Points allowed by K-State’s defense: 0
K-State’s shutout against South Dakota on Saturday was the Wildcat’s first since Sept. 17, 2011, when head coach Bill Snyder’s team defeated Kent State by a score of 37-0. South Dakota only produced 266 yards of total offense and went 30 minutes and 45 seconds without a single score. Instead, the Coyotes were forced to punt the ball six times and missed two field goals to go along with eight for 18 on third down conversions.
Key players injured: 2
While the Wildcats won the game, it came with a heavily paid price. Sophomore quarterback Jesse Ertz injured his knee on the first play of his college football career, while senior safety Dante Barnett injured his shoulder near the middle of the first half. Barnett’s status is still up in the air, but Snyder said on Monday that Ertz “will be out for quite some time.”
Players inducted into the Ring of Honor: 4
At halftime, K-State put four players into the Ring of Honor: Michael Bishop (1997-98), Jordy Nelson (2003-2007), Clarence Scott (1968-70) and Darren Sproles (2001-04). Bishop was runner up for the 1998 Heisman Trophy and won the Davy O’Brien Trophy, along with helping the Wildcats to their first ever number one ranking in 1997. Nelson set the school records in receptions in a game (15) and season (122), while Scott became an All-American and all Big Eight conference member in 1970. Sproles helped K-State win their first ever Big 12 conference championship in 2003 while earning All-American honors. These four men bring the total Ring of Honor to 14 for K-State.
Seconds for the Wildcat’s first score: 12
All it took was the game’s first 12 seconds for K-State to grab the upper hand on South Dakota. Morgan Burns’ 100-yard kickoff return touchdown put the Wildcats up 7-0 with 14:48 left to play in the 1st quarter. While Burns’ score was the first kickoff return touchdown to start a game since 2006, the score helped extend K-State’s streak of kickoff return scores for the 11th straight season.
Fans in attendance: 53,297
Over 53,000 fans watched K-State come to their first victory of the season on Saturday. This marks the second highest attendance for an opening game in K-State football history. The striped out purple and white fans watched K-State come to a 34-0 win, Snyder inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and four former football players being inducted into the Ring of Honor.
Wins for Bill Snyder: 188
The 2015 College Football Hall of Fame inductee received his 188th win on Saturday. This put him at 22nd on the all-time coach’s wins list in his 24th season at K-State. He is one of three active coaches to be on the Top 25 rankings. Snyder will need just two more victories to move him into the top 20 for all-time college football wins.
