Okay, let’s do this.
The Kansas State football team has had a number of big wins over the past decade. The two-year run in 2011 and 2012 could have filled an entire list by itself. But the program’s success extends beyond those two seasons. And every player who contributed to the program deserves recognition in some way.
So with that in mind, I established a couple of ground rules in putting together a best wins of the decade countdown. Firstly, I figured it would be fairest to all individuals to make sure every single KSU team of the decade was represented. To do that effectively, there was no way I could limit this list to 10 or even 15. So 20 was the number I settled on.
I also wanted every Big 12 opponent K-State defeated to appear on the list and a range of non-conference opponents too. The only exception to this rule here is Missouri, which barely missed the cut as being a part of an ugly-as-sin game and only sharing the conference with KSU for two seasons. Hey, it was satisfying as heck to send them out with a loss, but the concession needed to be made to make room for everything else. Consider that game our honorable mention.
And with that, we can get rolling. Here is my take on K-State’s 20 best wins of the decade.
20. K-State 21, Kansas 17
Nov. 10, 2018
There wasn’t much for K-State fans to celebrate in 2018, the first bowl-less campaign for the Wildcats since 2009 (and only bowl-less season of the decade). In a similar way, it’s difficult to list any Kansas wins on a ranking like this because Kansas was putrid for the entire decade. This is where we kill two birds with one stone, listing the closest Sunflower Showdown of the decade. Yes, it was completely unwatchable for a half, but Alex Delton’s 21-yard touchdown run with 2:46 left put a capper on a gritty comeback win that at the time kept K-State’s slim bowl hopes alive. Any win over Kansas is worth celebrating, and this was part of an entire decade’s worth of them. And perhaps most importantly of all, it kept K-State’s winning streak over KU (now 11 straight and counting) alive.
19. K-State 39, Texas 14
Nov. 6, 2010
The Cats announced the coming Collin Klein era with absurd aplomb … this is the game where K-State infamously didn’t even complete a pass while building up a 31-0 third-quarter lead and intercepted Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert FIVE times. Klein and tailback Daniel Thomas were marvelous on the ground, Texas was hapless, and K-State locked up a bowl game after a three-year absence.
18. K-State 41, Texas Tech 34
Oct. 15, 2011
Kansas State racked up an 8-1 record against Texas Tech over the past decade, meaning there was no lack of fun Tech wins to consider for this slot. The 2012 demolition was extremely enjoyable on a number of levels and defeating Patrick Mahomes in 2016 was impressive as hell, but the context of the 2011 win is tough to beat. This game was yet another improbable win for that ’11 squad, coming off of a string of close wins and being achieved while being outgained 580-339 in total yards. “Special Teams U” crushed it with two blocked field goals and a kick return touchdown from Tyler Lockett.
17. K-State 48, Oklahoma State 14
Nov. 1, 2014
That 2014 team probably doesn’t get enough credit for very nearly being damn special. A no-show for a half in the bowl game and a comedy of errors against Auburn kept the squad from a top-10 finish, which it probably deserved. This absolute dismantling of the Cowboys came in primetime on ABC and lifted K-State to No. 7 in the country afterward. Curry Sexton had a monster game (9-159-1) and Morgan Burns ran a kick back for a touchdown in what was a satisfying win following a frustrating loss to the Cowboys in ’13.
16. K-State 33, TCU 31
Nov. 16, 2013
Speaking of teams that don’t get enough credit, the 2013 team was snake bit, the karmic reflection of 2011 that lost a boatload of close games, but nevertheless it was a supremely talented version of the Wildcats that rocked some impressive metrics. It didn’t all come together for this team until the bowl game, but the TCU game was a nice taste. The most accomplished receiver in program history, Tyler Lockett had a habit of making all-league corners look ridiculous … and he did so big-time in this game. And it was a thrilling finish, with a make it or lose game-winning field goal from Jack Cantele going through the uprights with three seconds remaining.
15. K-State 27, Iowa State 17
Nov. 30, 2019
A nearly perfect decade against Iowa State produced a ton of memorable results in which the Wildcats snatched victory away from the Cyclones in what was often heart-breaking fashion. This game differed somewhat in that it was more of a game that K-State controlled in the trenches (231 rushing yards on 49 carries) against what was a ranked team in a revenge scenario. It was tight for three quarters, but the Cats took control by imposing their will late. In short, it was satisfying.
