back with touchdown passes on three straight drives — a 77-yarder to Brandon Banks
, a 29-yarder to Jeron Mastrud and a 9-yarder to Murphy to tie it up at 28.
Freeman’s second touchdown pass pushed him past Ell Roberson
’s school record for TDs in a career. Freeman now has 38 career touchdown passes and his singe game passing total ranked only behind Chad May’s 489 yards against Nebraska in 1993.
and Kansas State
. Kansas has now won three two years in a row, and four out of the last five. The Wildcats last beat the Jayhawks in Lawrence in 2002, by a score of 64-0. Heading into the game, the Jayhawks were favored by 8½.
Lamark Brown
rushed for three scores but was outdone by KU running back Jake Sharp had 257 total yards and tied a school record with four touchdowns, as Kansas defeated Kansas State 52-21.
Kansas (6-3, 3-2 Big 12) was reeling after giving up more than 1,200 yards in losses to Oklahoma and Texas Tech the previous two weeks. The Jayhawks bounced back quickly, defeating Kansas State (4-5, 1-4).
Kansas ran for six touchdowns—one short of the school record—and harassed Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman
into four turnovers, giving him 14 during Kansas’ first three-game winning streak in the Sunflower Showdown
since 1988-90.
Brown was the only bright spot for Kansas State, scoring on runs of 4, 11 and 1 yards, though all three came after the game was out of reach.
Sharp had 118 yards on nine carries and scored on runs of 4, 20 and 47 yards in the first quarter to put Kansas up 21-0. Sharp added a 2-yard touchdown run in the third to put Kansas up 45-7 and finished with a career-best 181 yards rushing. He also caught five passes for 76 yards.
On the other side of the ball, Kansas gave Freeman fits—again.
The junior had five interceptions and four fumbles his first two games against Kansas, and had given the ball away three more times before the first half was over in this one.
Freeman threw an interception on his third pass attempt of the game, the ball fluttering into the hands of Kansas’ Russel Brorsen at the Jayhawks’ 42 after he was hit from behind by defensive end Jake Laptad. Sharp scored 70 seconds later, bursting off right tackle on a 20-yard run.
Freeman finally got the Wildcats going late in the second quarter, converting a pair of fourth downs to get the Wildcats to the 1-yard line, only to lose the ball while trying to reach over the goal line. Kansas recovered and methodically marched 80 yards for a 15-yard touchdown run by quarterback Todd Reesing
to go up 31-0.
Freeman’s third turnover of the first half came on a Hail Mary pass in the end zone after Kansas State knocked down Jacob Branstetter’s 33-yard field goal try, it’s nation-best eighth blocked kick of the season. Freeman also fumbled in the third quarter—Kansas State recovered—and threw his third interception in the fourth.
Jeremy Maclin
scored three touchdowns and totaled 278 all-purpose yards, helping No. 13 Missouri shake off a slow start in its home finale and beat Kansas State 41-24 to grab first place in the Big 12 North.
Missouri (8-2, 4-2 Big 12) took control with 17 points in the final 5:46 of the half, including a pair of touchdown passes from Chase Daniel
to Maclin. Maclin had eight receptions for 118 yards and two TDs, four carries for 84 yards and a third TD on a 56-yard jaunt on a direct snap.
Kansas State (4-6, 1-5) has lost five of six under head coach Ron Prince
, the latest setback coming only three days after Prince was fired effective at the end of the season.
It was a familiar feeling of helplessness for the Kansas State defense, burned by Maclin as a freshman last year for three touchdowns and a school-record 360 yards total offense in Manhattan, Kan. Maclin entered the game averaging 189.67 all-purpose yards, second in the nation.
Kansas State scored twice, Brandon Banks
’ 93-yard run and a 3-yard touchdown pass from Carson Coffman to Banks—in the final 1:11 to make the final appear respectable.
Missouri is 11-2 against the North the last three seasons and can clinch its second straight Big 12 championship game berth next week with a victory at Iowa State
combined with a Kansas
loss at home against No. 5 Texas
.
Kansas State trailed 24-3 at the half and barely avoided getting shut out in the first 30 minutes for the second straight game, getting a 43-yard field goal from Brooks Rossman on the final play.
). Since then, K-State had beaten Nebraska four games in a row in Manhattan (wins in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004). Nebraska finally won in Manhattan in 2006 for the first time since 1996. Nebraska was favored by 6½ points going into the 2008 game.
Junior Brandon Banks
tallied 167 yards in kick returns, including a 98-yard touchdown jaunt, as Kansas State dropped a 56-28 decision to Nebraska.
Nebraska senior quarterback Joe Ganz accounted for 365 total yards and four touchdowns and the Cornhuskers (7-4, 4-3 Big 12) dropped Kansas State for the fourth straight year.
The Huskers did it with a balanced attack this time, punishing the Wildcats (4-7, 1-6) at the line of scrimmage for 340 yards and four touchdowns rushing. They complemented it with Ganz’s arm to finish with 610 total yards.
Nebraska established the running game early. Roy Helu Jr. scored on runs of 1 and 24 yards, and Quentin Castille had a 37-yarder on a fourth-and-1 late in the first quarter.
That set up Ganz, who had 270 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-25 passing after his first attempt of the game was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. He also had 95 yards rushing on 11 carries, scoring on runs of 25 and 14 yards in the fourth quarter.
Josh Freeman
, the nation’s 13th-ranked passer at 292 yards per game, faced constant pressure and was sacked five times. He had to hurry or throw off his back foot on several other throws, going 7-for-18 for 114 yards before being replaced by Carson Coffman midway through the third quarter.
Kansas State’s running game certainly didn’t help, managing a dismal 59 yards on 32 carries.
Courtney Herndon intercepted Ganz’s first pass of the afternoon and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown, then Freeman answered two Nebraska TDs by hitting Ernie Pierce on a 63-yard scoring pass to tie it at 14-all.
The momentum carried over to the defense, which held Nebraska to three plays and a punt.
Then Deon Murphy
fumbled the punt at his own 30.
Helu scored two plays later on a 24-yard run. Ganz hit Todd Peterson for a 5-yard touchdown pass on the next possession, then found Mike McNeill for an 18-yard score to put Nebraska up 35-14.
