A LOOK AT K-STATE
• K-State is looking to bounce back from four-straight losses as the Wildcats enter the weekend with a 4-5 overall record and 4-4 mark in Big 12 play.
• True freshman quarterback in Will Howard has started each of the last six games following a season-ending injury to senior Skylar Thompson against Texas Tech on October 3. With wins in his first two starts at TCU and against Kansas, Howard became the first K-State true freshman signal caller to win his first two starts under center.
• Another true freshman, running back Deuce Vaughn, continues to impress as he leads the team in rushing and receiving yards, the only player in the Big 12 to lead his team in both categories.
• Vaughn is also one of only two players in the nation to eclipse 500 rushing yards and 300 receiving yards in 2020, joining Clemson running back Travis Etienne.
• K-State is one of only two teams in the nation to have true freshmen start at least six games at both quarterback and running back, the other being Georgia Tech.
• Senior safety Jahron McPherson leads the team with (51), followed closely behind by linebackers Justin Hughes (43), Cody Fletcher (42) and Elijah Sullivan (39).
• A total of 21 Wildcats have tallied at least a half tackle for loss, while 12 players have at least one sack. The list includes junior Wyatt Hubert, who is first nationally among non-seniors in career sacks at 19.0, and currently ranks ninth in school history. Hubert also ranks first in the Big 12 in sacks this season.
• Another senior, tackle Drew Wiley, is tied for ninth in the league in sacks and is 12th in tackles for loss.
• McPherson and Gardner lead the team with a pair of interceptions. Gardner also ranks sixth in the Big 12 in passes defended.
• Kansas State's special teams ranks second nationally in efficiency according to ESPN thanks in large part to a blocked kick in each of the first four games and two punt return scores against Kansas by Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week Phillip Brooks.
• Senior place kicker Blake Lynch is 11-for-15 this season, including a 2-for-3 mark from 50 or more yards. He connected on a game-winning 50-yarder at Oklahoma, while he set a new career long with a 53-yarder at TCU.
A LOOK AT TEXAS
• Texas enters the game with a 5-3 overall record and a 4-3 mark in Big 12 play.
• The Longhorns are coming off three-straight one possession outcomes, beginning with a 41-34 overtime victory at Oklahoma State and continuing with a 17-13 home win over West Virginia.
• Last week, Texas suffered a 23-20 home setback to Iowa State the day after Thanksgiving.
• The Longhorns are led by senior quarterback Sam Ehlinger, who heads into the game as the team's leading passer and rusher.
• Running back Bijan Robinson has come on as of late for the Longhorns, while Brennan Eagles and Joshua Moore lead the team in receptions.
• On defense, Juwan Mitchell is the team's leading tackler with 56 stops, and Joseph Ossai has a Big 12-best 14.0 tackles for loss.
A LOOK AT THE SERIES
• The all-time series between K-State and Texas is tied, 10-10, but the Wildcats hold a 9-7 margin since the two became Big 12 foes.
• Among current Big 12 teams that were original members of the league, K-State (.563) and Oklahoma (15-10; .600) are the only two schools to have winning percentages of at least .500 against the Longhorns in regular-season play since the league's inception in 1996.
• Texas has won each of the last three games – its longest streak in the series – and each of the last three contests were decided by six or less points.
• In 2017 in Austin, the game was tied, 27-27, in regulation. Both teams scored touchdowns in the first overtime before a missed K-State field goal and a UT touchdown ended the game.
• In 2018, the Longhorns jumped out to a 19-0 lead at halftime. The Wildcats shut out Texas in the second half but could only score a pair of touchdowns in a five-point loss.
• Last season in Austin, K-State tied the game, 24-24, with less than seven minutes remaining, but Texas kicked at game-winning 26-yard field goal as time expired for a 27-24 victory.
• K-State's last win over the Longhorns was a 24-21 victory in Manhattan in 2016, a game in which the Wildcats held a 24-7 advantage in the third quarter and hung on despite two late Texas touchdowns.
SENIOR DAY
• Saturday's matchup will mark the annual Senior Day recognition as 21 Wildcats will be honored prior to the Texas game. With the NCAA granting an extra year for each player in 2020, and with the uncertainty of returners for 2021, each senior on this year's roster will be recognized on Saturday.
TWO OF THE BIG 12'S BEST
• Saturday's matchup between K-State and Texas features two of the top teams in the Big 12 both historically and as of late, as the Longhorns rank second in all-time Big 12 victories and the Wildcats rank third.
• The Cats also rank third in winning percentage since round-robin play began in 2011. They sit at 59.6% (53-36), trailing only Oklahoma (81.8%; 72-16) and Oklahoma State (64.8%; 57-31).
