FORT WORTH, Texas _ Kansas State's 30-6 victory over TCU on Saturday at Amon G. Carter Stadium was yet another reminder of the danger that comes with expecting mediocre results from the Wildcats.
You may remember K-State was picked to finish eighth in the preseason Big 12 poll, ahead of just Iowa State and Kansas. Saturday, they enter the bowl season as one of the nation's hottest teams.
K-State (8-4, 6-3 Big 12) has won five of its past six games after putting the finishing touches on a solid regular season by overpowering TCU (6-6, 4-5) on a wet day. The victory gives K-State sole possession of fourth place in the Big 12 standings and likely an invitation to the Texas Bowl, which will be played Dec. 28 at NRG Stadium in Houston against an SEC opponent.
It won't go down as one of coach Bill Snyder's best regular seasons, but it is K-State's fourth-best record in the past 13 seasons. Not bad for a team expected to finish near the basement of the league standings.
K-State continued to exceed expectations with an impressive second half against TCU.
The Wildcats led 10-6 at halftime, and TCU had momentum after scooping up a Winston Dimel fumble at midfield. But that changed when quarterback Jesse Ertz did something he hadn't done all season: throw a long touchdown pass.
Facing third-and-10 from the 17, Ertz found Byron Pringle on a crossing route and the sophomore receiver broke free for a catch-and-run score of 83 yards.
It was easily K-State's longest passing play of the season. Ertz's previous long was 44 yards in the opening game at Stanford. It was K-State's longest passing play since 2013, when Jake Waters found Tyler Lockett for a 90-yard score against Oklahoma.
That gave K-State a 17-6 lead and put considerable pressure on TCU to respond. When the Horned Frogs quickly punted, the Wildcats gave the ball to running back Justin Silmon and he muscled his way into the end zone to make the score 23-6.
Top running back Alex Barnes was withheld from the game for unknown reasons, but it hardly mattered. K-State finished the day with a pair of 100-yard rushers for the first time since 2012.
Ertz led the way with 170 yards and a touchdown. Silmon rushed for 133 yards and a touchdown.
K-State was also strong on defense, holding TCU without a touchdown for the first time since 2006.
It was a fitting end to a regular season in which K-State once again exceeded expectations.
