MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Avery Johnson threw three touchdown passes — two to Garrett Oakley — and Kansas State added two defensive touchdowns to defeat TCU 41-28 Saturday afternoon. Des Purnell had two interceptions, including a pick-6, for the Wildcats.
“I thought we played well in all three phases at times,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “There’s always going to be things that we’ve got to get better at. But we came out with energy, with urgency. We came out with physicality, and did some really good things.”
Johnson finished 16-of-26 passing for 196 yards for Kansas State (3-4, 2-2 Big 12).
Josh Hoover was 26-of-47 passing for 376 yards and three touchdowns for TCU (4-2, 1-2 Big 12).
“We didn’t do a very good job of going out and playing well enough to win,” TCU coach Sonny Dykes said. “It was just kind of a disaster in so many ways.”
K-State took a two-score lead early in the third quarter with its second defensive touchdown of the game. Purnell picked off Hoover and raced 25 yards for the score.
“It kind of feels like high school days all over again with the ball in my hand,” Purnell said. “But that was all set up by the rest of the guys around me.”
Johnson then found Garrett Oakley for his second touchdown, this time from 17 yards out, to give the Wildcats a 28-7 lead with 3:57 left in the third quarter. With that touchdown, Oakley became the all-time leader in touchdown catches among K-State tight ends.
“Avery made really nice throws today,” Oakley said. “I thought he had a really good game, so I’m happy for him as well.
“If you would have told me that (I would be the career leader in touchdowns) when I first got here, I don’t think I’d ever believe you. But this is a process organization, just coming to work every day. I put my head down, going to work is kind of what brought me to this moment.”
TCU used a seven-play, 75-yard drive in just 1:51 to draw within 28-14 late in the fourth quarter. Hoover found Chase Curtis on a 2-yard touchdown on fourth down.
But Johnson found Jarend Bradley for a 12-yard touchdown to give K-State a 35-14 lead.
“I didn’t see us as an underdog going into today’s game, and I don’t see us as a 3-4 team now,” Johnson said. “We just had an unfortunate turn of events early in the year. We didn’t play as well as we wanted to play. Last week at Baylor, things don’t go our way. And you might have one or two of those a year where things don’t go your way, but you win and play well in the other ones to make up for it.”
Hoover connected with Eric McAlister for an 85-yard touchdown, but Purnell’s second interception in TCU territory set up a Luis Rodriguez field goal.
TCU got on the scoreboard with a 12-play, 93-yard drive late in the first half. Jeremy Payne went around the left end for a 1-yard touchdown.
Kansas State answered with a 32-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Oakley, capping a six-play, 75-yard drive to even the score.
On TCU’s second play of the ensuing possession, Hoover’s pass to Ed Small was ruled a backward pass. It was recovered by Wesley Fair at the TCU 15-yard line. Fair ran it in for a touchdown, giving K-State a 14-7 lead at the half.
The Takeaway
TCU: The Horned Frogs waited too long to find their offense. They started each half with anemic offense before getting long drives started.
Kansas State: The Wildcats were opportunistic, scoring twice on defense and holding TCU to 1 of 4 on fourth down.
Up Next
TCU returns home next Saturday for a morning game against Baylor, while Kansas State has a bye before its “Sunflower Showdown” game at Kansas Oct. 25.
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By DAVID SMALE
The Associated Press
