No. 17 Kansas State Survives Tulane in a Thrilling Game

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No. 17 Kansas State (2-0) overcame a 10-point halftime deficit against Tulane (1-1) to win 34-27 at Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, La., on Sept. 7.

Tulane quarterback Darian Mensah, in his second collegiate game, showed Power Four programs what they missed out on. Mensah posted 342 yards passing, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception while facing relentless pressure from Kansas State. Tulane running back Makhi Hodges also had 128 yards rushing and 1 touchdown.

Kansas State's defense had trouble slowing down the Green Wave in the first half. It gave up 20 points but was able to fix some of the problems at halftime. The Wildcats allowed 7 second-half points and forced 2 turnovers. Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson had 181 yards passing, 2 touchdown passes and 40 yards rushing. Running back DJ Giddens had 114 yards rushing and added on a 45-yard TD reception in the third quarter.

Game Summary

The Wildcats got all they could have asked for in this game, falling behind Tulane 14-3 early in the second quarter on a 36-yard TD pass from Mensah to tight end Alex Bauman. The Wildcats then answered with a 7-yard TD pass from Johnson to tight end Will Swanson, making it 14-10.

Tulane got two more field goals before halftime to extend the lead to 20-10 halftime. Kansas State then scored 10 unanswered third-quarter points to tie the game at 20-20 entering the fourth. Tulane opened up the fourth with another touchdown pass from Mensah to Bauman for 13 yards, giving the Green Wave a 27-20 lead.

Kansas State answered right back with a Dylan Edwards 13-yard TD run. The Wildcats took the lead on a defensive score and held on for the victory. Tulane scored a 1-yard TD pass with 17 seconds left in the game. It was called back on a controversial offensive pass interference call. Two plays later, Mensah threw an interception in the end zone to safety VJ Payne.

Turning Point for Kansas State

With 8:13 to go in the game and Tulane driving to take the lead back, K-State defensive coordinator dialed up pressure on Mensah. Linebacker Austin Romaine got to Mensah and stripped the ball, allowing Jack Fabris to pick it up and return it 60 yards for the game-winning touchdown. That non-offensive touchdown gives Kansas State 133 of them since 1999, which leads the country (Alabama-125).

What it Means

This game was a must-win for Kansas State, which cannot afford to lose games against non-Power Four teams if they want to build a case for the College Football Playoff at the end of the season. The Wildcats' defense brought pressure consistently against Tulane, which led to 5 sacks on the day. But it also allowed the secondary to be exposed when the pressure did not work. Kansas State hosts Arizona (1-0) on Sept. 14. It will feature what is most likely the best quarterback-wide receiver duo (Noah Fifita and Tetairoa McMillian) in college football from Arizona. The Kansas State defense has a lot of things to work on this week.

Tulane is a really good team that played toe-to-toe with one of the better Big 12 Conference teams. The Green Wave will be in the hunt for the American Athletic Conference title again this year. Tulane's offense runs the ball well with a young quarterback who will only get better. The defense is fast and aggressive, which will keep Tulane in almost every game they play. Tulane goes to Norman, Okla., on Sept. 14 to play No. 15 Oklahoma (1-0).