14. K-State 20, Iowa State 19
Nov. 25, 2017
A walk-off victory is always going to merit inclusion in a list like this, particularly if it comes against a conference opponent (even more so if it’s part of Iowa State’s continued misery against us). Much of the officiating in this one was spotty, and K-State didn’t play particularly well, so it was an ugly game, but the Wildcats were still presented with one final chance to get the win taking over at their own 13 down 19-14 with 1:55 to go. Skylar Thompson directed the game-winning drive, throwing a one-yard, game-winning touchdown pass with no time left on the clock to Isaiah Zuber in the back of the end zone. Thompson scrambled around for what seemed like an eternity on that final play, wasting away the clock, making me scream “No!” at my television before firing the winning pass. Incredible ending.
13. K-State 38, Iowa State 35
Nov. 21, 2015
For such a miserable season — a losing record, a six-game losing streak, several near-misses against quality teams (cough, TCU, cough) and an absurd amount of terrible injury luck that left the team starting a wide receiver at quarterback at varying points — 2015 still had a few bright spots. The brightest of all was this improbable comeback wherein the Wildcats recovered three fumbles in the final seven minutes to complete their 24-0 second-half scoring finish and maintain their dim bowl hopes …. which would somehow result in a bowl bid. Improbably, the Cyclones fumbled the ball running it when they could have been kneeling, opening the door for a tying touchdown pass from Joe Hubener. Even more improbably, the Cyclones didn’t elect to go to overtime, instead fumbling again with seconds remaining, allowing Jack Cantele to knock in the game-winner. These sorts of miracle wins are why we watch football.
12. K-State 45, Oklahoma State 40
Nov. 18, 2017
If there’s one team that’s truly been an even rival for the Cats this decade, it’s been the Cowboys. K-State has outscored OSU 340-310 but only sports a 4-6 record in the past ten, a reflection that this game has been wildly unpredictable in recent years. Add in a pair of conference championships and two of the four best overall conference records over the decade, and it’s also often been a series of significance. The 2017 edition of the game was one of the biggest WTF results in the history of the series, as previously so-so K-State built up a 42-13 lead on the No. 13 team in the country. Skylar Thompson and Byron Pringle went bananas in this game, and the Wildcats held on for dear life in the fourth quarter.
11. K-State 31, Michigan 14 (Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl)
Dec. 28, 2013
Bowl games being “springboard” games for the following season is an oddly overblown national narrative, but this game served that purpose well, signifying K-State as a contender in ’14. It was also deeply satisfying as that ’13 team had so many missed chances, it was a bowl win after a long winless drought, and it came over what was the winningest program in FBS history. Tyler Lockett was uncoverable with three touchdown receptions and the defense was smothering.
10. K-State 31, Mississippi State 24
Sept. 14, 2019
This part of the list features four straight significant non-conference victories. The question is how do you sort them? Some of it is personal taste, I suspect. This particular win represented a “revenge” win, it came at the expense of an SEC opponent, and it was hugely beneficial to Chris Klieman as he sought to establish his own program out of the shadow of Bill Snyder. Moreover, it had a hell of an ending. The K-State defense making big plays on fourth down … it never ceases to make me smile.
9. K-State 33, Texas A&M 28 (Texas Bowl)
Dec. 28, 2016
The narrative coming into this game was all about the more talented Aggies out of the big, bad SEC running over and around K-State in a game that couldn’t possibly be competitive. Coaches, players and fans LOVE to win in these type of underdog scenarios. It also shouldn’t be overlooked that K-State fans were still salty toward A&M for deserting the conference in ’11. Quarterback Jesse Ertz sparked the effort with 195 yards through the air and a pair of touchdowns on the ground, and he salted away the win with a big run late.
8. K-State 28, Miami 24
Sept. 25, 2011
The Stand! What gets lost in this win I think is just how underrated this Miami team was (per S&P+, they were No. 20 in the country). Collin Klein and the ground game were excellent, but it was the goal-line stand by the defense late in the fourth quarter that will always stand out as an iconic moment in Wildcat history. This win propelled the Wildcats into a string of improbable wins that remain one of the most entertaining seasons any K-State fan might ever experience.
