The Sports Xchange
Sep 19, 2015
Quarterback Joe Hubener connected with receiver Kody Cook for a 31-yard touchdown on third-and-16 in the third overtime as Kansas State escaped with a 39-33 victory over Louisiana Tech on Saturday in Manhattan, Kan.
The Wildcats' two-point conversion failed, opening up a chance for the Bulldogs (1-2), but quarterback Jeff Driskel threw four incompletions on the final possession.
There were four lead changes and six ties as neither team could garner more than a seven-point lead.
Trailing 20-13 midway through the fourth quarter, Kansas State (3-0) got a 58-yard punt return by Dominique Heath to the Louisiana Tech 7-yard line. Two plays later, running back Charles Jones scored on a 2-yard run.
Wide receiver Trent Taylor fumbled while training to gain extra yardage and the Wildcats recovered the ball at the Bulldogs' 29. Jack Cantele capped a seven-play drive that took 4:11 off the clock with a 20-yard field goal.
But Driskel moved Louisiana Tech 60 yards in 11 plays to set up Jonathan Barnes for a career-long-tying 45-yard field goal to send the game to overtime.
Kansas State scored first in overtime on a 22-yard pass from Hubener to Heath. The Bulldogs tied it on a 6-yard pass from Driskel to Taylor. Driskel rushed for 15 yards on fourth-and-9 to keep the drive alive.
Barnes nailed a 32-yard field goal in the second overtime. The Wildcats lost 2 yards on their possession, but Cantele hit a 44-yard field goal to send it to a third overtime.
The Bulldogs have lost their last six contests versus Big 12 teams and are 4-17 versus against the conference. Their last victory was 39-36 over Oklahoma State in 2002.
Kansas State allowed its first touchdown of the season with 3:30 left in the second quarter when Driskel ran untouched on a bootleg around the right end on fourth-and-inches. Louisiana Tech added three points on Barnes' 25-yard field goal with 13 seconds left in the half.
Barnes added a 39-yard field goal midway through the third quarter. The Wildcats answered with a nine-play, 75-yard drive to tie the score on a 4-yard pass from Hubener to wide receiver Kody Cook.
Driskel scored an 8-yard touchdown run on the ensuing drive, capping a five-play, 79-yard drive and giving the Bulldogs a 20-13 lead.