Kansas State had a chance to pull closer in the closing seconds of the first half, but Nebraska pressured Freeman into an incompletion after Ron Prince
decided to go for a touchdown instead of a field goal.
Josh Freeman
threw four touchdown passes and Kansas State sent Ron Prince
out a winner, beating Iowa State 38-30 three weeks after the Wildcats fired their embattled coach.
Prince, hired three seasons ago without any previous head coaching experience, leaves with a record of 17-20. The victory enabled the Wildcats (5-7, 2-6 Big 12) to squeeze past Iowa State (2-10, 0-8) and escape last place in the Big 12 North.
As of November 23, 2008, Kansas State has not hired a replacement for Prince, although athletic director Bob Krause said when announcing the firing that he wanted to pick a successor before the end of the season. Among those whose names have been mentioned are TCU
coach Gary Patterson
and former Kansas State coach Bill Snyder
, who retired after the 2005 season and was followed by Prince.
Prince's Big 12 record got progressively worse, going from 4-4 in 2006 to 3-5 last year and 2-6 in 2008. Given a contract extension before this season, he was rewarded with a buyout of almost $1.3 million when he was fired but asked to stay for the three final games. The Wildcats got blown out by Missouri and Nebraska in their first two games with a lame duck coach.
The future could become similarly perilous for Gene Chizik
, who is 5-19 in two seasons as Iowa State head coach. After winning their first two games, the Cyclones ended the season on a 10-game losing streak.
Austen Arnaud was 31-for-45 for 440 yards and three touchdowns for Iowa State, which lost its 17th straight on the road and has given up 226 points in its last five games.
Brandon Banks
had seven catches for 116 yards for Kansas State, including a 20-yard touchdown, and became the sixth receiver in school history to go over 1,000 yards in a season.
It might also have been the last game at Kansas State for Freeman, the 6-foot-6 junior quarterback who holds career school records for attempts, completions, yards, touchdowns and total offense. Freeman, whose four TD passes tied a school record, has said he intends to come back for his senior season. But an early entry into the NFL might be tempting if he's assured of first-round draft status.
The most highly sought recruit Prince signed at Kansas State, Freeman was 17-for-30 for 279 yards and four TDs against Iowa State's weak defense. The four touchdown passes had been accomplished 12 other times.
Freeman showed on several throws why NFL scouts have been at every game. His first scoring pass was a beauty of a 44-yard strike to Deon Murphy
, who was double-covered but caught the ball perfectly in stride. He also snapped off a 5-yard TD pass to Murphy that made it 35-17 in the third quarter and connected with Ernie Pierce on a 19-yard strike after Josh Moore interception.
Lamark Brown
's 1-yard run gave Kansas State a 7-0 lead in the first quarter after Ian Campbell
blocked his third field goal of the year, a Kansas State record.
Arnaud threw TD passes of 19 and 5 yards to R.J. Sumrall and 28 to Marquis Hamilton. His 5-yarder to Sumrall came as the final seconds of the season ticked off.
style="width:100%"
|+
| align="left" |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! WR
|-
| Aubrey Quarles (89)
|-
| Ernie Pierce
(5)
|}
|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! LT !! LG
!! C
!! RG
!! RT
|-
| Alesana Alesana(78) > Colten Freeze (77)
Jordan Bedore (79)
Penisini Liu
(63)
| Edward Prince (61) Brock Unruh (76)
Zach Kendall (59)
Gerald Spexarth (73)
>
class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap;">
KSU Opp
Punts-Yards
44-1,661
53-1,794
Avg per Punt
37.8
33.8
Time of Possession/Game
27:40
32:20
3rd Down Conversions
68/165
83/180
4th Down Conversions
18/35
11/22
Touchdowns Scored
56
58
Field Goals-Attempts-Long
9-12-53
10-15-41
PAT-Attempts
54-55
50-56
Attendance
316,327
293,555
Games/Avg per Game
7/45,190
5/58,711
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
in the season of 2008–2009. The Wildcats played their home games in Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The head coach was Ron Prince
Ron Prince
Ron Prince is an American football coach who currently is the assistant offensive line coach with the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. From 2006 through 2008, Prince was the head football coach at Kansas State University. He was one of six African-American head coaches in the NCAA Division I-Bowl...
, who was in his third and final season at the helm of the Wildcats. The 2008 signing class was one that saw 26 signees, including 19 junior college transfers.
The schedule kicked off with 4 non-conference games, including a first ever trip to Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
to face the Louisville Cardinals
Louisville Cardinals football
The Louisville Cardinals football team represents the University of Louisville in college football as a member of the Big East Conference. Howard Schnellenberger started the program's rise to relevancy after winning the Miami Hurricanes' first national championship...
. After the non-conference schedule, K-State headed into Big 12 play with Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
and ended the Big 12 season with Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are the athletic teams of Iowa State University. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.*Men's sports...
.
Schedule
|-!colspan=8| Non-Conference Season
|-
!colspan=8| Big 12 Regular Season
North Texas
Josh FreemanJosh Freeman
-2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie...
was dominant throwing 3 touchdown passes and running for two more scores in an impressive with over Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
member UNT. K-State scored on 6 of their first 7 possessions and held the Mean Green to 205 total yards. Kansas State was favored by 24½ going into the game.
Montana State
Kansas State quarterback Josh FreemanJosh Freeman
-2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie...
ran for two scores and threw for two more and K-State returned two blocked punts for touchdowns for the first time in school history in a 69-10 rout of Montana State. Kansas State also scored on a fumble recovery while ringing up their most points since a school-record 76-0 pounding of Ball State in 2000. Freeman hit 16 of 21 passes for 288 yards, including two 36-yard touchdown strikes, before being lifted midway through the third quarter in favor of back-up Carson Coffman. While rolling up 481 total yards, the Wildcats averaged 7.3 yards per play.
Louisville
Kansas State traveled to Louisville, Kentucky for the first time in the program's history and did not fare well. Kansas State was favored by 4 going into the game.Josh Freeman
Josh Freeman
-2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie...
went 22-42, threw for 313 yards, 3 TD's, and two interceptions. K-State scored on a spectacular 86 yard punt return by Deon Murphy
Deon Murphy
Deon Murphy is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Calgary Stampeders.-High school:Murphy started three seasons at Klein Forest High School, located in Houston, Texas. He earned second team All-District 14-5A honors in 2004 and was regarded among the top 50 receivers in the state of Texas...
but it wasn't enough. Receiver Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Kansas State....
continued to shine as he caught seven balls for 153 yards and two TD's. The defense was clearly the issue, giving up 578 yards to the Cardinals, including 303 rushing yards. Freeman broke the Kansas State career completions record of 501 held by Lynn Dickey (1968–70).
