Oklahoma toppled despite rally, big day from QB Hurts
Kansas State 48, No. 5 Oklahoma 41
MANHATTAN, Kan. — There was never a moment of uncertainty on Kansas State’s sideline when fifthranked Oklahoma raced to an early lead, or when the wounded Sooners began to mount a frantic fourth-quarter comeback.
There might have been just a bit when Oklahoma recovered an onside kick in the final minutes.
“It was a little anxious,” Wildcats defensive end Wyatt Hubert said.
Anxiety that soon was erased by elation.
Officials reviewed the recovery of the kick with 1:45 left in the game and determined that the ball had hit an Oklahoma player a yard early, giving possession to the Wildcats. They ran out the clock to finish off a 48-41 victory that dealt the Sooners’ national title hopes a major blow.
“Oklahoma isn’t a team that is used to facing adversity very well,” Hubert said. “If you can put their backs against the wall, things are going to go more smoothly.”
In the review of the onside kick, Oklahoma (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) tried to make the case that its player was blocked into the ball. But as the Sooners headed for the bus, the scoreboards inside Bill Snyder Family Stadium still read the same.
“We had a similar situation at Baylor my first year. They engaged our player, and it definitely hit him before the 10-yard,” Sooners coach Lincoln Riley said, “but I was under the impression if they engage our player into it, that there’s no illegal touching. It was a 50-50 call that didn’t go our way.”
It was the first home win for the Wildcats (5-2, 2-2) over Oklahoma since 1996, and just their fourth win ever over a top-five team. It also snapped the Sooners’ nation-leading 22-game road win streak, which ran for five years and 22 days since a loss to TCU.
Skylar Thompson had 213 yards passing while running for four touchdowns, and James Gilbert added 105 yards rushing and a score.
“I don’t have any idea on the lines and spreads, thank God,” said Wildcats coach Chris Klieman, whose team was a 21-point underdog. “I mean, yeah, it was a statement win for our guys. I told the seniors, ‘How many more opportunities are you going to have to play in front of your home crowd?’”
It was the third consecutive week that a top-10 team lost to an unranked foe, with Oklahoma joining Georgia and Wisconsin.
“We’ve got to be more appreciative, cherish every moment and attack every moment with the right intent,” said Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts. “We’ve got to learn from this and appreciate this lesson.”
Hurts, a Heisman Trophy contender, threw for 395 yards and a touchdown while running for 95 yards and three scores. But the Sooners couldn’t overcome a multitude of mistakes: two turnovers, costly penalties and the ejection of a defensive leader, cornerback Parnell Motley, after he kicked Kansas State tight end Logan Long.