Wildcat report: No. 25 K-State 58, UTEP 28

First quarter

Key play: K-State blocked UTEP’s first punt attempt to setup an easy field goal for Matthew McCrane.

Key stat: UTEP totaled nine yards of offense.

Second quarter

Key play: Tyler Lockett returned a punt 58 yards for a touchdown to give K-State a 24-0 lead.

Key stat: UTEP gained one first down.

Third quarter

Key play: DeMarcus Robinson scored a touchdown on a 40-yard run to give K-State a 45-7 lead.

Key stat: UTEP scored its first points on a touchdown pass from Jameill Showers to Ian Hamilton.

Fourth quarter

Key play: Cheney’s Joe Hubener scored on a two-yard run to give K-State a 59-14 lead.

Key stat: UTEP had 126 yards.

Report card

Offense: A. K-State didn’t have to do much in this area with its defense and special teams playing so well, but it produced. Charles Jones, who ran for 76 yards and three touchdowns on 12 attempts, might have played his best game.

Defense: A+. UTEP had no chance against K-State’s defensive line. The Wildcats overpowered the Miners, holding a rushing attack that was averaging 314 yards to 59.

Special teams: A+. Tyler Lockett was a terror on punt returns, and Matthew McCrane connected on all his kicks. You couldn’t ask for more.

Coaching: A. Bill Snyder had the Wildcats ready to play the week after an emotional loss. That isn’t always easy.

Player of the game

Tyler Lockett had 143 yards and a touchdown as a returner on top of 84 yards as a receiver.

Reason to hope

In back-to-back games, K-State’s defense has completely overwhelmed rushing attacks that were averaging more than 300 yards on the ground.

Reason to mope

Cornerback Morgan Burns didn’t play while recovering from a groin injury suffered against Auburn. Starting defensive tackle Valentino Coleman was also sidelined.

Looking ahead

Texas Tech needed a fourth-quarter rally to beat UTEP. K-State blew UTEP away. The Wildcats will be favored when the Red Raiders visit Manhattan next week.

Notes

New duds – Bill Snyder wore a new, white windbreaker against UTEP. Instead of the purple top he normally wears with a bowl emblem on the back, this one sported only K-State logos.

When asked about the fashion switch, Snyder said he was fulfilling a request from the Big 12 to stop promoting the defunct Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl – now the Cactus Bowl – or the Holiday Bowl, which no longer has ties to the conference.

“Truth be known, I got a memo from the conference office that said whatever bowl was on the back is no longer a conference bowl,” Snyder said. “So I thought that if we cannot get that bowl game again, I am not going to advertise for them. That is a true story.”

Worth noting – Freshman kicker Matthew McCrane replaced Jack Cantele on Saturday, connecting on his only field-goal attempt of 25 yards. He also made all eight of his extra-point attempts. Snyder named McCrane the starter shortly before kickoff nine days after Cantele missed three field-goal attempts against Auburn. Cantele was used on a late extra-point attempt, which his missed to the left.… Two junior-college transfers that appeared to be potential redshirt options saw action against UTEP. Defensive tackle Terrell Clinkscales played with the second-string defense and receiver Andre Davis played with the second-string offense.… Scouts from the Kansas City Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts and the Buffalo Bills were in attendance.

Kellis Robinett

This story was originally published September 27, 2014 at 6:41 PM with the headline "Wildcat report: No. 25 K-State 58, UTEP 28."