Kansas State football vs. TCU final recap: K-State 41, TCU 3 (2024)

MANHATTAN — Kansas State football celebrated its return home for the first time in a month Saturday night with a dominating 41-3 victory over TCU at sold-out Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

Using quarterbacks Will Howard and Avery Johnson on alternating series, the Wildcats rolled up 587 yards total offense and led from the opening possession.

The Wildcats, who improved to 5-2 overall and 3-1 in the Big 12, play host to Houston at 11 a.m. next Saturday. TCU fell to 4-4, 2-3.

Kansas State game time, TV channel, betting odds tonight vs. TCU

KICKOFF: 6 p.m.

TV: ESPN2

BETTING ODDS: Kansas State by 6.5

K-State scores again to go up 41-3

Will Howard hits tight end Will Swanson in the front of the end zone for 5 yards and another K-State touchdown.

The play capped a 49-yard drive and was Howard's third touchdown pass of the game.

END 3Q: K-State 34, TCU 3

Kansas State heads to the third quarter with a comfortable 34-3 lead after a Desmond Purnell interception stops another TCU drive.

The Wildcats have 518 yards total offense to 232 for TCU.

Wildcats add to lead with 81-yard drive

After the defense turned TCU over on downs at the K-State 19-yard line to start the second half, Will Howard leads the Wildcats on a 13-play, 81-yard drive that took 7:53 on the clock.

Howard hit freshman Jayce Brown for the 11-yard touchdown, the first of Brown's career, and the Wildcats lead 34-3 with 2:30 left in the third quarter.

HALFTIME: K-State 27, TCU 3

Kansas State gets a 40-yard field goal from Chris Tennant as time expires to lead TCU at halftime, 27-3.

The Wildcats scored on five of six possessions with three touchdowns and two field goals. Starting quarterback Will Howard led the team to two touchdowns, while backup Avery Johnson engineered one touchdown and two field goal possessions as the two alternated series.

K-State had 406 yards total offense in the half to 122 for TCU, with 238 yards on the ground. Johnson had 78 rushing yards, DJ Giddens 57, Howard 41 and Treshaun Ward 57. Howard and Johnson were just a combined 7 of 18 passing for 168 yards, but each had a touchdown pass. Freshman Jayce Brown caught three passes for 43 yards and Giddens had a 61-yard touchdown reception.

Emani Bailey led TCU with 59 rushing yards, while quarterback Josh Hoover was 7 of 17 passing for 66 yards.

K-State settles for field goal, leads 24-3

For the first time in four possessions, K-State fails to reach the end zone.

The Wildcats' drive stalls at the TCU 9, and Chris Tennant kicks a 27-yard field goal for a 24-3 lead with 10:41 left in the half.

END OF 1Q: Kansas State 21, TCU 3

We're at the end of the first quarter, with K-State leading TCU, 21-3. The Wildcats got touchdowns on all three possessions in the quarter.

K-State had 238 yards in the quarter to 81 for TCU.

Kansas State offense on early roll for 21-3 lead

Kansas State needed just three plays to pick up its third touchdown when Will Howard hit a wide-open DJ Giddens in the right flat and he sprinted 61 yards untouched to the end zone for the touchdown.

The drive covered 75 yards in three plays and took just 1:06. The Wildcat offense is now 3-for-3. You're up Avery Johnson.

TCU cuts K-State lead to 14-3 with field goal

TCU got on the board with a 32-yard Griffin Kell field goal at the 4:12 mark of the first quarter.

The Horned Frogs went 61 yards in eight plays, but the drive stalled at the K-State 14 with three straight incomplete passes. The big play was a 35-yard run by Emani Bailey.

Avery Johnson leads scoring drive for 14-0 K-State lead

Avery Johnson matched starter Will Howard with his first quarterback series, leading K-State 73 yards in seven plays. Treshaun Ward took a forward pitch, sidestepped a tackler and scored from 3 yards out to put the Wildcats up 14-0 with 6:18 left in the first.

It went down as the first career touchdown pass for Johnson, who also completed a 26-yarder to Jayce Brown to set up the score, and ran twice for 32 yards on the drive.

Avery Johnson gets second series for K-State

Avery Johnson didn't have to wait long to get his shot at quarterback. He starts the second series for the Wildcats and quickly has two big gains.

This could be interesting.

K-State, Will Howard off to fast start

Kansas State opens the game with an eight-play, 75-yard drive, capped by a 2-yard DJ Giddens touchdown run. Chris Tennant's PAT makes it 7-0 with 11:45 left in the first quarter.

Quarterback Will Howard carried the ball twice on the drive for a total of 41 yards.

Will Howard gets the start at QB for K-State

Will Howard, who started the first six games at quarterback for K-State, is again behind center to open the game, but he hands off to fellow quarterback Avery Johnson on a jet sweep.

Whether Howard or true freshman Johnson would get the start after Johnson's star turn last week at Texas Tech was the most closely guarded secret around the Vanier Football Complex all week.

Still, look for Johnson to play as well.

Kansas State to get the ball first

TCU wins the coin toss and defers.

Kansas State will have the ball first. Here we go.

Former OL Ryan Lilja brings on the Cats

Former Kansas State offensive lineman Ryan Lilja opened the locker room door before the game to Bring on the Cats.

Lilja played 10 years in the NFL after leaving K-State.

Kansas State revved up for 25th annual Harley Day

A parade of 100 motorcycles are scheduled to circle the playing field ahead of tonight's game for Harley Day. It is the 25th anniversary of the first Harley Day, which drew 36 bikes in 1998.

The number of motorcycles eventually grew to a high of 125, but is now capped at 100.

Kansas State's Will Lee, Austin Romaine suited up

Kansas State should be in good shape personnel-wise on defense against TCU with two players whose status was uncertain at the start of the week both suited up.

Middle linebacker Austin Romaine suffered an injury last week at Texas Tech, went through pregame warmups, as did cornerback Will Lee. Will Lee was injured at the end of the first half two weeks ago at Oklahoma State and did not make the trip to Lubbock for the Texas Tech game.

A lovely night in Manhattan

Kansas State has had good luck with the weather at home so far this season and tonight is no exception. The temperature 30 minutes before kickoff is 77 degrees under sunny skies.

The forecast for kickoff is 76 degrees with a wind from the northeast at 8 mph.

Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State score updates vs. TCU from Big 12 football matchup