Deuce Vaughn rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown to lead opportunistic Kansas State to a 34-17 win over visiting West Virginia on Saturday in Manhattan, Kan.
Vaughn reached triple digits in rushing for the third straight game and sixth time this season for the Wildcats (7-3, 4-3 Big 12).
Kansas State was outgained 345-300, but scored 10 points off turnovers and had a blocked punt for a touchdown.
The Wildcats snapped a five-game losing streak to the Mountaineers.
West Virginia (4-6, 2-5 Big 12) will have to win its last two games (vs. Texas and at Kansas) to gain bowl eligibility.
West Virginia won the toss but chose to receive. That backfired on the second play when Jarret Doege’s pass went off the hands of Winston Wright Jr. and into the hands of Russ Yeast. The Wildcats responded with a six-play, 55-yard drive, which was capped by a 2-yard touchdown run by Joe Ervin.
Kansas State added to the lead with a blocked punt deep in West Virginia territory. Ty Bowman blocked the kick and Marvin Martin picked up the ball at the 7-yard line and ran it in for the score.
Chris Tennant’s 32-yard field goal extended the lead with 2:57 left in the first half. West Virginia got on the board just before the half with a 39-yard field goal by Casey Legg.
West Virginia outgained the Wildcats 182-119 in the first half but trailed by two touchdowns.
Following a 62-yard return of the second-half kickoff by Malik Knowles, Kansas State went 33 yards for the score. Skylar Thompson tossed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Sammy Wheeler.
West Virginia responded with a 10-play, 68-yard drive to draw within 24-10. Doege hit Reese Smith for a 13-yard touchdown to cap the drive.
Doege found Wright in the end zone on fourth-and-goal from the 3-yard line to cut the lead to 24-17 with 11:50 left in the game.
Vaughn’s 4-yard touchdown with 7:22 left put the Wildcats up 31-17.
Tennant’s 25-yard field goal capped the scoring.
–Field Level Media
