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PURSUIT OF PERFECTION
Kansas State now 9-0 after dismantling Oklahoma State 44-30
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Kansas States Allen Chapman returns an interception of Oklahoma State quarterback Wes Lunts pass 29 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown, as the No. 3 Wildcats mounted a 31-17 halftime lead on the way to a 44-30 triumph on Saturday night at Bill Snyder Family Stadium in Manhattan. - photo by Mack McClure Great Bend Tribune

MANHATTAN — The college football and Bowl Championship Series standings landscape will remain unchanged — thanks to a last-minute Alabama touchdown to turn back upset-minded LSU.
The Crimson Tide kept their unbeaten season and national championship hopes alive in a 21-17 victory at Death Valley.
Meanwhile, undefeated Kansas State’s magic carpet ride in its pursuit of perfection has it at 9-0 overall, including 6-0 in the Big 12 Conference. The Wildcats are firmly entrenched at No. 2 in the BCS standings, No. 2 in the ESPN/USA Today coaches poll and No. 3 in The Associated Press poll for the second straight week.
Tulsa native Tyler Lockett helped squelch any thought Oklahoma State had in pulling off an upset and shattering Kansas State’s national championship aspirations. Lockett had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the second quarter, giving the Wildcats a 24-10 lead and fueling a 44-30 getaway Saturday night at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
It was Lockett’s fourth kick return for a touchdown in his career, his second 100-yard return. He also had a 100-yard return for a touchdown against Texas Tech in 2011, along with a 97-yard return against Kansas the following week, the first player in school history to record back-to-back returns for scores.
Earlier this season, Lockett had a 96-yard kick return for a touchdown against North Texas.
Kansas State quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Collin Klein left the game with an injury, later revealed as a concussion. He was replaced by backup Daniel Sams.
Klein could be seen on the Kansas State bench after leaving the game at the 7:02 mark in the third quarter and the Wildcats comfortably leading, 38-20.
Klein chatted with his brother, wide receiver Kyle Klein, and also a couple of trainers over the next few minutes. Before he walked back to the sideline to share some laughs with teammates with his helmet off, he and his brother, along with offensive lineman Ethan Douglas and injured linebacker Tre Walker, huddled for a small group prayer.
Running back John Hubert ran for 1- and 5-yard touchdowns, Anthony Cantele kicked a 23-yard field goal and cornerback Allen Chapman returned an interception 29 yards for a score, as Kansas State built a 31-17 halftime lead. Chapman, a senior, finished with three interceptions on the night.
Klein ran for a 1-yard touchdown early in the third quarter, extending the Wildcats’ lead to 38-17. He finished 16 of 22 through the air for 245 yards, along with rushing for 72 yards on 17 carries.
Oklahoma State (5-3, 3-2) closed to 38-20 at the 7:07 mark in the third period on Quinn Sharp’s 43-yard field goal.
Cantele added his second and third field goals on 37- and 40-yarders for the Wildcats’ final six points.
Cowboys quarterback Wes Lunt was intercepted three times before he left with an injury, also coming midway through the quarter. He was replaced by backup Clint Chelf, who threw a 13-yard scoring pass to wideout Charlie Moore with 13:06 left in the fourth quarter, closing the gap to 41-27.
Sharp closed the scoring with a 28-yard field goal with 8:52 left in the game.
Kansas State hits the road next weekend, traveling to Fort Worth to take on Texas Christian.

GAME NOTES — Lockett finished with 127 yards in return yardage, along with 75 yards in five catches, including a game-long 50-yarder. … Representatives from the Orange Bowl committee were in attendance for the game, which was on prime-time television on Fox. … NFL scouts from the New York Jets, the San Francisco 49ers and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were also in the press box.

COLLEGE FOOTALL
Big 12 Conference

At Manhattan
Bill Snyder Family Stadium

Saturday


No. 3 Kansas St. 44,
Oklahoma St. 30
Oklahoma St.    7    10    3    10  —  30
Kansas St.        7    24    7     6   —  44

SCORING SUMMARY
First Quarter
OSU — Hays 54 pass from Lunt (Sharp kick), 9:02.
KSU — Hubert 1 run (A.Cantele kick), 5:58.
Second Quarter
KSU — FG A.Cantele 23, 14:13.
KSU — Hubert 5 run (A.Cantele kick), 10:51.
OSU — FG Sharp 25, 7:47.
KSU — Lockett 100 kickoff return (A.Cantele kick), 7:35.
OSU — Roland 80 kickoff return (Sharp kick), 7:24.
KSU — Chapman 29 interception return (A.Cantele kick), 2:35.
Third Quarter
KSU — C.Klein 1 run (A.Cantele kick), 9:47.
OSU — FG Sharp 43, 7:07.
Fourth Quarter
KSU — FG A.Cantele 37, 14:50.
OSU — C.Moore 13 pass from Chelf (Sharp kick), 13:06.
KSU — FG A.Cantele 40, 10:47.
OSU — FG Sharp 28, 8:52.
A — 50,781.

TEAM STATISTICS
                                   OSU    KSU
First downs                     26    25
Rushes-yards             24-87    43-191
Passing                         417    290
Comp-Att-Int          27-47-4    21-28-0
Return Yards                    0    68
Punts-Avg.               3-40.0    4-40.8
Fumbles-Lost                1-1    0-0
Penalties-Yards           5-44    2-13
Time of Possession    22:08    37:52

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Oklahoma St., Randle 15-43, Chelf 4-33, Smith 3-9, Stewart 1-8, Lunt 1-(minus-6). Kansas St., Pease 9-72, C.Klein 17-64, Hubert 9-38, Sams 7-20, Team 1-(minus 3).
PASSING — Oklahoma St., Chelf 16-27-1-233, Lunt 11-20-3-184. Kansas St., C.Klein 16-22-0-245, Sams 5-6-0-45.
RECEIVING — Oklahoma St., Stewart 8-92, C.Moore 7-135, Hays 4-81, Jackson 3-31, Bl.Webb 2-46, Staley 1-12, I.Anderson 1-11, Randle 1-9. Kansas St., Harper 5-89, Lockett 5-75, Tannahill 5-48, Thompson 4-65, Cu.Sexton 1-9, Hubert 1-4.