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Posted on Sun, Nov. 15, 2009

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Missouri dumps Kansas State 38-12

BY KELLIS ROBINETT

The Wichita Eagle

MANHATTAN — All season, Kansas State won football games in typical Bill Snyder fashion.

By limiting turnovers, running the ball hard and taking advantage of opponent mistakes, the Wildcats ascended to the top of the Big 12 North standings.

But on Saturday at Snyder Family Stadium, Missouri — aside from passing for big yardage instead of running — used that winning formula against them in a 38-12 victory.

With the loss, K-State (6-5, 4-3 Big 12) remains one win shy of becoming eligible for a bowl game and winning the Big 12 North, but can clinch both next week with a win at Nebraska in a winner-take-all game.

K-State committed three turnovers, ran for 112 yards on 43 attempts and scored no touchdowns in five appearances inside the MU 20. Its only points came from Josh Cherry, who made all four of his field-goal attempts.

Against a Mizzou squad that committed no turnovers, gained 433 yards and swung the game in its favor with big plays, it wasn't nearly enough.

"We didn't execute," senior quarterback Grant Gregory said. "They made good stops and we had to settle for field goals. Josh did a good job kicking field goals, but you can't get down there five times and come away with 12 points."

A few touchdowns would have helped, but erasing two fumbles might have done more.

K-State's first giveaway came on the second play of the second quarter. The score was tied at 3, and wide receiver Brandon Banks was within a half-yard of scoring the go-ahead touchdown. He extended the ball toward the goal line but lost control and watched helplessly as it rolled through the end zone for a touchback.

Instead of a 10-3 lead, the Wildcats gave the ball away and fell behind by the same score moments later when Missouri quarterback Blaine Gabbert hit Danario Alexander for a 54-yard touchdown strike.

What was most painful for K-State, though, were two other gaffes that led to that score. John Houlik committed a pass interference penalty to keep Missouri's drive alive on the third-down play before the touchdown, and safety Tysyn Hartman was in position to intercept the pass itself.

They were mistakes K-State has avoided throughout the conference season, but led to a crucial 14-point swing.

"For things like that to happen," said Banks, who caught eight passes for 128 yards, "that's very unusual."

It was tough for the Wildcats to watch Gabbert and Alexander pick them apart, too. Gabbert completed 20 of 27 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns. He connected with Alexander 10 times for 200 yards and all three scores.

The second came on Missouri's final play of the first half to give the Tigers a 17-6 lead. The third came on their final play of the third quarter, when K-State had cut the lead to 17-12. Alexander turned a pass over the middle of the field into an 80-yard catch-and-run.

Junior running back Daniel Thomas, who ran for a below-average 79 yards on 23 carries against a Missouri defense designed to stop him, fumbled on the ensuing drive and the game was never close again.

Combined with K-State's red-zone inadequacies, it was a puzzling afternoon for everyone wearing the home colors.

"I don't know what really happened to us, to tell you truth," wide receiver Lamark Brown said. "We weren't in sync, we weren't making plays we were supposed to make. We had opportunities we didn't take advantage of."

Snyder said he reminded his players how they can redeem themselves.

"They're the luckiest group of 120 guys that exist in the Big 12 Conference," Snyder said. "To go out and get it handed to you like you did today and still have an opportunity to win a North Division title and still have the opportunity to go to a bowl game, most teams can't play and coach the way we did today and still control their own destiny."