Louisiana-Lafayette
Kansas State was favored by 21 points going into the game.The Wildcats took on Louisiana-Lafeyette
Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns football
The Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns football program is a college football team that represents the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the Sun Belt Conference.-Football classifications:*1937–1962: National Junior College Athletic Association...
for first time since the 2004 season
2004 Kansas State Wildcats football team
The 2004 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the college football season of 2004. The team's head football coach was Bill Snyder. The Wildcats played their home games in KSU Stadium...
. The Wildcats won that game by a score of 40-20. The last time K-State lost at home to an unranked non-conference opponent was in 1989 against Northern Illinois, Bill Snyder
Bill Snyder
Bill Snyder is the head football coach at Kansas State University. He was rehired to the position on November 24, 2008, making Snyder one of the rare college football head coaches to have non-consecutive tenure at the same school. Snyder previously served as head coach at the school from 1989 to...
's first year in Manhattan.
Josh Freeman
Josh Freeman
-2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie...
broke K-State’s career yardage record and threw three TD's to help the Wildcats beat Louisiana-Lafeyette
Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns football
The Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns football program is a college football team that represents the University of Louisiana at Lafayette in the Sun Belt Conference.-Football classifications:*1937–1962: National Junior College Athletic Association...
45-37.
Freeman was 21-of-28 for 272 yards and has 6,238 career yards to eclipse Lynn Dickey
Lynn Dickey
Clifford Lynn Dickey is a retired National Football League quarterback, who played for the Houston Oilers and the Green Bay Packers in the 1970s and 1980s.-High school:...
for number 1 all-time on the Kansas State list. With 35 touchdowns passes, he’s two short of Ell Roberson
Ell Roberson
Ell Roberson III is a former quarterback for the Kansas State Wildcats from 1999-2003. During his senior year, he was 6'1" tall and weighed 209 pounds...
’s school record.
Freeman, a 6-foot-6, 250-pound junior who has started every game since his freshman year, also ran for two TDs. He threw TDs of 12 and 3 yards to Deon Murphy in the first half and connected with Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Kansas State....
on a 53-yard scoring play that made it 42-23 with 1:49 left in the third.
Lamark Brown
Lamark Brown
Lamark Brown is a Wide Receiver and a Running Back for the Minnesota State University football team.-High school:Lamark started all four years at Hazelwood West High School in Hazelwood, Missouri at free safety and running back and was a two-time consensus Class 6 all-state performer by the...
, who has been a wide receiver since coming to K-State, started at running back and had 137 yards, including a 3-yard TD that put Kansas State on top 35-17 in the third quarter.
Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
was in 2000 in Manhattan. Texas Tech was favored by 7.
K-State was completely outmatched in the game, with the defense giving up 626 yards. It was the third consecutive game that the Wildcats gave up more than 600 yards on defense.
Graham Harrell
Graham Harrell
Graham Harrell is an American football quarterback. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers and is currently on their scout team. He played college football at Texas Tech.-Early years:...
threw six touchdown passes and shattered the Texas Tech record for career yards passing, leading the No. 7 Red Raiders past Kansas State 58-28 in the teams' Big 12 Conference
Big 12 Conference
The Big 12 Conference is a college athletic conference of ten schools located in the Central United States, with its headquarters located in Las Colinas, a community in the Dallas, Texas suburb of Irving...
opener.
Lyle Leong snared three touchdown passes from Harrell, who was 38-for-51 for 454 yards. Texas Tech (5-0, 1-0 Big 12), with its highest ranking in 32 years, scored on seven straight possessions and did not attempt a punt until Taylor Potts replaced Harrell late in the fourth quarter.
Heisman candidate Michael Crabtree
Michael Crabtree
Michael Alex Crabtree is an American football wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the 49ers with the 10th overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Texas Tech, where he received recognition as one of the nation's...
had nine catches for 107 yards and two TDs.
The Red Raiders, leading the nation in total offense (572.8 yards per game), and passing (426.2), had 417 and 316 while putting up a 38-14 halftime lead.
The six TD passes tied the career-best for Harrell, who spread his passes around to 10 different receivers. The three-year starter ran his career total to 12,709 yards, erasing the record of 12,429 yards by Kliff Kingsbury
Kliff Kingsbury
Klifford "Kliff" Kingsbury is an American Football Coach, serving as the current co-offensive coordinator for the University of Houston Cougar football team. Prior to his current role, Kingsbury was a Quarterback in the NFL and NFL Europe, winning a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots in a...
from 1999-02.
Facing fourth-and-inches from their own 29 late in the first quarter, the Red Raiders sent Shannon Woods on a sweep. But he was stuffed, and four plays later, Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman
Josh Freeman
-2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie...
scored on a 1-yard run, knotting the game 14-all.
A moment later, Texas Tech’s Richard Jones recovered Lamark Brown
Lamark Brown
Lamark Brown is a Wide Receiver and a Running Back for the Minnesota State University football team.-High school:Lamark started all four years at Hazelwood West High School in Hazelwood, Missouri at free safety and running back and was a two-time consensus Class 6 all-state performer by the...
’s fumble on the Kansas State 34 and Baron Batch made it 58-21 on a 9-yard run.
On successive possessions in the second quarter, Harrell led quick-hitting drives of 53, 70 and 54 yards. Freeman, in the meantime, went cold, misfiring on 9 of 10 passes, several of which Tech defenders got their hands on.
The Kansas State junior, who a week earlier had become his own school’s career passing leader, was 13-for-28 for 170 yards, including a 33-yard TD pass to Ernie Pierce. Pierce also scored on an 18-yard return of a blocked punt late in the game.
Kansas State has now lost 4 out of the last 5 games against Texas Tech. The two teams will play again in 2009 in Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
. Texas Tech leads the all-time series 6-3.
