12 November 2023
MANHATTAN (KSNT) – After a devasting overtime loss at Texas a week prior, K-State football needed to get back on track at home against Baylor.
From the jump, it was all Wildcats. K-State held on to an early lead, finishing the game on top 59-25.
Baylor made the game look like it may be a shootout in the opening minutes. K-State quarterback Will Howard found DJ Giddens for an 18-yard touchdown off the opening drive. The Bears responded two minutes later to tie the game at 7-7.
Howard and company didn’t miss a beat, capping an eight-play drive with a Howard-to-Ben Sinnott passing touchdown to take 14-7 lead. Then, things got out of hand.
On the second play of Baylor’s next drive, a strip sack gave linebacker Desmond Purnell the perfect lane for a fumble recovery, returning it for a touchdown and 21-7 lead.
The Bears would punt, and K-State again got into Baylor territory. On fourth-and-goal from the one-yard-line, Howard kept it himself, sneaking in for a 28-7 lead.
On Baylor’s next possession, a bad snap on a fourth-down punt resulted in a fumble recovered at the Bear’s two-yard-line. On the next play, Howard threw a touchdown pass to Christian Moore.
The touchdown gave K-State a 35-7 lead in the second quarter, but that pass meant more. The score marked Will Howard’s 45th career touchdown pass, which now sits atop the K-State all-time list.
Baylor would score right before half, but K-State maintained a 35-13 lead at the break.
Midway through the third, running back Treshaun Ward scored from four yards out that would give K-State a 45-19 lead. The Wildcats added insult to injury after corner Keenan Garber recorded a 45-yard pick-six, putting the ‘Cats up 52-19.
An Avery Johnson touchdown pass to Garrett Oakley with three minutes remaining added a score. Baylor scored with just seconds to go to make the final score look better. At the end, it was K-State on top 59-25.
Howard finished 19 of 29 passing for 236 yards and three touchdowns. Giddens carried the ball 18 times for 125 yards.
The Wildcat defense forced four turnovers – three fumbles and an interception – with two resulting in return touchdowns.
The win moves K-State to 7-3, 5-2 in the Big 12. The Wildcats travel to No. 16 Kansas next Saturday.