Last week, K-State shrugged off a slow start to blow past North Texas, 35-21, in the squad’s final non-conference tune-up of 2012. The Wildcats have shown balance on offense through three contests, averaging 251.7 yards per game on the ground and 203.0 through the air while also holding steady as the league’s least-penalized unit at 14.0 yards per game - a figure that also ranks second nationally. Quarterback Collin Klein continues to put up terrific numbers both through the air and on the ground as the senior connected on 15-of-20 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns while also running for 85 yards and a score on 11 carries. Klein has completed 73-percent of his passes through three games this season, accounted for nine touchdowns and averaged 273.0 yards of total offense.
K-State's Arthur Brown is looking forward to facing Oklahoma
The Wildcat defense has been salty against the run, yielding just 93 yards per game on the ground, while senior linebacker Arthur Brown continues to put up All-America numbers. Through three games, Brown has a Big 12-leading 28 tackles and is coming off a career-best 13-tackle performance against the Mean Green on Saturday. K-State continues to showcase one of the nation’s top special teams units as the Cats lead the Big 12 in both kick and punt returns. The Wildcats have scored on each so far through three games.
Following a slow start offensively in the season opener against Missouri State, K-State has picked up the pace considerable over the last nine quarters of play. Since the fourth quarter of the season opener, K-State has scored 122 points in the last nine quarters and has outscored its opponent, 122-34, over that period. The 138 points scored in the first two games are the most since the Wildcats scored 143 in the first three games of the 2008 season and marks just the second time under head coach Bill Snyder that K-State has eclipsed 50 points in the first two games of a season - the 1998 team scored 66 and 73 points.
K-State opened the season with 324 yards rushing in its 51-9 win over Missouri State which included 152 by junior running back John Hubert. The 324 rushing yards were the most by a Wildcat team since gaining 373 against North Texas in 2010 and marked the third time since Bill Snyder’s return in 2009 that K-State has eclipsed 300 yards on the ground in a game. Through three games, K-State ranks 18th nationally in rushing, averaging 251.7 yards per game. In fact, over the last nine quarters of play, the Wildcats have rushed for 608 yards and 11 touchdowns while outscoring their opponents, 122-34.
Thanks to a career-best 254.0 passing efficiency rating against Miami and another solid game last week against North Texas, Collin Klein ranks ninth nationally in that department at 180.77. Additionally, his career pass efficiency mark of 136.2 is currently third in school history as he trails K-State greats Matt Miller (152.6) and Michael Bishop (157.3). Klein’s passer rating against the Hurricanes was given a huge boost due to the fact he averaged 23.3 yards per completion, the fifth highest under head coach Bill Snyder by a quarterback that completed at least nine passes for at least 200 yards. Coupled with his three rushing scores against Miami, Klein picked up Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors. Against the Mean Green, Klein completed 15-of-20 passes for 230 yards and two more scores.
After leading the Wildcats with 101 tackles last season, senior linebacker Arthur Brown has not let up in his second season in Manhattan as he leads the Big 12 with 28 total tackles, thanks to a career-high 13 last week against North Texas despite missing an entire defensive series. The 2011 Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year and a First Team All-Big 12 performer, Brown preceded his game against the Mean Green with a 10-tackle effort against his former team, Miami, the week prior.
Adam Davis has shown a penchant for getting to the quarterback this season as he is tied for the Big 12 lead with three sacks. Even more impressive is the fact that each of those sacks have led to fumbles as he leads the conference and is tied for second nationally in forced fumbles. His three forced fumbles are already the most by a Wildcat since 2009 (Jeffrey Fitzgerald), while he is halfway to Darren Howard’s school record for six in 1999.
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