| |
RECAP
|
BOX SCORE
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) -- On possibly the hottest day Kansas State
has ever played football, the Wildcats (No. 9 ESPN/USA Today, No. 8 AP) hardly flinched.
"It was hot when we were warming up. But once the game started,
I was pretty cool," said Quincy Morgan, who had four catches for
128 yards and two touchdowns in No. 8 Kansas State's heat-drenched
54-10 rout of Louisiana Tech on Saturday night.
"We practice in the hot sun like that every day. Our team,
we're in pretty good shape."
The official high for Manhattan reached 111. By the 6:10
kickoff, the reading was 109 outside and 127 on the KSU Stadium
field.
"It's not official, but we believe these are the hottest
conditions that K-State has ever played a football game in,"
spokesperson Erica Courtright said after the sports information
office researched the question.
Many players thought it was even hotter the week before in
Kansas City when they beat Iowa in the Eddie Robinson Classic.
"It was hot. It was very hot," said Aaron Lockett, who had a
55-yard run on an end-around and tacked on the final score with a
69-yard punt return.
"But last week, for some reason it seemed hotter. I think last
week kind of prepared us for this game."
Despite the oppressive heat, a near-capacity crowd of 48,902
watched Kansas State win its 11th straight home opener and 23rd
straight home game.
"It didn't look like the heat affected us any worse than it did
them," Louisiana Tech coach Jack Bicknell said. "It almost felt
cool after the sun went down."
The Wildcats (2-0) forced five turnovers from the Bulldogs (1-1)
and did not have to punt until 1:27 remained in the third quarter.
Kansas State even got a highly unusual 2-point safety midway
through the fourth period.
Louisiana Tech punter Dustin Upton, under a heavy rush, dropped
the ball. But instead of trying to pick it up and run or kick, he
turned around and kicked it through the Bulldogs' end zone.
The safety made it 47-10.
"It was a frustrating outcome," Bicknell said. "You can't
turn the ball over like that against a team like Kansas State."
Chris Claybon, subbing for the injured David Allen, rushed 21
times for 121 yards and Jamie Rheem kicked three field goals as the
Wildcats won their 54th straight regular-season game against an
unranked opponent.
Morgan's two touchdowns covered 58 and 32 yards. He also had a
31-yard reception to help set up his second TD, which made it 39-10
with 6:59 left in the third.
After Brian Stallworth's 12-yard scoring pass to James Jordan
pulled the Bulldogs to 20-10 with 5:18 left in the second quarter,
the Wildcats scored twice 57 seconds apart and took a 31-10 lead
into halftime.
Josh Scobey's 34-yard run set up Rheem's 28-yard field goal with
2:21 to go. Then Morgan beat Jason Olford on a 58-yard touchdown
pass on the Wildcats' next play. Beasley hit Martez Wesley on a
2-point conversion.
The Wildcats swept 80 yards in 12 plays to go ahead 7-0 with
their first possession, with Scobey scoring on a 7-yard run.
Rheem followed with a 35-yard field goal, then Louisiana Tech
made it 10-3 with an 18-yarder by Josh Scobee.
In the closing seconds of the first quarter, Lockett went 55
yards to the 2 on an end-around.
Quarterback Jonathan Beasley scored on a 1-yard run on the first
play of the second period for a 17-3 lead.
"They kept ramming the ball down our throat," Bulldogs
defensive back Bobby Gray said. "It doesn't matter how many times
our offense scores. We just have to step up and stop some people."
Beasley was 13-of-22 for 233 yards and two TDs.
Rheem's 29-yarder made it 20-3 before Stallworth's 12-yarder to
Jordan.
Beasley hit Wesley with a 22-yard scoring pass in the fourth
quarter before Lockett's punt return with 6:26 left.
| |
ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Louisiana Tech Clubhouse
Kansas State Clubhouse
|
