fbpx
Skip to main content

WATCH: Oklahoma State dominates No. 25 Kansas State early

Sep 25, 2021; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State's Spencer Sanders (3) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the Kansas State Wildcats in the first quarter at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sarah Phipps-USA TODAY Sports
Sarah Phipps-USA TODAY Sports

Spencer Sanders was 22-of-34 for 344 yards and two touchdowns as Oklahoma State defeated No. 25 Kansas State 31-20 on Saturday at in Stillwater, Okla. The Cowboys (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) raced to a 31-10 lead and then coasted. Jaylen Warren rushed for 123 yards.

The Cowboys came in averaging 24 points per game and had not scored more than 28 in any game. They averaged 147 yards per game on the ground and 190 through the air. But they finished with 481 total yards, compared to just 260 for K-State. The Cowboys had 295 yards in the first half.

K-State (3-1, 0-1 Big 12) opened with a 13-play, 68-yard drive but had to settle for a 32-yard field goal by Taiten Winkel. But Oklahoma State answered with a 2-yard touchdown run by Sanders. The touchdown capped a seven-play, 75-yard drive, keyed by a 52-yard gain on a screen pass from Sanders to Warren.

K-State’s special teams had been noticeably absent so far this season, but Malik Knowles changed that with a 99-yard touchdown on the ensuing kickoff. It was the Wildcats’ 54th return for a touchdown (punts and kickoffs combined) since 2005, the most in the FCS. The next highest total is 34 by Alabama.

The lead didn’t last long as Sanders hit Brennan Presley for a 20-yard touchdown to push OSU back up 14-10. That score capped a seven-play, 73-yard drive.

Knowles was knocked down at his own 7-yard line on the kickoff, and on the first play, Will Howard couldn’t control the snap. The ball was recovered in the end zone by Malcolm Rodriguez and the Cowboys led 21-10 with 3:15 left in the first quarter.

After a KSU punt, Sanders hit Tay Martin with a 7-yard touchdown and the Cowboys matched their highest point total of the season with 10:51 remaining in the second quarter. Field goals by OSU’s Alex Hale and KSU’s Winkel closed the first-half scoring.

Neither team could mount much offense in the third quarter, until Jaren Lewis hit Deuce Vaughn in the flat and Vaughn raced 55 yards for the score.

–Field Level Media

Mentioned in this article:

More About: