Wildcat report: UCLA 40, K-State 35
First Quarter
Key Play: Brett Hundley scored on a 28-yard keeper on fourth-and-three to put UCLA ahead 17-0.
Key Stat: UCLA outgained K-State 218-38 in total yards.
Second Quarter
Key Play: Myles Jack intercepted a pass from Jake Waters while K-State was attempting to rally from a 17-6 deficit. UCLA scored on the ensuing drive to go up 24-6.
Key Stat: Waters threw an interception and lost a fumble, while UCLA did not turn the ball over.
Third Quarter
Key Play: Ryan Mueller forced a fumble and Dakorey Johnson recovered it, setting up K-State with field position it turned into a touchdown to make the score 31-21.
Key Stat: K-State possessed the ball for 12:49.
Fourth Quarter
Key Play: Paul Perkins broke free for a 67-yard touchdown to put a K-State’s comeback hopes all but out of reach.
Key Stat: UCLA scored its only touchdown of the second half.
Report Card
Offense: B. The final numbers, especially passing, look good. But two turnovers and a dropped touchdown pass in the first half hurt the Wildcats. So did a nonexistent running game.
Defense: C. UCLA gashed K-State in the running game and picked up first downs in difficult situations far too often. An improved second half doesn’t change that.
Special Teams: A. Matthew McCrane made field goals from long range and Lockett had several quality returns.
Coaching: B. Snyder deserves credit for convincing his team a second-half rally was within reach, but UCLA started the game with a much better strategy.
Player of the game: Paul Perkins. The UCLA running back did in K-State with long runs.
Reason to hope: K-State won nine games and will finish the season ranked in the top 20, possibly the top 15.
Reason to mope: Jake Waters, Tyler Lockett, Curry Sexton, B.J. Finney, Ryan Mueller and Jonathan Truman are all done with their eligibility. That is a tough senior group to replace.
Looking ahead: K-State will head into the offseason searching for new starters at several players, but the expectations won’t change. The Wildcats will once again say their goal is winning a Big 12 championship.
Kellis Robinett
This story was originally published January 2, 2015 at 11:39 PM with the headline "Wildcat report: UCLA 40, K-State 35."