Manhattan ? Twice in the past three years, Kansas State has pulled off a late surge after a slow start.

After opening this season 2-4, the Wildcats need another stretch run to avoid breaking an 11-year string of bowl appearances. Getting back-to-back victories for the first time this year would help.

It won’t be easy, though.

Texas Tech, the Wildcats’ opponent today, leads the nation in passing offense at 424.1 yards per game. Red Raiders quarterback Sonny Cumbie, who leads the Big 12 with 17 touchdown passes, will face a defense that has yielded 12 TD throws already this year.

Last year, Kansas State gave up 19 passing TDs in 15 games.

But if the Wildcats ignore the run, they could pay — as Kansas did on Sept. 25, when Taurean Henderson ran for 169 yards and two touchdowns, including a 70-yard score on a draw play in the final minutes of Texas Tech’s 31-30 comeback win.

“You look at the running backs and they average about five yards per carry,” Kansas State coach Bill Snyder said. “That’s second and five, and that’s not a bad place to be. You really have to caution yourself not to overlook the fact that they are capable of running it.”

So are the Wildcats, with senior All-American Darren Sproles coming off a 135-yard, two-touchdown performance in last week’s 45-21 victory over Nebraska. It was his first 100-yard performance of the Big 12 season for Kansas State (3-4, 1-3).

Kansas State will have its No. 1 quarterback back as well.

Dylan Meier missed the Nebraska game — in which backup Allen Webb ran for 147 yards and four touchdowns — because of an assortment of injuries that the team will not discuss specifically.

He is listed as the starter, but Webb has the team’s confidence if Meier is knocked out again.

Texas Tech (4-3, 2-2) is coming off a 51-21 home loss to Texas that dropped the Red Raiders to fifth place in the Big 12 South.

If K-State wins out this year — a possibility, given the Big 12 North’s lack of a dominant team — it could wind up back in Kansas City, Mo., for another title matchup.

“In all reality, we probably can control our destiny, but what needs to take place is that we win this week,” Snyder said. “If we win, I think the rest of it will take care of itself.”