The last time the Kansas State football team stepped foot on the field at Bill Snyder Family Stadium, it resulted in a game with a thrilling finish that many people would soon not forget.
At Tuesday’s football media availability, players part of that game and still on this year’s team reminisced on what many fans refer to as “the Iowa State game.”Related:
Al’s Corner: Recap and reaction to last-second K-State football win
“I still get goosebumps thinking about it,” senior linebacker Sam Sizelove said. “It was fun to see the team have that success because you know how hard you’ve worked for it. No one took it for granted and although it was the last home game, we played with pride.”
It was a slow performance by the K-State offense, as it was able to only put up seven points going into the third quarter.
The Wildcats found themselves down 19-7 with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats scored another touchdown with six minutes to play and cut the score to 19-14, but time was running out for K-State.
With under two minutes to play in the game, K-State got the ball at its own 13 yard line down by five. The Wildcats marched down the field and had the ball at the Iowa State one yard line with time for one final play.
Wildcat quarterback Skylar Thompson, a redshirt freshman at the time, took the snap and scrambled around in the backfield before finding a wide open Isaiah Zuber in the back of the end zone.
The connection between Thompson and Zuber resulted in 20-19 K-State win, and has been a staple on many Wildcat football highlight reels and promotional videos since.
“It’s fun to see your brothers succeed and I was so happy for Skylar, knowing how much time he puts into it,” Sizelove said. “Those are moments as players that we dream about and it was special. I love watching things like that and seeing all that hard work pay off was awesome.”
On that drive, wide receiver Zach Reuter had two huge catches for the Wildcats for 13 and then 26 yards. Reuter is now a senior and is listed as a starter for the season-opener against South Dakota.
“No matter what anyone else thinks, I know what I can do,” the Columbia, Missouri native said. “I may not have shown it on game day as many times as some other guys, but I have at practice. I believe in myself and I know the coaches do so that game was a nice reward to the end of the season, but I know what I can do.”
Sizelove said after the game, the locker room was fun celebrating with his teammates.
“Any time after a win the locker room is a great place to be,” he said with a smile. “We held up Phil the Bobcat and we all got a little crazy which was fun.”
K-State will look to pick up where it left off with a walk-off touchdown to finish last year when they host the South Dakota Coyotes in the first game of the season this Saturday at 6:10 p.m.
