Bill Snyder‘s Kansas State Wildcats are known for playing fundamentally sound, ball-control football. Neither was the case Thursday against the West Virginia Mountaineers. Yet, the No. 12 Wildcats still found a way to beat WVU 26-20 in Morgantown.
Two leaders on Kansas State’s offense, quarterback Jake Waters and wide receiver Tyler Lockett, took over the game and never looked back.
Everything starts with the quarterback. Waters was forced to carry the offense due to West Virginia completely taking away Kansas State’s running game. The Wildcats gained one yard on the ground. Waters was forced to throw the ball 33 times. He completed 22 passes for a career-high 400 yards through the air.
Only the second time ever Jake Waters has thrown for over 300 yards. Had an even 400 vs. WVU.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) November 21, 2014
Waters doubled as the team’s leading rusher. The quarterback was credited with 12 carries for 13 yards. And his seven-yard touchdown pass to running back DeMarcus Robinson on the team’s initial drive was the only time the offense found the end zone.
Lockett was, as per usual, Waters’ favorite target.
The senior wide receiver caught 10 passes for 196 yards. His biggest contributions actually came on special teams, though. Lockett’s 43-yard punt return for a touchdown granted Kansas State a 17-3 lead in the second quarter. The talented receiver/returner finished the contest with 321 total yards.
Lockett completely outplayed one of the nation’s top wide receivers in West Virginia’s Kevin White. The Wildcats successfully bracketed White throughout the contest, and the nation’s third-leading receiver finished the contest with seven catches for 63 yards and a touchdown.
Waters’ play wasn’t the only interesting quarterback situation in this particular game.
West Virginia sophomore Sklyer Howard took over for senior Clint Trickett, and the underclassman may not hand the job to Trickett with only Iowa State remaining on the schedule.
Holgorsen said Trickett suffered concussion but Skyler Howard "gave us a chance to win." #WVU
— G. Allan Taylor (@GAllanTaylor) November 21, 2014
Howard played much better than Trickett did once he was inserted into the lineup. The sophomore was 15-of-23 passing for 198 yards and two touchdowns.
At 6-5 overall, the future is now for the Mountaineers.
Holgorsen says he'll give Skyler Howard a shot to play next week even if Trickett can play.
— Greg Madia (@GregMadia) November 21, 2014
As the Mountaineers contemplate their fledgling quarterback controversy, Kansas State still has an outside shot of claiming a Big 12 Conference championship.
The Wildcats are now tied with the TCU Horned Frogs at 6-1 overall in the division. With a contest remaining against the No. 7 Baylor Bears and TCU playing the Texas Longhorns this weekend, Kansas State can still claim an outright Big 12 title.
Snyder’s squad will have to play better than they did against West Virginia for the program to have a chance of that actually happening.