BACK TO BACK YEARS?
• After finishing the 2019 campaign with a 5-4 record, K-State is trying to put together consecutive years of winning conference records.
• If the Wildcats were to have another winning campaign in conference play, Chris Klieman would become the first head coach in school history to begin his tenure with consecutive winning seasons in league action.
TOUGH AGAINST THE HORNS
• Kansas State holds a 9-7 record in Big 12 play against Texas since the conference's inception in 1996.
• The Wildcats are only one of two teams to hold a winning percentage better than .500 against the Longhorns among original Big 12 members who remain in the league.
BREAKING IN NEW STARTERS
• K-State has used the 2020 season to break in new starters as the Wildcats have 21 first-time starters this season, which includes four of the five offensive line positions.
• That figure is first nationally among Power 5 programs.
A WINNING HISTORY
• A proven winner with a championship history, Chris Klieman holds an 84-23 career record as his 79.3% career winning percentage ranks fourth among current FBS coaches that have been a head coach for at least five years.
• Klieman came to Manhattan after capping his five-year stint as head coach at North Dakota State by winning his fourth national championship in 2018. A native of Waterloo, Iowa, Klieman guided the 2018 Bison to a perfect 15-0 record, making NDSU just the fifth team in FCS history to go undefeated and untied on the way to a national championship.
TURNOVER BATTLE IS KEY
• One of the formulas of success for Kansas State under Chris Klieman is winning the turnover battle as the Wildcats were plus-eight in their first five games, which resulted in a 4-1 record. They also outscored their opponents, 42-7, in points off turnovers during that stretch.
• During K-State's current four-game losing skid, the Wildcats are minus-eight and opponents are outscoring the Cats, 34-7, in points off turnovers.
CATS TOPS IN NON-OFFENSIVE TDs
• K-State is the nation's best in non-offensive touchdowns over the last 22 seasons as it has 122 since 1999, 11 more than the next closest team.
• Kansas State had three non-offensive touchdowns in the win against Kansas as Phillip Brooks returned two punts for scores, and Justin Gardner had a pick-six.
• It was the first time the Cats had three non-offensive scores in one game since doing so against Montana State in 2008, while it was the first time K-State had a punt return score and a pick-six since the 2007 Texas game.
• K-State has had at least five non-offensive scores in seven of the last nine years and is one shy of hitting that mark again in 2020.
GOING THE DISTANCE
• K-State has put together five scoring drives of 90 yards or longer this season, which is tied with the 2008 squad for the most by the Wildcats dating back to 1991.
• The five drives this year spanned 92 yards against Arkansas State, 97 yards against Texas Tech, 94 yards against Kansas and a pair of 91-yard drives at TCU, one of which resulted in a field goal.
• When combining it with last year's total, K-State has eight scoring drives that have ranged at least 90 yards, which is the most in a two-year span dating back to 1991.
• Last season, K-State had touchdown drives of 97 yards (Nicholls), 95 yards (TCU) and 98 yards (Iowa State).
• The long drives this season have been aided by seven plays from scrimmage of at least 60 yards, K-State's most in a season since 2003 (7).
RED ZONE SUCCESS
• K-State finished the 2019 season with 39-straight scoring trips inside the red zone, the most by the Wildcats since at least 2003. That helped K-State finish first in the nation with a 96.2% conversion rate.
• The Wildcats began the year with 24-straight scores inside the red zone to push their streak out to 63-straight before a fumble against Oklahoma State. K-State's red zone scoring streak of 63 was the best by the Wildcats during the Big 12 era (56 between 2015 and 2016).
• Despite setbacks against both the Cowboys and Cyclones, K-State ranks ninth nationally among teams that have played at least five games and second in the Big 12 with a 93.1% scoring rate.
OUT OF THE GATE
• A native of Downingtown, Pennsylvania, Will Howard earned his first-career start at TCU and became the first K-State true freshman QB to win his first-career road start.
• For his effort against the Horned Frogs, Howard was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week.
• He backed that up with a win in his first start in a home game against Kansas, becoming the first Wildcat true freshman quarterback to win his first two career starts.
BIG PLAY WILL
• One of the reasons Will Howard has found early success is that he has been involved in four of K-State's seven plays from scrimmage that have spanned at least 66 yards.
• Against Texas Tech, Howard threw a 70-yard, game-clinching touchdown pass to Deuce Vaughn, while he also had a 66-yarder to Briley Moore earlier in the fourth quarter to set up the go-ahead score.
• It was the first time a K-State quarterback threw two passes of at least 65 yards in the same game since Jesse Ertz in the 2017 season opener against Central Arkansas.