7. K-State 31, Oklahoma 30
Oct. 18, 2014
This might have been the most improbable win of the decade … and it didn’t come in 2011 or involve Iowa State! For what it’s worth, the two teams came into the game fairly evenly ranked (No. 11 vs. No. 14), but as the game unfolded, OU seemed to establish itself as the better squad (while also injuring K-State starting QB Jake Waters). A pick-six and pop-pass huge gainer staked K-State to an early first-half lead (the latter prompted endless whining from OU coaches and fans after the fact), but Oklahoma appeared to draw even with a fourth-quarter TD. The PAT was blocked. The Sooners came back to drive the ball back down to the 1, but they couldn’t punch it in, and their all-star kicker missed a chip shot. An absurd chain of events left the Wildcats as one-point winners. #willtake
6. K-State 42, Texas 24
Dec. 1, 2012
The best season of the decade produced plenty of great, memorable results, enough really to fill the majority of this list. Paring it down to a reasonable handful of games wasn’t easy. To wit: each of the games included made the eventual top six, beginning with this one. The Texas game, as the final game of the regular season, was the capper on the Big 12 championship season — the victory lap — and within that context, it was fabulous. Sure, the coronation had to wait a little longer than anyone wanted, but by the mid point of the fourth quarter the result was no longer in question, and the celebration had begun. There’s just nothing quite like celebrating a league crown on your home field.
5. K-State 36, Baylor 35
Oct. 1, 2011
In terms of raw accomplishment, figuring out a way to defeat the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Robert Griffin III and the high-flying Baylor offense in ’11 is certainly one of the more impressive wins on this list. The Bears came into the game ranked No. 15 in the country and Griffin had thrown more touchdown passes than incompletions. He had also avoided throwing an interception … until Arthur Brown picked him off late in the fourth quarter to set up the game-winning field goal. RB3 had one last chance, but Brown came up big again chasing him down on a rollout before a desperation fourth-down pass was batted down. With the result, K-State was officially a player on the national stage once again.
4. K-State 55, West Virginia 14
Oct. 20, 2012
Domination. The Mountaineers had suffered a lopsided loss the previous week, taking some of the luster off of this game going in, but K-State didn’t let down and obliterated a ranked opponent on the road in every which way possible. Collin Klein made his Heisman candidacy official with a 300-plus passing day with SEVEN touchdowns. Tyler Lockett and Chris Harper had monster days, and the Wildcat defense completely shut down a potent West Virginia offense.
3. K-State 53, Texas A&M 50
Nov. 12, 2011
Full disclosure: This was the day my first child was born. But even taking that personal life event out of the equation, can there by any doubt that a quadruple overtime victory over the team that caused K-State fans their most collective pain that sent the Aggies out of the conference as losers and gave the Wildcats their eighth win of the season should rank highly? No, there can be no doubt. Klein was … Klein-like, just refusing to give up and continuing to take a beating whilst willing his team to victory. This will always be one of my favorite wins.
2. K-State 48, Oklahoma 41
Oct. 26, 2019
Don’t talk to me with revisionist history about how this Oklahoma team wasn’t that good. The fact remains that this was one of the top four teams in the country (a playoff team) going into the postseason … and K-State was the only team to beat them in the regular season. It was a huge, monumental win, and Skylar Thompson (not short on K-State accomplishments) has never played better. The only downside was OU’s comeback attempt in the fourth quarter to take some of the shine off and make K-State fans sweat a little. It ultimately didn’t matter. This was a program-defining win for Klieman.
1. K-State 24, Oklahoma 19
Sept. 22, 2012
The road to a Big 12 championship almost always rolls through Norman, so it was appropriate that for the Wildcats to earn their second football championship of the Big 12 era, they would have to win at Oklahoma to do so. These Sooners were No. 6 in the country and a salty bunch, but K-State out-physicaled them in the trenches, forced a trio of critical turnovers (including a fumble recovered for a touchdown), and wrapped it up with clutch plays from Klein. This was the most important win of the decade because there was no conference championship and no Fiesta Bowl without it. Moreover, it was a tense, closely fought, physical affair. In short, it was a runaway choice for No. 1.
But maybe I’m all wet. Get at me on social or in the comments if you have other ideas about how this list should have looked.
Go Cats!