Field Level Media
Nov 17, 2018
Kansas State turned in a dominant defensive effort to earn a 21-6 victory against Texas Tech Saturday on a cold, blustery day at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan, Kan.
The Wildcats held the Red Raiders to just 181 yards of total offense -- including 61 in the second half -- nearly 350 yards below their season average. Texas Tech had not been held to fewer than 300 yards of total offense since 2011.
Kansas State (5-6, 3-5 Big 12) improved to 181-12 under Bill Snyder when leading at halftime. With the victory, KSU kept alive its slim hopes of bowl eligibility. Texas Tech (5-6, 3-5) lost its fourth straight game.
Kansas State opened the second half with consecutive drives into the red zone but came away with no offensive points. The first drive stalled on a failed fourth-and-1 at the 5-yard line.
After a blocked punt gave K-State two points on a safety to make it 12-6, the Wildcats drove to the Tech 17. But Skylar Thompson's pass was intercepted in the end zone by Adrian Frye.
A strip-sack of Red Raiders quarterback Jett Duffey by Reggie Walker was recovered by the Wildcats at the Tech 20. A penalty nullified a K-State touchdown, but Blake Lynch hit a 34-yard field goal to expand the lead to 15-6.
Kansas State finished the scoring with two more Lynch field goals in the fourth quarter.
This might have been the final home game in the 27-year coaching career of the 79-year-old Snyder. He now stands 215-116-1 in his career, all at Kansas State. He took over a program that had had just four winning seasons in the previous 50 years, and had only appeared in one bowl game in history prior to the 1989 season.
Snyder has led the Wildcats to 19 bowl games. His 126 Big 8/Big 12 Conference wins stands second only to Tom Osborne.
But this year's Wildcats are near the bottom of the Big 12. There is unrest in Manhattan as the Wildcats had few easy victories and suffered multiple blowouts.
The first half was an ugly affair as neither team could muster much offense. The Wildcats had 127 yards of total offense, while the Red Raiders had 120. KSU managed the half's only touchdown with 43 seconds left when Thompson hit Malik Knowles with an 8-yard pass.
--Field Level Media