It was another frustrating day for the Kansas State offense on Saturday, as the Wildcats were defeated 31-10 by No. 18 Mississippi State.
The Wildcats have struggled to get the offense going in the first two games of the season.
“Just look at the numbers. I mean, in the first three quarters of each ball game, in those six quarters we’ve gotten six points on the board, head coach Bill Snyder said after the game on Saturday. “So we’re not starting very well but that period of start time is lasting a long time.”
The offense has only scored two touchdowns so far this season. Against the Bulldogs, the Wildcats barely reached 200 total yards and did not reach 100 rushing yards until the fourth quarter.
“It’s embarrassing, we want to be one of the more efficient offenses and we are nowhere near it,” junior running back Alex Barnes said.
Sure, the offense is getting into field goal range for Blake Lynch, but junior wide receiver Dalton Schoen said that “the offense just needs to come together and put drives together.”
Today, K-State was just three-for-12 on third-down conversions.
K-State had an opportunity to go into the half with a little momentum. Only down 17-3, K-State was at the 28-yard line after a decent drive when junior quarterback Alex Delton was sacked twice, forcing Blake Lynch to attempt a 52-yard field goal—which fell short— to end the half.
“Anytime sacks take you out of field goal range are critical and the fact that it did was detrimental to the team,” Delton said.
The K-State offense got some momentum late in the 3rd quarter after freshman defensive lineman Wyatt Hubert intercepted Mississippi State quarterback Nick Fitzgerald. The interception gave the Wildcat offense a short field starting at the Mississippi State 23-yard line.
The offense didn’t waste any time scoring. On the very next play, sophomore quarterback Skylar Thompson found Schoen in the end zone.
On the bright side, the offense only had two offensive penalties in the entire game. Both of which came with under three minutes left to go in the game.
The Wildcats will have to put it together soon on offense before UTSA comes to Manhattan on Saturday.
