K-State shuts down KU’s season with 51-13 romp

Kansas State defensive back Randall Evans, grabs an interception off a tapped ball by KU receiver Rodriguez Coleman, (1) in the Jayhawks game against the Kansas State Wildcats Saturday in Manhattan. At left is KSU defender Morgan Burns, (33)..

• Box score

Manhattan ? Playing in the eighth and final game of Clint Bowen’s interim head-coaching run, Kansas University’s football team got a taste of Kansas State football early and never recovered in a 51-13 rivalry loss at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

The No. 11 Wildcats (9-2 overall, 7-1 Big 12) reached the end zone on a one-yard carry by quarterback Jake Waters on their first possession of the afternoon, and within a minute KU’s rival would make another trip to the purple-painted turf on the other side of the goal line.

Kansas junior quarterback Michael Cummings looked for Jimmay Mundine over the middle on KU’s second drive, but the tight end only got one hand on it and K-State’s Dante Barnett swiped it out of the air for an interception.

One 44-yard Waters pass to Tyler Lockett later, K-State had a 14-0 lead with 10:18 left in the first quarter.

The Jayhawks (3-9, 1-8) wouldn’t reach the end zone until the second quarter, and even after an easy touchdown toss from Cummings to Nick Harwell, Matthew Wyman’s extra-point attempt was blocked.

K-State, which outgained its rival 505-197 in yardage, did as it pleased most of the game on offense. Waters completed 21 of his 27 throws for 294 yards and four touchdowns even though coach Bill Snyder and his staff pulled him late in the third quarter, up 45-13.

Senior Wildcats receiver Tyler Lockett caught nine passes for 141 yards and a TD on the day he became K-State’s all-time leading receiver, with 222 receptions — passing the previous record of 217, held by his father, Kevin.

Cummings hit on 16 of his 27 passes for 139 yards and a pair of TD’s for Kansas, with two interceptions.

The loss, KU’s third in a row, marked the end of the season and the beginning of rampant speculation regarding who Kansas athletic director Sheahon Zenger will hire as the program’s next head coach.

— Check out what people were saying about the game during our live blog.