Arkansas State Red Wolves vs Kansas State Wildcats Match Player Stats On Sep 12, 2020

Jonathan Adams caught three touchdown passes, including a 17-yarder with 38 seconds left as Arkansas State upset Kansas State 35-31 in a nonconference game in Manhattan, Kan., on Saturday.

Kansas State, which had taken a 31-28 lead when Blake Lynch converted a 35-yard field goal with 2:30 left, reached the Arkansas State 40 with three seconds left after an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty following an incomplete deep pass. Skylar Thompson fired incomplete over the middle on the final play as the Wildcats dropped their season opener.

Adams caught eight passes for 98 yards, with two of his touchdown receptions coming off passes from starter Logan Bonner, who completed 17 of 28 attempts for 204 yards with two scores and an interception. Layne Hatcher, who came into the game every third series, was 6 of 8 for 61 yards and two touchdowns, including the winning score.

The Sun Belt's Arkansas State (1-1) lost its opener at Memphis but mostly dominated both sides of the line of scrimmage Saturday, outgaining the Big 12's Wildcats 489 to 374.

Thompson completed 17 of 29 passes for 259 yards and two touchdowns.

The Red Wolves trailed 21-7 in the second quarter before scoring 21 unanswered points. Arkansas State converted fourth-and-5 from the Kansas State 34 on its go-ahead drive, drawing a pass interference penalty on a fake punt. The Red Wolves went on to take a 28-21 lead on a 5-yard pass to Adams, who cradled the ball with one hand as he fell to the turf with 11:49 left in the game.

The Wildcats tied the game at 28 on the next possession, with the help of a roughing-the-passer penalty on second-and-33, and a fourth-and-2 conversion from their 45. They completed a 10-play drive with Harry Trotter's 5-yard run to tie the game at 28 at the 6:35 mark.

Defensive back Will Jones II was a force for Kansas State early, blocking a punt and intercepting a pass in the first quarter, with both leading to touchdowns.

Kansas State led 21-7 but the Red Wolves stayed close with the help of a trick play, as wideout Jeff Foreman caught a backward pass and fired deep to a wide-open Rashauud Paul for a 48-yard score to close within 21-14 at the 6:50 mark of the second quarter.

--Field Level Media