Texas A&M
K-State had lost four games in a row to Texas A&M going into the game. Their last win against the Aggies came in 1997. The last win at Kyle FieldKyle Field
Kyle Field is the football stadium located on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. It has been the home to the Texas A&M Aggie football team in rudimentary form since 1904, and as a complete stadium since 1927. It is known as The Home of the 12th Man...
came in 1996. Kansas State was favored by 3 going into the game.
Kansas State junior quarterback Josh Freeman
Josh Freeman
-2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie...
completed 21 of 26 passes and ran for four touchdowns as Kansas State snapped its five-game losing streak to Texas A&M with a 44-30 win.
Courtney Herndon returned a blocked punt for a touchdown for the Wildcats (4-2, 1-1 Big 12), who moved the ball at will in the first half and led 27-10 at the break.
Sophomore quarterback Jerrod Johnson
Jerrod Johnson
Jerrod Terrel Johnson is an American football quarterback who is currently a member of the Arizona Rattlers. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2011. He played college football at Texas A&M....
tried to rally the Aggies, but the comeback stalled when Kansas State’s defense stuffed Jorvorskie Lane
Jorvorskie Lane
Jorvorskie Javion Lane is an American football running back. He played tailback/fullback for the Texas A&M Aggies college football team. He played tailback during his freshman through junior seasons, and switched to fullback his senior season. He holds the school record for career rushing touchdowns...
twice at the goal line midway through the fourth quarter.
Freeman led a 98-yard drive the other way and sealed the win on a short touchdown run with 4:37 left.
Johnson, starting again for the injured Stephen McGee
Stephen McGee
Stephen Richard McGee is an American football quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys. He played college football for Texas A&M....
, completed 29 of 41 passes for a school-record 419 yards. He also ran for a score and finished with 487 total yards, also a school record.
The Aggies (2-4), dropped to 0-2 in the Big 12 for the first time.
The Wildcats found the end zone on their opening drive for the fourth time this season. Freeman threw a 32-yard pass to Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Kansas State....
before scoring on a 12-yard run just over three minutes into the game.
Kansas State forced a punt by Justin Brantly, who was blocked by linebacker Reggie Walker. Herndon’s touchdown made it 13-3. The Wildcats have returned four blocked punts for touchdowns this season.
The Wildcats glided down the field again on their next possession. Logan Dold finished the drive with a 4-yard TD run. Freeman went 6-for-7 and scampered for 12 yards on a fourth-and-1 from the Aggies 28.
Freeman finished a quick drive with another touchdown run with 4:20 left in the half. At that point, the Wildcats had 269 total yards and were averaging 7.7 yards per play.
On fourth down from the 1, Lane barreled into the end zone for his first touchdown of the season. Lane set two school records with his 46th career touchdown and his 45th rushing. He had been tied with Darren Lewis for first on both lists.
The Aggies drove to the Kansas State 2 early in the fourth quarter, but Lane was gang-tackled on third and fourth down.
After Kansas State’s 98-yard drive, Johnson threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Goodson. The Wildcats recovered the ensuing onside kick near midfield and Freeman scored again with 1:14 left.
Johnson threw a 55-yard touchdown pass to Tannehill in the final minute.
Colorado
Going into the game, K-State had beaten Colorado two years in a row, including a win in Boulder in 2006. Colorado was favored by 3½. Colorado leads the all-time series 43-19-1.The Colorado Buffaloes
Colorado Buffaloes
The University of Colorado Boulder sponsors 16 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's team are called the Buffaloes or Golden Buffaloes . "Lady Buffs" referred to the women's teams beginning in the 1970s, but was officially dropped in 1993...
found an answer to their quarterback troubles, turning to freshman Tyler Hansen, who sparked them to a 14-13 win.
Cody Hawkins
Cody Hawkins
Cody Hawkins is a former quarterback for the University of Colorado Buffaloes football team, and current quarterback for the Stockholm Mean Machines of the Sweden Super Series.-High school:...
, the son of Buffs coach Dan Hawkins, was benched and switched offensive series with Tyler Hansen.
Although Hawkins mostly handed off to Rodney Stewart (29 carries for 141 yards), he also hit J.R. Smith for 22 yards on third-and-15 from his own 29 on the drive.
His fourth-and-4 pass to Smith, however, fell incomplete and Kansas State took over at its own 31 with 59 seconds remaining.
Josh Freeman
Josh Freeman
-2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie...
’s fourth-down desperation heave to Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Kansas State....
at the Buffs’ 20-yard line was broken up by free safety Ryan Walters on the last play of the game.
Hansen finished a modest 7-of-14 for 71 yards with one TD and one interception, but he also ran 19 times for 86 yards, bringing a dimension that Hawkins doesn’t have. Hawkins was 6-of-11 for 35 yards.
Trailing 6-0 and in need of a spark to break out of their monthlong slump, Hansen entered the game and promptly fumbled his first snap out of bounds. But on third-and-12 from his 28, Hansen gained 13 yards on a draw play and suddenly the Buffs, who snapped a three-game skid, had the momentum.
He drove them to the Kansas State 4, where Hawkins re-entered and handed off to Stewart, who ran into the end zone to give Colorado a 7-6 lead.
The next time Hansen drove the Buffs downfield, Hawkins stayed on the sideline and Hansen hit Scotty McKnight with a 21-yard touchdown pass down the left sideline for a 14-6 lead.
Brooks Rossman kicked field goals of 37 and 53 yards but was wide right from 47 yards and wide left from 42 in the first half.
The Wildcats pulled to 14-13 when Freeman scored untouched on 17-yard keeper early in the third quarter.
Colorado had a chance to pad its slim lead but Aric Goodman’s 47-yard field goal try sailed wide right at the last moment. Goodman’s 48-yard attempt in the first half was blocked by Ian Campbell
Ian Campbell (American football)
Ian Cade Campbell is a former starting defensive end for Kansas State University. He is a former walk-on and two-time team captain for the Wildcats.-High school:Campbell went to high school at Cimarron High School...
, Kansas State’s seventh block in seven games, best in the nation.
Oklahoma
Going into the game, K-State had lost four regular season games in a row to OU (20002000 Kansas State Wildcats football team
The 2000 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the college football season of 2000. The team's head football coach was Bill Snyder. The Wildcats played their home games in KSU Stadium. 2000 saw the wildcats finish with a record of 11-3, and a 6-2 record in...
