Kansas State 42, Troy 13
By DAVID SMALE
Associated Press
MANHATTAN, Kan. - Will Howard threw for three touchdowns and ran for two others as No. 15 Kansas State defeated Troy 42-13.
Howard threw touchdown passes of 9 yards to Jadon Jackson and 39 yards to Philip Brooks to help the Wildcats (2-0) to a 21-10 lead at half, and his 2-yard run late in the third quarter made it an 18-point game.
Howard finished 21 of 32 for 250 yards and had eight carries for 33 yards.
K-State held the Trojans (1-1) to 286 total yards a week after they gained 540 against Stephen F. Austin.
Troy's Gunnar Watson was 17 of 32 for 167 yards with a touchdown and interception.
The Wildcats put the game out of reach with a nine-play, 76-yard drive capped by Howard's 1-yard shovel pass to Treshaun Ward for a 35-13 lead.
Troy had pulled within 14-10 with 52 seconds left in the second quarter on Watson's 21-yard TD pass to Chris Lewis. Lewis made a dazzling one-handed catch in the end zone.
Kansas State had a huge answer just before halftime when Howard found Brooks on a crossing pattern for the 39-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left. Brooks caught the ball around the 20 and raced up the sideline for the score and a 21-10 halftime lead.
THE TAKEAWAY
Kansas State did not overlook Troy. After being stunned at home by non-Power Five opponents in two of the last three seasons, the Wildcats defended the home field with a strong defensive effort.
Kansas State athletics press release
September 9, 2023
| Scoring Summary |
| First Quarter |
Troy | KanSt |
| KanSt |
TD |
11:35 |
Jadon Jackson 9 yard TD pass from Will Howard (Chris Tennant Extra Point) |
0 |
7 |
| Second Quarter |
Troy | KanSt |
| KanSt |
TD |
14:16 |
Phillip Brooks 2 yard TD run (Chris Tennant Extra Point) |
0 |
14 |
| Troy |
FG |
3:46 |
Scott Taylor Renfroe 24 yard field goal |
3 |
14 |
| Troy |
TD |
0:51 |
Chris Lewis 21 yard TD pass from Gunnar Watson (Scott Taylor Renfroe Extra Point) |
10 |
14 |
| KanSt |
TD |
0:10 |
Phillip Brooks 39 yard TD pass from Will Howard (Chris Tennant Extra Point) |
10 |
21 |
| Third Quarter |
Troy | KanSt |
| KanSt |
TD |
3:47 |
Will Howard 2 yard TD run (Chris Tennant Extra Point) |
10 |
28 |
| Fourth Quarter |
Troy | KanSt |
| Troy |
FG |
13:58 |
Scott Taylor Renfroe 37 yard field goal |
13 |
28 |
| KanSt |
TD |
8:48 |
Treshaun Ward 1 yard TD pass from Will Howard (Chris Tennant Extra Point) |
13 |
35 |
| KanSt |
TD |
2:50 |
Will Howard 1 yard TD run (Chris Tennant Extra Point) |
13 |
42 |
| Team Stats |
| |
Troy |
Kansas State |
| First downs |
15 |
20 |
| Rushing |
2 |
9 |
| Passing |
10 |
10 |
| Penalty |
3 |
1 |
| 3rd Down Efficiency |
6-17, 35% |
10-15, 67% |
| 4th down efficiency |
1-3, 33% |
0-0, -% |
| Rushes-Yards |
28-70 |
38-147 |
| Passing Yards |
216 |
250 |
| Return Yards |
51 |
111 |
| Completions-Attempts-Int |
22-38-1 |
21-32-1 |
| Sacks-Yards Lost |
4-30 |
1-8 |
| Punts |
5 |
5 |
| Fumbles Lost |
3-1 |
0-0 |
| Penalties - Yards |
3-22 |
5-45 |
| Troy Passing |
| Player |
Cmp |
Att |
Yds |
TDs |
Int |
| G. Watson |
17 |
32 |
167 |
1 |
1 |
| G. Crowder |
5 |
6 |
49 |
0 |
0 |
| Kansas State Passing |
| Player |
Cmp |
Att |
Yds |
TDs |
Int |
| W. Howard |
21 |
32 |
250 |
3 |
1 |
| Troy Rushing |
| Player |
Carries |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| K. Vidal |
17 |
83 |
4.9 |
0 |
| A. Martin |
3 |
7 |
2.3 |
0 |
| J. Williams |
1 |
-1 |
-1.0 |
0 |
| G. Crowder |
3 |
-6 |
-2.0 |
0 |
| G. Watson |
4 |
-13 |
-3.3 |
0 |
| Kansas State Rushing |
| Player |
Carries |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| T. Ward |
16 |
58 |
3.6 |
0 |
| D. Giddens |
12 |
52 |
4.3 |
0 |
| W. Howard |
8 |
33 |
4.1 |
2 |
| P. Brooks |
1 |
2 |
2.0 |
1 |
| A. Frias II |
1 |
2 |
2.0 |
0 |
| Troy Receiving |
| Player |
Rec |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| C. Lewis |
5 |
50 |
10.0 |
1 |
| J. Barber |
3 |
42 |
14.0 |
0 |
| D. Ross |
5 |
38 |
7.6 |
0 |
| C. Ollendieck |
2 |
38 |
19.0 |
0 |
| E. Conner |
2 |
24 |
12.0 |
0 |
| P. Higgins |
2 |
17 |
8.5 |
0 |
| M. Rogers |
1 |
4 |
4.0 |
0 |
| D. Stoudemire |
1 |
3 |
3.0 |
0 |
| J. Williams |
1 |
0 |
0.0
|
0 |
| Kansas State Receiving |
| Player |
Rec |
Yds |
Avg |
TDs |
| P. Brooks |
7 |
94 |
13.4 |
1 |
| J. Jackson |
4 |
77 |
19.3 |
1 |
| R. Garcia II |
3 |
31 |
10.3 |
0 |
| K. Johnson |
3 |
25 |
8.3 |
0 |
| T. Ward |
2 |
11 |
5.5 |
1 |
| D. Giddens |
1 |
7 |
7.0 |
0 |
| T. Erickson |
1 |
5 |
5.0 |
0 |
| Troy Interceptions |
| Player |
Int |
Yards |
| R. Steward |
1 |
0 |
| Kansas State Interceptions |
| Player |
Int |
Yards |
| W. Lee III |
1 |
11 |
| Troy Punting |
| Player |
Punts |
Yards |
Avg |
| R. Cole |
5 |
195 |
39.0 |
| Kansas State Punting |
| Player |
Punts |
Yards |
Avg |
| J. Blumer |
5 |
196 |
39.2 |
| Troy Punt Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| Kansas State Punt Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| P. Brooks |
3 |
37 |
12.3 |
| Troy Kick Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| J. Barber |
1 |
16 |
16.0 |
| D. Ross |
1 |
35 |
35.0 |
| Kansas State Kick Returns |
| Player |
Ret |
Yards |
Average |
| P. Brooks |
2 |
45 |
22.5 |
| S. Porter |
1 |
18 |
18.0 |
| Troy Missed FG |
| Player |
Length |
| Kansas State Missed FG |
| Player |
Length |