• Then, on the third offensive play of the game at TCU, Howard ran 80 yards to set up an early field goal. It was the seventh-longest run ever by a Wildcat and the second longest by a K-State quarterback (91 yards by Ell Roberson against Nebraska in 2002).
• He tallied another long run against Oklahoma State when he went 69 yards to set up a touchdown just before halftime.
MAKING A SPLASH
• K-State doesn't only have a true freshman quarterback making headlines, running back Deuce Vaughn has been on fire to begin his collegiate career.
• Vaughn is one of only two players in the nation this season to tally at least 500 rushing yards and 300 receiving yards. The other is Clemson senior running back Travis Etienne (692 rushing, 511 receiving).
• A product of Round Rock, Texas, Vaughn is the only player in the Big 12 to lead his team in both rushing yards and receiving yards.
• Vaughn has already etched his name in the K-State record book. He ranks in the top five in five K-State freshman categories.
• Vaughn ranks second in school history in rushing yards by a freshman, just 93 yards shy of breaking the record.
• Additionally, Vaughn ranks fourth in school history in single-season receiving yards among all running backs regardless of class (more info on pages 52-53).
DEUCE ON THE LOOSE
• Deuce Vaughn has put together three games of at least 150 yards from scrimmage as he did so against Oklahoma (194 yards), Texas Tech (174 yards) and Kansas (152 yards), holding three of the top seven scrimmage-yard efforts among all true freshmen in the nation this year.
• At No. 3 Oklahoma, he became the fifth running back in school history – and first freshman – to tally a 100-yard receiving game. It was the fifth most in a single game by a running back in Big 12 history and the most by a freshman.
• For his efforts against the Sooners and Red Raiders, Vaughn was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week following both contests.
GOING FOR 100
• Will Howard and Deuce Vaughn have combined for three 100-yard rushing games.
• Vaughn went for 113 yards against Texas Tech and had 102 yards last week at Baylor. Howard rushed for 125 yards against Oklahoma State, the fifth most by a freshman in school history and the most by a true freshman quarterback.
• It is the second time in school history that freshmen have combined for at least three 100-yard rushing games in a season. Leon Patton recorded three himself in 2006.
BY ANY MEANS
• Deuce Vaughn has seven touchdowns from scrimmage this year (5 rushing, 2 receiving), which is tied for the most in the nation by a true freshman.
• Against Texas Tech and Baylor, Vaughn scored both on the ground and through the air as he is the first Wildcat to have both a rushing and receiving touchdown in multiple games since Deon Murphy in 2007.
MOORE OFFENSE
• One of the top tight ends from the FCS level in 2018, Briley Moore is in his second senior season and his first campaign at K-State.
• Moore, a transfer from Northern Iowa, has a team high-tying 21 receptions for 326 yards and three touchdowns. His reception total is the highest by a Wildcat tight end since Travis Tannahill had 23 catches in 2012, while his yardage total is the best since Zach Trujillo had 389 yards in 2014.
• Moore's three receiving touchdowns this year are tied for fourth in school history among tight ends and two shy of tying the record (Henry Childs, 1972).
BEHIND THE LINE
• A total 21 Wildcats have totaled at least a half tackle for loss – including 10 that have notched at least 2.0 – to give the K-State 63 stops behind the line this season.
• K-State's 63 TFLs through nine games are the most since the 2007 team also had 63 in their first nine games.
• This year's total has been given a boost lately as the Wildcats recorded 13.0 against Baylor, the most in a game since recording 13.0 in 2007 against Baylor.
MEET ME AT THE QB
• Similarly, K-State has also been consistent in sacking the quarterback this season, coming away with at least one sack in every game and totaling at least three in six of its nine contests.
• The Wildcats have 27 sacks through nine games this season, already the most for a season since 2016 and the most through the first nine games of a campaign since 2006 (30).
• Kansas State recorded seven sacks at Baylor, the most in a game since recording eight against the Bears in 2003.
UNDER AVERAGE
• Last season, Kansas State held 11 of its 12 opponents under their season scoring averages for the season, including double-digit differences in Big 12 play against Oklahoma State (-18.5), TCU (-20.2), Kansas (-17.8), Texas (-12.1) and Iowa State (-17.1).
• It has been more of the same for the Wildcats in Big 12 play in 2020 under new defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman as the Wildcats held five of their first seven conference foes below their scoring averages entering the game.
STRONG AT THE START
• One of the main reasons K-State has been able to limit other offenses throughout the year is a strong start as seven of the Wildcats' nine opponents this year have come up empty on their first possession of the game.
• K-State has forced a trio of three-and-outs on its first defensive possessions this season, while the Cats have allowed only eight total first downs and 193 total yards (21.4 yds/gm).