, 2001
2001 Kansas State Wildcats football team
The 2001 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the college football season of 2001. The team's head football coach was Bill Snyder. The Wildcats played their home games in KSU Stadium. 2001 saw the wildcats finish with a record of 6-6, and a 3-5 record in Big...
, 2004
2004 Kansas State Wildcats football team
The 2004 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the college football season of 2004. The team's head football coach was Bill Snyder. The Wildcats played their home games in KSU Stadium...
and 2005
2005 Kansas State Wildcats football team
The 2005 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the college football season of 2005. The team's head football coach was Bill Snyder. The Wildcats played their home games in KSU Stadium...
). K-State has now lost three games in a row to the Sooners. The Wildcats' last regular season win against the Sooners came in 1997
1997 Kansas State Wildcats football team
The 1997 Kansas State Wildcats football team, generally considered the greatest football team in school history, represented Kansas State University in the college football season of 1997. The team's head football coach was Bill Snyder. The Wildcats played their home games in KSU Stadium. 1997...
(and another win in 1996
1996 Kansas State Wildcats football team
The 1996 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the college football season of 1996. The team's head football coach was Bill Snyder. The Wildcats played their home games in KSU Stadium. 1996 saw the wildcats finish with a record of 9-3, and a 6-2 record in Big...
), though the Wildcats beat the Sooners in the 2003 Big 12 Championship Game
2003 Kansas State Wildcats football team
The 2003 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the college football season of 2003-2004. The team's head football coach was Bill Snyder. The Wildcats played their home games in KSU Stadium. The team finished the season with a win-loss record of 11 and 4, and a...
, after losing in 2000
2000 Kansas State Wildcats football team
The 2000 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the college football season of 2000. The team's head football coach was Bill Snyder. The Wildcats played their home games in KSU Stadium. 2000 saw the wildcats finish with a record of 11-3, and a 6-2 record in...
to OU in the Championship game. Oklahoma now leads the all-time series, 69-17-4. The game was scheduled for the 2008 Homecoming
Homecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
game. OU was favored by 19.
DeMarco Murray
DeMarco Murray
DeMarco Murray is an American football running back for the Dallas Cowboys who played high school football for Bishop Gorman and college football for the Oklahoma Sooners.-High school career:...
racked up 167 total yards and four touchdowns, and No. 4 Oklahoma sustained a 21-point Kansas State rally in the highest-scoring first half in school history to beat the Wildcats 58-35.
Sam Bradford
Sam Bradford
Samuel Jacob "Sam" Bradford is an American football quarterback for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and played college football at Oklahoma. In 2008, as a redshirt sophomore, Bradford became the second sophomore to win a...
added three TD passes in the first half in which the Sooners (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) give up a 28-7 lead before taking control by scoring 27 consecutive points.
The capper was a 68-yard punt return touchdown by redshirt freshman Ryan Broyles that gave the Sooners a 55-28 halftime lead. That total matched the school record for points in a half, set in the second half of Oklahoma’s 76-0 shutout of the Wildcats in 1942.
Josh Freeman
Josh Freeman
-2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie...
threw for a career-high 478 yards for K-State, with all three of his touchdown passes coming as the Wildcats charged back to tie it at 28.
But with 8 minutes left in the half, the Sooners found time to score four touchdowns.
Murray ended up running for 104 yards on 17 carries and making four catches for 63 yards, with two touchdowns each way. Chris Brown ran 20 times for 142 yards and one touchdown.
Bradford, who came in completing 71 percent of his passes, went only 13-for-32 for 255 yards. The 40 percent completion rate was the lowest of his career and only the second time more than half of his passes were incomplete.
Oklahoma looked as if it might cruise after snuffing out K-State’s deceptive onside kick attempt after its first touchdown. After tailback Logan Dold threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Deon Murphy
Deon Murphy
Deon Murphy is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Calgary Stampeders.-High school:Murphy started three seasons at Klein Forest High School, located in Houston, Texas. He earned second team All-District 14-5A honors in 2004 and was regarded among the top 50 receivers in the state of Texas...
on a trick play, kicker Brooks Rossman took a designed fall on his approach to the tee and backup Jared Parker kicked the ball instead.
The ball squirted loose momentarily before Jermaine Gresham
Jermaine Gresham
Jermaine Gresham is an American football tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals. He was drafted by the Bengals with the 21st pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, despite the fact that he had missed all of the previous season with a knee injury....
pounced on it for the Sooners. Murray caught a 15-yard touchdown pass two plays later to make it 21-7, and Brown’s 11-yard run stretched the lead to 21.
Freeman rallied K-State back with touchdown passes on three straight drives — a 77-yarder to Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Kansas State....
, a 29-yarder to Jeron Mastrud and a 9-yarder to Murphy to tie it up at 28.
Freeman’s second touchdown pass pushed him past Ell Roberson
Ell Roberson
Ell Roberson III is a former quarterback for the Kansas State Wildcats from 1999-2003. During his senior year, he was 6'1" tall and weighed 209 pounds...
’s school record for TDs in a career. Freeman now has 38 career touchdown passes and his singe game passing total ranked only behind Chad May’s 489 yards against Nebraska in 1993.
Kansas
The game was the 106th meeting between KansasKansas Jayhawks football
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference....
and Kansas State
Kansas State Wildcats football
The Kansas State Wildcats football program is the intercollegiate football program of the Kansas State University Wildcats. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I Bowl Subdivision, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference...
. Kansas has now won three two years in a row, and four out of the last five. The Wildcats last beat the Jayhawks in Lawrence in 2002, by a score of 64-0. Heading into the game, the Jayhawks were favored by 8½.
Lamark Brown
Lamark Brown
Lamark Brown is a Wide Receiver and a Running Back for the Minnesota State University football team.-High school:Lamark started all four years at Hazelwood West High School in Hazelwood, Missouri at free safety and running back and was a two-time consensus Class 6 all-state performer by the...
rushed for three scores but was outdone by KU running back Jake Sharp had 257 total yards and tied a school record with four touchdowns, as Kansas defeated Kansas State 52-21.
Kansas (6-3, 3-2 Big 12) was reeling after giving up more than 1,200 yards in losses to Oklahoma and Texas Tech the previous two weeks. The Jayhawks bounced back quickly, defeating Kansas State (4-5, 1-4).
