Byron Pringle, Skylar Thompson erupt as Kansas State upsets Oklahoma State

Turns out there’s a reason Kansas State football players have hyped Byron Pringle so much the past two years.

Pringle, a junior receiver, flashed his full potential during a 45-40 victory over No. 10 Oklahoma State on Saturday at Pickens Stadium by zooming his way up and down the field for 280 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns.

He looked like an all-American, consistently burning Oklahoma State defenders for four catches, 166 yards and three touchdowns while also returning a kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown.

“That,” Pringle said afterward, “was the best game of my life.”

His monster outing, combined with strong quarterback play from Skylar Thompson and a mostly solid defensive effort, enabled the Wildcats to pull off one of the most unlikely upsets in school history. Never before had they been considered 21-point underdogs and won.

The victory also snapped a 14-game losing streak to ranked opponents and gave K-State its first victory over a top 10 team since 2012. It was its first win in Stillwater since 1999.

Oh, and the Wildcats (6-5, 4-4 Big 12) are now bowl eligible, while the Cowboys (8-3, 5-3) are no longer in contention for a conference championship.

“I am extremely proud of my team,” K-State right tackle Dalton Risner said. “That’s awesome, a great win in Stillwater against a crazy-good team. I am really happy. We had 11 guys running out there on the field -- despite everything in the media this week, despite everyone doubting us, despite being 21-point underdogs – believing in each other and believing in what we were going to do.… We made it happen.”

This one was never in doubt … until it looked like it was over.

Behind Pringle’s Godzilla effort, the Wildcats raced to a 42-13 lead with 5:22 remaining in the third quarter. The 56,790 in attendance, and most watching at home, were stunned.

Few expected this, especially when K-State took the field without a long list of key players. Usual starters D.J. Reed (defensive back), Dayton Valentine (tight end), Dalton Schoen (receiver), Jesse Ertz and Alex Delton (quarterbacks) all missed this game.

And yet, K-State dominated most of the way.

“That is the team we have been expecting to be all year,” K-State running back Alex Barnes said. “It’s a little too late, but better late than never. I am glad we finally got to show what we are capable of today.”

Pringle was the main reason why. That was a change of pace for the former junior-college transfer. Though he has been a steady contributor during his two seasons with the Wildcats, his play has often left fans wanting more.

That wasn’t the case Saturday. Pringle exploded for one huge play after another. His touchdown grabs were bombs of 46, 47 and 60 yards. He beat man coverage so easily on them that he ended up walking into the end zone all three times.

“I owed it to my teammates and everyone else on the offense that played their part today,” Pringle said. “I was just running my routes, being calm and relaxed.”

Pringle tried to stay humble while speaking with media, but he was more emotional with teammates in the locker room. K-State players said he got up in front of the team and gave a speech, expressing how much the big game meant to him.

“He’s a freak,” Barnes said. “We see it every day in practice and in the weight room. The guy is a baller, and he showed it today.”

It helped to have Thompson throwing perfect spirals in his direction.

“We have a lot of confidence in each other,” Thompson said. “I know if I see any separation with Byron I can put it in a spot and he is going to go get it for me. It takes a lot of weight off my shoulders.”

This was also Thompson’s best game of the season, as he completed 10 of 13 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns. His confidence appeared shaken during his first start last week against West Virginia, but he bounced back in a big way. He also ran for 93 yards and a touchdown.

His final touchdown pass felt like a game-clinching play, especially with Barnes (86 yards and a touchdown) eating up clock. But Oklahoma State has the nation’s second-rated offense, and the Cowboys put their skill players to good work as they mounted a furious rally.

It was nearly enough. Behind 425 passing yards from Mason Rudolph, the Cowboys pulled to within 45-40 with 4:55 remaining and took over at midfield with 2:16 left on the clock.

When asked if he was nervous on the sideline, K-State coach Bill Snyder said “frightened might be a better word.”

But the Wildcats forced a turnover on downs in four plays to preserve victory. Disaster averted.

“At the end of the day they made the stop that won the ballgame,” Snyder said. “Being able to hold them on four downs, that’s a major task with that much on the line.”

It was a fitting end for a game that started almost perfectly for Kansas State.

The short-handed Wildcats raced to a 28-13 lead with some of their best execution of the season and kept things going in the third quarter.

So what if the fourth quarter was a letdown? The oddsmakers tabbed K-State as a 21-point underdog, and responded with its most impressive victory in years.

And Pringle finally lived up to the hype.

This story was originally published November 18, 2017 at 6:14 PM with the headline "Byron Pringle, Skylar Thompson erupt as Kansas State upsets Oklahoma State."