WYATT'S COMING FOR YOU
• One of the top young defenders in the Big 12 the last two seasons, Wyatt Hubert is eying a second-straight First Team All-Big 12 honor in 2020.
• This season, Hubert has 7.5 sacks and 12.0 tackles for loss to rank first and tie for second in the Big 12, respectively. Hubert has multiple sacks in two games this year, including a career-high 2.5 sacks against Oklahoma State.
• His sack total against OSU was the highest by a Wildcat since Jordan Willis had 3.5 vs. Louisiana Tech in 2015 and the most in a Big 12 game since Ryan Mueller had 3.0 against Texas Tech in 2013.
• The Topeka, Kansas, native ranks 13th nationally among active players in career sacks, but he is the top non-senior in that category.
WILEY PLAYING WILD
• Senior defensive tackle Drew Wiley entered the season with 21 tackles and 2.0 tackles for loss in 38 games as a reserve over his first three seasons.
• Earning his first nine career starts this year, the Vinton, Iowa, product has been a dominant force in the interior of the Wildcat defensive line as he has 22 tackles, including 8.0 TFLs and 4.5 sacks.
• Wiley is the first K-State interior defensive lineman with at least 8.0 TFLs and 4.5 sacks in a season since Will Geary in 2017 (9.0 TFLs, 4.5 sacks).
• Wiley set a new career high with seven tackles at West Virginia, the most by a Wildcat interior defensive lineman since Geary tallied eight at TCU in the 2016 regular-season finale.
• The contest against the Mountaineers featured 2.5 TFLs, the most by a Wildcat interior defensive lineman since Geary had 3.0 against Baylor in 2017.
TWO NEW STARTERS
• K-State started a pair of new linebackers the last two games as senior Cody Fletcher and sophomore Daniel Green filled in. It was the first two career starts for Fletcher and Green.
• At Iowa State, Fletcher led K-State with a career-best nine tackles.
• The next week against Baylor, Green led the Wildcats with a career-high 13 tackles. It was the most by a Wildcat since Jayd Kirby also had 13 against Oklahoma in 2017.
VERY EFFICIENT
• Kansas State has always been known to have excellent special teams, and that trend has continued in 2020.
• The Wildcats rank second nationally in special teams efficiency according to ESPN.
SCORING IN THE THIRD PHASE
• Kansas State has been far and away the best team among FBS programs over the last 16 years when it comes to scoring via a kickoff or punt return.
• The Wildcats have a combined 55 kickoff- and punt-return touchdowns since 2005, 23 more than any other FBS school during that stretch.
BLOCKED KICKS
• K-State blocked punts in the first three games of the season and also blocked a field goal in its fourth game of the year at TCU.
• It is the first time K-State has blocked a kick in four-straight games since at least 1990. Additionally, the blocked punts in the first three games marked the first time the Wildcats accomplished that feat in three-consecutive games since 1995 (Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma).
• K-State was the first team in the FBS to block kicks in each of the first four games of a season since Texas did so in 2016.
• When the Wildcats blocked punts in each of the first three games, they were the first FBS team to do so since Memphis in 2012.
BROOKS' HISTORIC DAY
• Sophomore Phillip Brooks put together a historic performance against Kansas, setting the school record with 189 punt-return yards and becoming the first player in school history with two punt-return touchdowns in a single game.
• A product of Lee's Summit, Missouri, Brooks' two punt-return touchdowns were the most by a Big 12 player in a conference game in school history.
• Additionally, his 47.25-yard average on punt returns vs. Kansas is the highest by any player nationally with at least 4 attempts since 1996.
• For his effort against the Jayhawks, Brooks picked up Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week accolades.
LYNCH IS ACCURATE
• Senior Blake Lynch has proven to be an accurate kicker as his career field goal percentage of 84.6% (44-for-52) currently ranks second in school history, fifth in Big 12 history and 11th nationally among active players.
• Lynch, a two-time Lou Groza Award candidate, ranked third in school history a year ago with his 90.5% mark.
FROM DEEP
• After going 2-for-6 from 45 yards or longer in his first two seasons as the primary kicker, Blake Lynch has turned in a pair of field goals from 50 or more yards this season, the first two of his career.
• He is tied for fourth in the nation this year in field goals of 50 or more yards.
• Lynch connected on the eventual game-winning at Oklahoma, a 50-yarder with 4:32 left in the game. It was the first field goal in school history of 50 or more yards that served as the game winner with less than five minutes left.
• Lynch, who also connected on a 53-yarder at TCU, is now tied for fourth in school history in 50-plus yard field goal connections in a season. He needs one more to tie the record.
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