Kansas State football coach Chris Klieman talks often about emphasizing the last four minutes of the first half and the first four of the second.
That indeed proved to be the difference for the No. 17-ranked Wildcats (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) on Saturday night against West Virginia (3-4, 2-2) as they separated from the Mountaineers on the way to a 45-18 victory at Milan Puskar Stadium in Morgantown, West Virginia.
With West Virginia looking to erase what had been a two-touchdown deficit before halftime, K-State got a fourth-down stop inside the 5-yard line to lead 17-10 at the break. They then took the second-half kickoff and marched 74 yards for another score as Avery Johnson found tight end Garrett Oakley on a 16-yard touchdown pass for a 24-10 advantage.
With West Virginia determined to shut down K-State’s running attack, Johnson had a career game throwing the ball, completing 19 of 29 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns. Running back DJ Giddens, who had gone over 180 yards rushing each of the past two games, managed just 57 on 19 carries against the Mountaineers, but had two scoring runs and set up another touchdown with a 53-yard reception to finish with 110 all-purpose yards.
K-State had 412 total yards to 294 for West Virginia. Mountaineer quarterback Garrett Greene, who was injured in the second half, did not play after intermission.
The Wildcats return home next Saturday to face Kansas in the Sunflower Showdown.
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A statement win for K-State (6-1, 3-1 Big 12) against West Virginia (3-4, 2-2)
K-State gets a fourth-down stop and scores two plays later on an 18-yard DJ Giddens run, his second score of the night. The Wildcats lead 45-18 with 5:51 left.
West Virginia finally gets on the board in the second half with a 12-yard touchdown pass from Nicco Marchiol to Traylon Ray and adds a two-point conversion to close within 38-18 at the 8:22 mark of the fourth quarter.
K-State penalized for a facemask and roughing the passer on the drive to help the Mountaineers.
K-State running back DJ Giddens, who has had a rough day, completes the Wildcats’ 63-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run and it’s 38-10 with 12:09 left.
The 10-play drive came after the Wildcats held West Virginia on downs.
After getting a fourth-down stop at its 37, K-State takes over and now leads at the end of three quarters, 37-10.
The Wildcats outscored West Virginia 14-0 in the third quarter.
After DJ Giddens was stoned twice at the 1, Avery Johnson finds diving tight end Will Anxiaux for a 1-yard touchdown to put K-State up 31-10 with 4:48 left in the third quarter.
While Giddens can’t get going in the running game, his 53-yard reception from Johnson to the 1 set up the score. The drive was seven plays for 69 yards and took 3:17. Johnson now 17 of 22 passing for a career-high 271 yards and three TDs.
West Virginia quarterback Garrett Greene, who was shaken up in the first half, did not start the third quarter for the Mountaineers, giving way to Nicco Marchiol. The Mountaineers go three-and-out and punt.
K-State took the second-half kickoff and drive 74 yards in 11 plays to go up 24-10 on Avery Johnson’s 16-yard dart to tight end Garrett Oakley at the front of the end zone.
The drive took 5 minutes, 17 seconds off the clock.
Not a typical first half and K-State took a 17-10 lead to the locker room.
West Virginia limited K-State’s powerful rushing attack to 9 yards on eight carries in the first half, with DJ Giddens held to 9 yards on six attempts. But quarterback Avery Johnson is 8 of 11 for 144 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown strike to Jadon Jackson.
West Virginia had 145 yards on the ground in the half and 230 yards total to 153 for K-State. The Wildcats were only allowing 71 yards per game on the ground coming in.
The difference so far is Marques Sigle’s 43-yard interception return touchdown, plus K-State got a fourth-down stop inside the 5-yard line in the final minute of the half.
After stopping West Virginia on fourth down, K-State takes a knee to get to halftime with the lead.
West Virginia goes for it on fourth down inside the K-State 5, but Garrett Greene’s pass is incomplete and the Wildcats hang onto their 17-10 lead.
West Virginia drives 70 yards in 13 plays and takes 6:29 off the clock to pull within 17-10 on a 7-yard Garrett Greene-to-Hudson Clement touchdown pass with 6:38 left in the half.
Nice drive by the Mountaineers.
Kansas State blitzes on third down and forces Garrett Greene to hurry, leading to a Marques Sigle interception and 43-yard return for a touchdown.
It is the second interception for K-State, leading to 10 points, and the Wildcats are up 17-3 with 13:14 left in the half.
K-State leads after one quarter, 10-3.
Avery Johnson finds Jadon Jackson twice, for 24 yards and then 60 for the score, to put K-State up 10-3 with 21 seconds left in the quarter.
The drive took just 26 seconds and two plays to go 84 yards.
West Virginia answered Kansas State’s field goal with one of its own as Michael Hayes knocks one through from 44 yards — same distance as the Wildcats’ — to tie the game at 3-3 with 52 seconds left in the first quarter.
The scoring drive was six plays, 49 yards, 2:11.
K-State’s drive stalled at the West Virginia 26-yard line, but Chris Tennant was able to sneak his 44-yard field goal attempt inside the right upright to give the Wildcats a 3-0 lead with 3:03 left in the opening quarter.
The Wildcats’ drive, following a Jack Fabris interception, covered 37 yards in 10 plays and took 5:16 off the clock.
Kansas State gets the ball back when Garrett Greene’s pass goes off the hands of Traylon Ray into the hands of Wildcat safety Jack Fabris.
The Wildcats take over at their 37-yard line with 8:19 left in the opening quarter.
Kansas State’s defense holds to start the game, but the Wildcats come up a yard short on their first possession and have to punt.
West Virginia has good field position after a short punt, taking over at its 32-yard line with 10:43 left in the first quarter.
West Virginia wins the coin toss and will take the ball to start the game, meaning K-State will get it to start the second half.
Weather should not be an issue tonight, with a game-time temperature of 63 degrees under clear skies and no wind. The temperature should drop into the mid-50s by game’s end.
According to a report on the Kansas State radio network, K-State starting right offensive tackle Carver Willis did not make the trip to Morgantown and will not play tonight. Junior Andrew Leingang, who has primarily rotated as a backup right and left guard, likely will take Willis’ spot, with sophomore John Pastore also expected to see action.
Tight end Brayden Loftin still has not recovered from a leg injury that kept him out the last two games.
Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Saturday:
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Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.