Kansas ran for six touchdowns—one short of the school record—and harassed Kansas State quarterback Josh Freeman
Josh Freeman
-2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie...
into four turnovers, giving him 14 during Kansas’ first three-game winning streak in the Sunflower Showdown
Sunflower Showdown
The Sunflower Showdown is the series of athletic contests between Kansas State University and the University of Kansas, most notably football and men's basketball. The name is derived from the official nickname for the state of Kansas: the Sunflower State....
since 1988-90.
Brown was the only bright spot for Kansas State, scoring on runs of 4, 11 and 1 yards, though all three came after the game was out of reach.
Sharp had 118 yards on nine carries and scored on runs of 4, 20 and 47 yards in the first quarter to put Kansas up 21-0. Sharp added a 2-yard touchdown run in the third to put Kansas up 45-7 and finished with a career-best 181 yards rushing. He also caught five passes for 76 yards.
On the other side of the ball, Kansas gave Freeman fits—again.
The junior had five interceptions and four fumbles his first two games against Kansas, and had given the ball away three more times before the first half was over in this one.
Freeman threw an interception on his third pass attempt of the game, the ball fluttering into the hands of Kansas’ Russel Brorsen at the Jayhawks’ 42 after he was hit from behind by defensive end Jake Laptad. Sharp scored 70 seconds later, bursting off right tackle on a 20-yard run.
Freeman finally got the Wildcats going late in the second quarter, converting a pair of fourth downs to get the Wildcats to the 1-yard line, only to lose the ball while trying to reach over the goal line. Kansas recovered and methodically marched 80 yards for a 15-yard touchdown run by quarterback Todd Reesing
Todd Reesing
Todd Reesing is a former starting quarterback for the Kansas Jayhawks.- High school career:Reesing attended Lake Travis High School in Austin, Texas and was a good student and a letterman in football and baseball. In football, Reesing was named the Texas 4A Player of the Year as a junior...
to go up 31-0.
Freeman’s third turnover of the first half came on a Hail Mary pass in the end zone after Kansas State knocked down Jacob Branstetter’s 33-yard field goal try, it’s nation-best eighth blocked kick of the season. Freeman also fumbled in the third quarter—Kansas State recovered—and threw his third interception in the fourth.
Missouri
K-State had beaten Mizzou 13 years in a row (including 14 of 15 years from 1991 to 2005). Mizzou finally ended the Wildcat dominance with wins in 2006, 2007 and 2008.Jeremy Maclin
Jeremy Maclin
-2009 NFL Draft:Maclin was considered a top National Football League prospect following his second season, and roommate Sean Weatherspoon hoped to convince Maclin to return for his junior year instead of leaving Missouri for the 2009 NFL Draft. Weatherspoon’s efforts were unsuccessful, and on...
scored three touchdowns and totaled 278 all-purpose yards, helping No. 13 Missouri shake off a slow start in its home finale and beat Kansas State 41-24 to grab first place in the Big 12 North.
Missouri (8-2, 4-2 Big 12) took control with 17 points in the final 5:46 of the half, including a pair of touchdown passes from Chase Daniel
Chase Daniel
William Chase Daniel is an American football quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was signed by the Washington Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2009...
to Maclin. Maclin had eight receptions for 118 yards and two TDs, four carries for 84 yards and a third TD on a 56-yard jaunt on a direct snap.
Kansas State (4-6, 1-5) has lost five of six under head coach Ron Prince
Ron Prince
Ron Prince is an American football coach who currently is the assistant offensive line coach with the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. From 2006 through 2008, Prince was the head football coach at Kansas State University. He was one of six African-American head coaches in the NCAA Division I-Bowl...
, the latest setback coming only three days after Prince was fired effective at the end of the season.
It was a familiar feeling of helplessness for the Kansas State defense, burned by Maclin as a freshman last year for three touchdowns and a school-record 360 yards total offense in Manhattan, Kan. Maclin entered the game averaging 189.67 all-purpose yards, second in the nation.
Kansas State scored twice, Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Kansas State....
’ 93-yard run and a 3-yard touchdown pass from Carson Coffman to Banks—in the final 1:11 to make the final appear respectable.
Missouri is 11-2 against the North the last three seasons and can clinch its second straight Big 12 championship game berth next week with a victory at Iowa State
Iowa State Cyclones football
The Iowa State Cyclones football team represents Iowa State University in college football. The Cyclones compete in the Big 12 Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision. ISU started playing football in 1892, however, it did not become an official sport until 1894...
combined with a Kansas
Kansas Jayhawks football
The Kansas Jayhawks football program is the intercollegiate football program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks. The program is classified in the NCAA's Division I, and the team competes in the Big 12 Conference....
loss at home against No. 5 Texas
Texas Longhorns football
The Texas Longhorns football program is the intercollegiate football team representing The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas. The team currently competes in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big 12 Conference which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National...
.
Kansas State trailed 24-3 at the half and barely avoided getting shut out in the first 30 minutes for the second straight game, getting a 43-yard field goal from Brooks Rossman on the final play.
Nebraska
All-time, Nebraska leads the series 76-15-2. In 1998, K-State beat Nebraska in Manhattan for the first time since 1959. The Wildcats last beat Nebraska in 1968 (in LincolnLincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
). Since then, K-State had beaten Nebraska four games in a row in Manhattan (wins in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2004). Nebraska finally won in Manhattan in 2006 for the first time since 1996. Nebraska was favored by 6½ points going into the 2008 game.
Junior Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Kansas State....
tallied 167 yards in kick returns, including a 98-yard touchdown jaunt, as Kansas State dropped a 56-28 decision to Nebraska.
Nebraska senior quarterback Joe Ganz accounted for 365 total yards and four touchdowns and the Cornhuskers (7-4, 4-3 Big 12) dropped Kansas State for the fourth straight year.
The Huskers did it with a balanced attack this time, punishing the Wildcats (4-7, 1-6) at the line of scrimmage for 340 yards and four touchdowns rushing. They complemented it with Ganz’s arm to finish with 610 total yards.
Nebraska established the running game early. Roy Helu Jr. scored on runs of 1 and 24 yards, and Quentin Castille had a 37-yarder on a fourth-and-1 late in the first quarter.
