MANHATTAN, Kan. — The seventh-ranked Kansas State Wildcats beat the 23rd-ranked Texas Longhorns 42-24 to win the Big 12 Championship on Saturday night at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
With the win, Kansas State clinched a BCS bowl bid for the second time in school history, earning a spot in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. K-State adds a second Big 12 Championship to their trophy case, and a third conference title overall.
In the first quarter, Longhorns junior quarterback Case McCoy threw an interception to senior defensive back Nigel Malone, who returned the pick 29 yards to the one yard line. Senior QB Collin Klein put the Wildcats up 7-0 with a one-yard touchdown run.
Midway through the second quarter, Texas embarked on a 72-yd TD drive. McCoy found sophomore wide receiver Jaxon Shipley for a 14-yd TD pass to put the Horns up 10-7.
Texas (8-4, 5-4 Big 12) led 10-7 at the half. Klein got off to a slow start in the first half, going 4-10 for 72 yards and an interception. He also had carries for 19 yards and a rushing TD.
K-State (11-1, 8-1 Big 12) opened the second half with a bang. John Hubert put the Cats up 14-10 with a two-yard rushing TD to cap a 75-yd drive. The Horns answered with a 90-yd TD drive to take a 17-14 lead with 7:24 to play in the third quarter.
Hubert put the Cats up for good on the ensuing drive with another two-yard TD run. After taking a 21-17 lead, K-State scored 21 unanswered, and turned an otherwise competitive game into a complete rout in the fourth quarter.
K-State opened up the fourth quarter with a 55-yd TD pass from Klein to sophomore WR Tyler Lockett. Hubert added his third rushing TD, and Klein followed suit with a second rushing TD to give the Cats a 42-17 lead.
Klein finished the game with 23 carries for 103 yards and two rushing TD’s. K-State won the turnover battle 3-1.
