Somehow, Kansas State was the underdog.

Despite being ranked No. 19, many picked the Wildcats to lose on the road against coach Deion Sanders and Colorado.

K-State quarterback Avery Johnson had other plans.

He linked up with receiver Jayce Brown for a 50-yard touchdown with just over two minutes left to lead the Wildcats to a 31-28 victory on Saturday night. Johnson completed 15 of 23 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns against one interception.

“At the end of the day, you just have to play in big moments,” Johnson said. “At the end of the day, that’s what our guys did.”

Although Johnson made plays when it counted, it was the K-State running game that stole the show. Running back DJ Giddens ran 25 times for 182 yards. Dylan Edwards, a transfer from Colorado, had seven carries for 21 yards and a touchdown.

The Buffaloes were at a disadvantage in the second half, losing receivers Travis Hunter and Jimmy Horn Jr. due to an injury. Hunter, who also plays defense, is considered one of the best players in the country.

Still, coach Sanders refused to blame the defeat on their absence.

“Losing Travis, Jimmy and others was certainly huge because they are an essential part of our team, part of our identity,” Coach Prime said. “That took a lot out of us. But other guys had the opportunity to go a step further, and they did. So I’m proud of them.”

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Kansas State Wildcats On SI. He can be reached at [email protected]

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