That set up Ganz, who had 270 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-25 passing after his first attempt of the game was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. He also had 95 yards rushing on 11 carries, scoring on runs of 25 and 14 yards in the fourth quarter.
Josh Freeman
Josh Freeman
-2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie...
, the nation’s 13th-ranked passer at 292 yards per game, faced constant pressure and was sacked five times. He had to hurry or throw off his back foot on several other throws, going 7-for-18 for 114 yards before being replaced by Carson Coffman midway through the third quarter.
Kansas State’s running game certainly didn’t help, managing a dismal 59 yards on 32 carries.
Courtney Herndon intercepted Ganz’s first pass of the afternoon and returned it 57 yards for a touchdown, then Freeman answered two Nebraska TDs by hitting Ernie Pierce on a 63-yard scoring pass to tie it at 14-all.
The momentum carried over to the defense, which held Nebraska to three plays and a punt.
Then Deon Murphy
Deon Murphy
Deon Murphy is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Calgary Stampeders.-High school:Murphy started three seasons at Klein Forest High School, located in Houston, Texas. He earned second team All-District 14-5A honors in 2004 and was regarded among the top 50 receivers in the state of Texas...
fumbled the punt at his own 30.
Helu scored two plays later on a 24-yard run. Ganz hit Todd Peterson for a 5-yard touchdown pass on the next possession, then found Mike McNeill for an 18-yard score to put Nebraska up 35-14.
Kansas State had a chance to pull closer in the closing seconds of the first half, but Nebraska pressured Freeman into an incompletion after Ron Prince
Ron Prince
Ron Prince is an American football coach who currently is the assistant offensive line coach with the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. From 2006 through 2008, Prince was the head football coach at Kansas State University. He was one of six African-American head coaches in the NCAA Division I-Bowl...
decided to go for a touchdown instead of a field goal.
Iowa State
The Wildcats are 8-3 against the Cyclones since 1998. Iowa State leads the all-time series 49-39-4. Kansas State was favored by 9½ going into the game.Josh Freeman
Josh Freeman
-2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie...
threw four touchdown passes and Kansas State sent Ron Prince
Ron Prince
Ron Prince is an American football coach who currently is the assistant offensive line coach with the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. From 2006 through 2008, Prince was the head football coach at Kansas State University. He was one of six African-American head coaches in the NCAA Division I-Bowl...
out a winner, beating Iowa State 38-30 three weeks after the Wildcats fired their embattled coach.
Prince, hired three seasons ago without any previous head coaching experience, leaves with a record of 17-20. The victory enabled the Wildcats (5-7, 2-6 Big 12) to squeeze past Iowa State (2-10, 0-8) and escape last place in the Big 12 North.
As of November 23, 2008, Kansas State has not hired a replacement for Prince, although athletic director Bob Krause said when announcing the firing that he wanted to pick a successor before the end of the season. Among those whose names have been mentioned are TCU
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
coach Gary Patterson
Gary Patterson
Gary Patterson is the head coach of the TCU Horned Frogs college football team. He grew up in Rozel, Kansas and played football at Dodge City Community College and Kansas State University. Patterson is married to Kelsey Patterson . He has three sons: Josh, Cade and Blake...
and former Kansas State coach Bill Snyder
Bill Snyder
Bill Snyder is the head football coach at Kansas State University. He was rehired to the position on November 24, 2008, making Snyder one of the rare college football head coaches to have non-consecutive tenure at the same school. Snyder previously served as head coach at the school from 1989 to...
, who retired after the 2005 season and was followed by Prince.
Prince's Big 12 record got progressively worse, going from 4-4 in 2006 to 3-5 last year and 2-6 in 2008. Given a contract extension before this season, he was rewarded with a buyout of almost $1.3 million when he was fired but asked to stay for the three final games. The Wildcats got blown out by Missouri and Nebraska in their first two games with a lame duck coach.
The future could become similarly perilous for Gene Chizik
Gene Chizik
Eugene "Gene" Chizik is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the head coach of the Auburn University football team, a position he has held since the 2009 season. Chizik's 2010 Auburn Tigers football team completed a 14–0 season with a victory over Oregon in the BCS...
, who is 5-19 in two seasons as Iowa State head coach. After winning their first two games, the Cyclones ended the season on a 10-game losing streak.
Austen Arnaud was 31-for-45 for 440 yards and three touchdowns for Iowa State, which lost its 17th straight on the road and has given up 226 points in its last five games.
Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks
Brandon Banks is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Kansas State....
had seven catches for 116 yards for Kansas State, including a 20-yard touchdown, and became the sixth receiver in school history to go over 1,000 yards in a season.
It might also have been the last game at Kansas State for Freeman, the 6-foot-6 junior quarterback who holds career school records for attempts, completions, yards, touchdowns and total offense. Freeman, whose four TD passes tied a school record, has said he intends to come back for his senior season. But an early entry into the NFL might be tempting if he's assured of first-round draft status.
The most highly sought recruit Prince signed at Kansas State, Freeman was 17-for-30 for 279 yards and four TDs against Iowa State's weak defense. The four touchdown passes had been accomplished 12 other times.
Freeman showed on several throws why NFL scouts have been at every game. His first scoring pass was a beauty of a 44-yard strike to Deon Murphy
Deon Murphy
Deon Murphy is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Calgary Stampeders.-High school:Murphy started three seasons at Klein Forest High School, located in Houston, Texas. He earned second team All-District 14-5A honors in 2004 and was regarded among the top 50 receivers in the state of Texas...
, who was double-covered but caught the ball perfectly in stride. He also snapped off a 5-yard TD pass to Murphy that made it 35-17 in the third quarter and connected with Ernie Pierce on a 19-yard strike after Josh Moore interception.
Lamark Brown
Lamark Brown
Lamark Brown is a Wide Receiver and a Running Back for the Minnesota State University football team.-High school:Lamark started all four years at Hazelwood West High School in Hazelwood, Missouri at free safety and running back and was a two-time consensus Class 6 all-state performer by the...
's 1-yard run gave Kansas State a 7-0 lead in the first quarter after Ian Campbell
Ian Campbell (American football)
Ian Cade Campbell is a former starting defensive end for Kansas State University. He is a former walk-on and two-time team captain for the Wildcats.-High school:Campbell went to high school at Cimarron High School...
blocked his third field goal of the year, a Kansas State record.
