K-State only needed a half to beat Missouri State due to weather
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Jesse Ertz threw two touchdown passes, Winston Dimel added two touchdown runs and Kansas State beat Missouri State 35-0 on Saturday night in a game called at halftime as lightning lit up the skies around Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
With rain having already lashed the area and more lightning on the way, Kansas State (2-1) made quick work of the overmatched Bears (2-1). The Wildcats jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter and added three more touchdowns by halftime to make it an easy choice to call the game complete.
Ertz was 7 of 8 for 94 yards with TD passes to Byron Pringle and Dominique Heath, and the junior quarterback also ran for 85 yards on just three carries in a Collin Klein-esque performance.
Ertz gave way to backup Alex Delton late in the first half with the game well in hand.
Kansas State tight end Dayton Valentine deserved at least an assist on the TD pass to Pringle, what was most certainly the play of the game. The big tight end tipped the pass from Ertz as he fell backward into the end zone, and Pringle darted past him to pluck it out of the air.
Charles Jones also had a TD run for Kansas State, which has outscored its last two opponents 98-7 after a season-opening loss to Stanford. But Jones hardly saw the field after his touchdown, which was upheld when he appeared to drop the ball to celebrate just as he crossed the goal line.
Missouri State played without starting quarterback Breck Ruddick, who was suspended late Friday night for what coach Dave Steckel would only call “conduct detrimental to the team.”
It was unclear whether the suspension is related to a Facebook posting from an unidentified woman who alleges Ruddick beat her friend’s dog this week. The school did not discuss the suspension, though athletic director Kyle Moats said in a statement that he supported the decision.
Kansas State made life miserable for Ruddick’s replacements.
Brodie Lambert and Michael Briggs were a combined 3 for 12 for 24 yards with an interception, and Missouri State only managed four first downs and 54 yards of offense in the first half.
The Bears don’t have to play anymore Football Bowl Subdivision opponents. And they got a nice paycheck for their trip to Manhattan.
The Wildcats once again dominated on defense. They have not allowed an opponent to gain more than 300 yards in their first three games.