BYU Stuns Kansas State 38-9 with Defensive Masterclass

PROVO, Utah (AP) – Brigham Young University‘s (BYU) football team delivered a commanding performance against the 13th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats, securing a 38-9 victory on Saturday night. The win was marked by BYU’s strong defensive efforts, as the Cougars forced three critical turnovers that paved the way for their success at LaVell Edwards Stadium.

BYU’s defense was instrumental in the victory, which saw the Cougars improve to 4-0 overall and 1-0 in the Big 12 Conference. This triumph also ended the Cougars’ five-game losing streak to Big 12 opponents. BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff played a crucial role, throwing for 149 yards and two touchdowns.

Brigham Young’s defensive prowess was evident early, as linebacker Jack Kelly forced a fumble from Kansas State’s DJ Giddens, with safety Tommy Prassas recovering the ball for a 30-yard touchdown return. This turnover marked a turning point, giving BYU a 10-6 lead. Not long after, Tyler Batty intercepted a pass from Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson, setting up a touchdown pass to Chase Roberts, extending BYU’s lead to 17-6 at halftime.

“A lot of people were surprised by this,” said BYU running back Sione Moa, who added a career-high 76 yards and a touchdown. “This is not a surprise to us. We know the work we put in to get to this point.”

Kansas State, which fell to 3-1 overall and 0-1 in the Big 12, was undone by errors including two interceptions thrown by Avery Johnson. The Wildcats failed to score a touchdown for the first time since the 2020 season. Despite amassing 224 rushing yards, Kansas State had to settle for field goals, being denied in the red zone by BYU’s staunch defense.

“We didn’t play well anywhere,” admitted Kansas State coach Chris Klieman. “We got embarrassed, and that hasn’t happened here, with the exception of the COVID year.”

BYU added to their score with a 90-yard punt return touchdown by Parker Kingston early in the third quarter. The Cougars’ defense continued to thwart Kansas State’s efforts, holding them to just nine points from three field goals across all scoring drives.

Looking ahead, Kansas State will face Oklahoma State, hoping to rebound from their defeat, while BYU is set to play against Baylor, aiming to maintain their winning momentum. The outcome of this match may also influence the team’s positioning in upcoming AP Top 25 rankings.

BYU coach Kalani Sitake praised his team’s performance stating, “It was about making them earn every yard, and our defense managed to crack the code with those turnovers to create momentum. It’s about showing others what we can do.”