Arnaud threw TD passes of 19 and 5 yards to R.J. Sumrall and 28 to Marquis Hamilton. His 5-yarder to Sumrall came as the final seconds of the season ticked off.
Depth chart
| Alex Hrebec (47) | Ulla Pomele (51) | >- | Hansen Sekona (50) | John Houlik (39) | Brandon Balkcom (92) | Ian Campbell Ian Campbell (American football) Ian Cade Campbell is a former starting defensive end for Kansas State University. He is a former walk-on and two-time team captain for the Wildcats.-High school:Campbell went to high school at Cimarron High School... (98) >- | Vlad Faustin (55) |
Daniel Calvin (77) |
| align="left" |
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! WR
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
|-
| Aubrey Quarles (89)
|-
| Ernie Pierce
(5)
|}
|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! LT !! LG
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
!! C
Center (American football)
Center is a position in American football and Canadian football . The center is the innermost lineman of the offensive line on a football team's offense...
!! RG
Guard (American football)
In American and Canadian football, a guard is a player that lines up between the center and the tackles on the offensive line of a football team....
!! RT
|-
| Alesana Alesana(78) >
(63)
| Edward Prince (61)
Roster
| 2008 Kansas State Wildcats football roster | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
|
Offensive Line
Defensive Line
|
Linebackers
Defensive Backs
Punters
Kickers
|
||
Coaching staff
| Name | Position | Years at K-State |
|---|---|---|
| Ron Prince Ron Prince Ron Prince is an American football coach who currently is the assistant offensive line coach with the Indianapolis Colts of the NFL. From 2006 through 2008, Prince was the head football coach at Kansas State University. He was one of six African-American head coaches in the NCAA Division I-Bowl... |
Head Coach | 3 |
| Tim Tibesar | Defensive Coordinator | 3 |
| Dave Brock | Offensive Coordinator |
2 |
| Jeff Rodgers | Specical Teams | 1 |
| Ricky Rahne | Running Backs | 2 |
| Warren Ruggiero | Quarterbacks | 1 |
| Cornell Jackson | Linebackers | 1 |
| Tim McCarty Tim McCarty Tim McCarty is an American college football coach. Since 2009, he is the head football coach at East Central University. His previous position was as the assistant head football coach at Kansas State University... |
Assistant Head Coach, Offensive Line | 3 |
| Mo Latimore | Defensive Line | 23 |
| Frank Leonard | Tight Ends | 2 |
| Total | 41 | |
Team
| class="wikitable" style="white-space:nowrap;"> | KSU | Opp | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoring | 419 | 430 | |
| Points per Game | 36.9 | 35.8 | |
| First Downs | 250 | 302 | |
| Rushing | 93 | 135 | |
| Passing | 138 | 151 | |
| Penalty | 19 | 16 | |
| Total Offense | 4,825 | 5,749 | |
| Avg per Play | 5.8 | 6.2 | |
| Avg per Game | 402.1 | 479.1 | |
| Fumbles-Lost | 24-14 | 15-7 | |
| Penalties-Yards | 67-549 | 84-662 | |
| Avg per Game | 45.8 | 55.2 |
Scores by quarter
Rushing
| Name | GP | Att | Gain | Loss | Net | Avg | TD | Long | Avg/G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamark Brown Lamark Brown Lamark Brown is a Wide Receiver and a Running Back for the Minnesota State University football team.-High school:Lamark started all four years at Hazelwood West High School in Hazelwood, Missouri at free safety and running back and was a two-time consensus Class 6 all-state performer by the... |
9 | 118 | 458 | 46 | 412 | 3.5 | 5 | 28 | 45.8 |
| Josh Freeman Josh Freeman -2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie... |
12 | 107 | 538 | 134 | 404 | 3.8 | 14 | 29 | 33.7 |
| Logan Dold | 10 | 82 | 336 | 3 | 333 | 4.1 | 3 | 19 | 33.3 |
| Total | 12 | 408 | 1,839 | 249 | 1,590 | 3.9 | 26 | 93 | 132.5 |
| Opponents | 12 | 502 | 2,894 | 282 | 2,612 | 5.2 | 31 | 69 | 217.7 |
Passing
| Name | GP-GS | Effic | Att-Cmp-Int | Pct | Yds | TD | Lng | Avg/G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Freeman Josh Freeman -2009:On November 8, 2009, Freeman started his first professional game at home against the Green Bay Packers. The Buccaneers won, ending an 11-game losing streak. He completed 14 out of 31 passes for 205 yards, 3 passing touchdowns, and 1 INT, including a fourth down touchdown pass to rookie Sammie... |
12-12 | 136.5 | 224-382-8 | 58.6 | 2,945 | 20 | 77 | 245.4 |
| Carson Coffman | 6-0 | 117.0 | 25-41-2 | 61.0 | 282 | 1 | 51 | 47.0 |
| Opponents | 12 | 138.3 | 257-424-10 | 60.6 | 3,137 | 26 | 55 | 261.4 |
Receiving
| Name | GP | No. | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | Avg/G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon Banks Brandon Banks Brandon Banks is an American football wide receiver for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League. He was signed by the Redskins as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He played college football at Kansas State.... |
12 | 67 | 1,049 | 15.7 | 9 | 77 | 87.4 |
| Jeron Mastrud | 12 | 38 | 435 | 11.4 | 2 | 52 | 36.2 |
| Deon Murphy Deon Murphy Deon Murphy is a Canadian football wide receiver for the Calgary Stampeders.-High school:Murphy started three seasons at Klein Forest High School, located in Houston, Texas. He earned second team All-District 14-5A honors in 2004 and was regarded among the top 50 receivers in the state of Texas... |
12 | 37 | 555 | 15.0 | 6 | 70 | 46.2 |
| Aubrey Quarles | 12 | 34 | 407 | 12.0 | 1 | 36 | 33.9 |
| Ernie Pierce | 12 | 27 | 424 | 15.7 | 3 | 63 | 35.3 |
| Total | 12 | 250 | 3,235 | 12.9 | 22 | 77 | 269.6 |
| Opponents | 12 | 257 | 3,137 | 12.2 | 26 | 55 | 261.4 |