By Jayson Henderson

The No. 23 Kansas State Wildcats defeated No. 20 Oklahoma State 42-20 on Saturday in Manhattan, Kansas, improving to 4-1 overall and 1-1 in Big 12 play. The win came after K-State’s tough loss to BYU, where they fell 38-7.

Sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson led the way with three passing touchdowns and two rushing scores, becoming the first Wildcat since 2012 to achieve that against a ranked opponent. Johnson completed 19 of 31 passes for 259 yards and added 60 rushing yards. Running back DJ Giddens also had a strong performance, rushing for 187 yards and a touchdown.

The Wildcats’ defense stepped up by forcing three turnovers and limiting Oklahoma State’s ground game, holding standout running back Ollie Gordon II to 76 yards. K-State broke the game open by scoring five touchdowns over eight possessions, turning a 13-7 deficit in the second quarter into a 42-13 lead early in the fourth.

With the victory, K-State evens its conference record and prepares for the rest of its Big 12 schedule.