Jackson and Johnson run Kansas State past Kansas, 35-24

Joe Jackson ran for 159 yards, Avery Johnson added 132, and Kansas State beat Kansas 35-24 Saturday in Manhattan for its 18th consecutive win in the Sunflower Showdown. The Wildcats rushed for 359 yards and scored the final 10 points after the Jayhawks stayed within one through three quarters.

Jackson's longest run, a 64-yard gain in the fourth quarter, helped Kansas State recover from a failed goal-line possession. Johnson finished that drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jaron Tibbs, extending the lead to 32-24 with 8:28 remaining. Luis Rodriguez added a 34-yard field goal with 1:56 left, putting the game beyond one possession.

Kansas had opportunities to break the losing streak. Bryson Hayes answered Kansas State's opening touchdown with a 95-yard kickoff return, Isaiah Marshall threw a 12-yard touchdown to Nik McMillan, and Martin Connington kicked a 31-yard field goal. The Jayhawks led 17-7 late in the first quarter.

Kansas State moved the ball but struggled to finish possessions. Rodriguez made field goals from 22 and 51 yards to reduce the deficit. A bad Kansas punt snap then resulted in a safety, and Rodriguez's 28-yarder just before halftime gave the Wildcats an 18-17 lead.

The teams traded rushing touchdowns in the third quarter. Former Kansas State back Dylan Edwards scored from 3 yards for Kansas, and Jackson answered from 8 yards. Kansas State later reached first-and-goal at the Jayhawks' 5 but came away empty after four running plays, leaving the margin at 25-24.

Marshall threw an interception on Kansas' next possession. Jackson immediately broke his 64-yard run, and Johnson's touchdown pass to Tibbs gave Kansas State more room. Kansas then had a long Marshall touchdown run erased by a facemask penalty and eventually punted. The Wildcats used more than five minutes on their next drive before Rodriguez's fourth field goal.

Kansas State finished with 568 yards, compared with Kansas' 319, and held the ball for 36:13. Jackson carried 27 times, while Johnson completed 14 of 24 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown. Rodney Fields Jr. added 66 rushing yards and the game's opening score.

Marshall completed 12 of 26 passes for 151 yards, with a touchdown and an interception, and ran for 116 yards. Edwards added 57 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Jayhawks converted only three of 11 third downs and were flagged seven times for 66 yards.

Kansas State improved to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in the Big 12. Kansas fell to 2-4 and 0-3. The Wildcats visit Arizona State next Saturday, while the Jayhawks return home to play Baylor.