Kansas St. Wins, but It’s Close

After so many easy victories, No. 6 Kansas State got what it probably needed most the week before Nebraska--a big scare.

For worried players and fans, Saturday’s 20-14 Big 12 victory over Colorado at Manhattan, Kan., brought back haunting memories of last year’s double-overtime, 36-33 loss to Texas A&M;, when Kansas State lost a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter of the Big 12 Conference title game and a shot at the national championship.

“It was starting to get pretty scary,” said defensive back Lamar Chapman, whose second interception set up what turned out to be the game-winning field goal for the Wildcats, who improved to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the Big 12.

Colorado quarterback Mike Moschetti, shut down almost entirely by Kansas State’s quick-hitting defense, finally found the range when he connected with Jevon Green on a 64-yard touchdown pass that trimmed the Wildcats’ lead to 20-7 with 6:21 left.

After a Kansas State punt, Moschetti passed to Green on the left sideline and the 6-foot-2 junior broke several tackles during a 70-yard scoring play.

All of a sudden, it was 20-14 with 4:12 left.

And, in another eerie reminder of that crushing loss to Texas A&M;, the crowd had been cheering just a few minutes earlier at the news of Minnesota’s upset of No. 2 Penn State.

In the Big 12 title game, Texas A&M;’s rally coincided almost exactly with the announcement that UCLA had lost to Miami, leaving the Wildcats a clear path to the national championship game--had they beaten the Aggies.

The Buffaloes’ comeback finally ended when, on fourth and six from their 38, a Moschetti pass fell incomplete with 1:36 to go.

“We needed a game like this when we hold onto a lead in the last minutes,” defensive end Monty Beisel said. “Hopefully, we can build on that going to Nebraska.”

Colorado (5-4, 4-2) had won three of its last four and could have won the Big 12 North title in Coach Gary Barnett’s first year by winning this game and following with victories over Baylor and Nebraska.

“I thought our defense was wonderful,” Barnett said. “What we said couldn’t happen happened. We turned the ball over. You can’t do that and win.”

Kansas State Coach Bill Snyder, who rarely hands out praise, acknowledged that except for the two long scoring plays to Green, his defense played as well as it had all season.

No. 11 Texas 34, Oklahoma State 21--Hodges Mitchell ran for 149 yards and scored three touchdowns, including one on an 80-yard run on the game’s first play, and the Longhorns (8-2, 5-1) took advantage of mistakes by the Cowboys (3-5, 1-4) to win at Stillwater, Okla.

Texas scored 21 points in an eight-minute span from late in the second quarter to early in the third, building a 28-7 lead. One touchdown was set up by a fumble recovery, another came on an interception return.

Major Applewhite threw for 242 yards, but he failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time in two years (19 games).

Oklahoma 37, Missouri 0--Josh Heupel threw for 260 yards and two touchdowns, and Seth Littrell ran for two scores as the Sooners (5-3, 3-2) got their second shutout of the season by beating Tigers (4-5, 1-5) at Norman, Okla.

Texas Tech 28, Iowa State 16--Shaud Williams ran for 148 yards and scored twice and Kevin Curtis and Antwan Alexander made touchdown-saving plays as the Red Raiders (5-4, 4-2) beat the Cyclones (4-5, 1-5) at Lubbock, Texas.

Curtis broke up a pass in the end zone in the first quarter and Alexander recovered a fumble by Iowa State’s Darren Davis in the end zone late in the game.

Kansas 45, Baylor 10--David Winbush scored three touchdowns and finished with 111 yards in only 14 carries at Lawrence, Kan., as the improving Jayhawks (4-6, 2-4) handed the Bears (1-8, 0-6) their 11th consecutive Big 12 loss.