SportsDirect Inc. staff
Aug 30, 2014
No. 21 Kansas State 55, Stephen F. Austin 16: Jake Waters tossed two touchdown passes and ran for two more scores as the Wildcats rolled to a season-opening home rout of the FCS Lumberjacks.
Waters, a second-year senior starter, was
19-of-28 for 223 yards and the two scores and ran for 55
yards on 17 carries before being pulled early in the fourth quarter. Charles Jones also rushed for 55 yards and a pair of TDs for the Wildcats
(1-0).
Stephen F. Austin (0-1) fell behind 21-0 and was never really in the game, spoiling the
debut of new coach Clint Conque. Starting quarterback Zach Conque, a transfer
from Texas-San Antonio and the son of the head coach, was 17-of-30 for
the Lumberjacks while backup Joe Minden led the teamกฏs two touchdown drives and finished 7-of-9 for 107 yards.
Kansas State's offense started fast and hardly was slowed in the opening half, scoring touchdowns on its first four
drives. The Wildcatsกฏ fifth possession ended with a missed field goal, but they
rolled up 284 total yards - including 218 from Waters, who threw for a TD in the
first quarter and ran for two short scores in the second for a 28-10 halftime
lead.
After the Wildcats expanded their lead to 42-10
in the third quarter, Stephen F. Austin capitalized on a rare Waters miscue จC an
interception. Gus Johnson sprinted 30 yards for a touchdown five plays later, but the extra-point attempt sailed off target, and the
Lumberjacks never threatened again.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Kansas State has won 24 of its
last 25 home openers, with last seasonกฏs 24-21 loss to eventual FCS champion
North Dakota State the only defeat. กญ It wasnกฏt all good news for the Wildcats, as senior WR and 2013 All-American Tyler Lockett departed
the game with an unspecified injury shortly after catching a 9-yard TD pass on the teamกฏs opening drive
and didnกฏt return. กญ Johnson, a two-time
All-Southland Conference selection, sat out the first half while serving a suspension
for an unspecified violation of team rules.