Kansas State vs. Texas Series is Closer Than You Think
Kansas State football wraps up the regular season with a Black Friday game against the Texas Longhorns. Starting quarterback Skylar Thompson is questionable for the game, and Texas is reeling, losing their sixth game in a row against West Virginia last Saturday. It is hard to predict a K-State victory should Skylar Thompson not play, but the Wildcats are getting Texas on the schedule at an opportune time.
It may be the last K-State/Texas football game we will see for a while. I have a hunch that Texas and Oklahoma will find a way out of the Big 12 after this year and head to the SEC earlier than we all think. I could be wrong, but nothing would surprise me at this point.
Kansas State has beaten Texas 10 times in the history of the series between the two schools. While that may not seem like many victories, the programs have only played 21 times dating back to 1913. K-State can tie the all-time series with a win on Friday. I figured this would be a good opportunity to look back at all 10 Wildcat victories against Texas and rank them.
10.) October 2, 1926 – K-State 13 Texas 3
K-State’s first victory against Texas came in the season opener of the 1926 season at Memorial Stadium in Manhattan. K-State was coached by Charlie Bachman and they played in the Missouri Valley Conference at the time. K-State won their first five games in 1926 before losing to Marquette 14-0 in Milwaukee on November 6th. They would lose the next two to finish the season at 5-3.
9.) October 22, 2016 – K-State 24 Texas 21
This game was K-State’s last victory against Texas. Jesse Ertz threw for 171 yards and a score and ran for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Byron Pringle was the recipient of Ertz’s lone touchdown pass. It was the fifth straight home win for K-State against Texas.
8.) November 19, 2011 – K-State (16) 17 Texas 13
K-State was ranked number 16 in the country when they beat Texas in Austin in 2011. Texas out-gained K-State 310 to 121 in total yards, but Wildcats quarterback Collin Klien had a passing touchdown to Chris Harper and added a touchdown on the ground, which was enough to squeak by and win the game.
7.) October 25th, 2014 – K-State (11) 23 Texas 0
K-State was ranked number 11 in the country when Texas came to town in 2014. The Wildcats shut out the Longhorns, which was the first time they were shut out in over a decade. Tyler Lockett had 103 yards receiving on eight catches from Jake Waters and K-State’s defense held Texas to 196 total yards.
6.) November 6, 2010 – K-State 39 Texas 14
K-State fans may remember this game as Collin Klein’s first start at quarterback for the Wildcats. Nobody knew Klein was starting and playing in the game until he trotted out onto the field before the first series. Texas was caught by surprise, as Klein ran the ball early and often, rushing 25 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Daniel Thomas carried the ball 18 times for 116 yards and added two touchdowns of his own as K-State out-gained Texas on the ground 261 yards to 140 yards.
5.) September 29, 2007 – K-State 41 Texas (7) 21
For the second year in a row, Texas was ranked in the top 10 when facing K-State and, for the second year in a row, the Wildcats pulled off a huge upset. Jordy Nelson had an 89-yard punt return touchdown, James Johnson had an 85-yard kickoff return touchdown, and Ian Campbell had a 41-yard interception return for a touchdown and K-State beat Texas by 20.
4.) October 2, 1999 – K-State (13) 35 Texas (15) 17
In the first game between the two programs in which both teams were ranked, K-State beat Texas 35-17 in Austin. Texas led 14-9 before David Allen scored on a 74-yard punt return. Mark Simoneau added a 37-yard interception return touchdown to help seal the victory.
3.) September 19, 1998 – K-State (5) 48 Texas 7
This is a game that K-State fans who witnessed it will never forget. Texas and Heisman trophy favorite Ricky Williams came to Manhattan to play the 5th ranked Wildcats. K-State’s defense stuffed Williams all game long, holding him to just 43 yards on 25 carries. K-State led 35-0 at halftime and did not allow Texas to score until the 4th quarter.. Williams went on to win the Heisman trophy in 1998 and K-State quarterback Michael Bishop finished second. Most K-State fans will never recognize Williams as the true Heisman winner in large part because of this game, instead believing Bishop should have received the award.
2.) December 1, 2012 – K-State (5) 42 Texas (23) 24
K-State clinched their second Big 12 Championship with a victory over Texas in the last game of the regular season in 2012. This was also Collin Klein’s third straight victory against the Longhorns. Klein ran for two touchdowns and passed for another and John Hubert added three rushing touchdowns in the victory.
1.) November 11, 2006 – K-State 45 Texas (4) 42
Texas came to Manhattan in 2006 ranked fourth in the country. ESPN’s postgame write-up started “Touchdown, Colt McCoy. Texas 7-0. Let the rout of Kansas State begin.” Instead, McCoy was injured on the QB sneak on the touchdown run and did not return to the game. Josh Freeman threw three touchdown passes and ran for another. A late 4th down conversion from Freeman to Jordy Nelson sealed the victory for the Wildcats. Ron Prince got his first of two straight victories against the Longhorns if you can believe that.
Can K-State get their 11th victory against Texas on Friday to tie the all-time series? I like their chances.
