MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Chris Klieman thought Kansas State had a nice set of offensive plays ready for the opening series of the season.
The Wildcats only got to call one of them Saturday night.
That’s because Malik Knowles took the opening handoff 75 yards for a score, setting the tone for the rest of the game, and Deuce Vaughn proceeded to run for 126 yards and another touchdown in a 34-0 rout of overmatched South Dakota.
“We won the toss, took the football and scored on the first play,” Klieman said with a smile. “We had a really nice series of plays that we were going to operate and we ended up scoring on the first play.”
Not that the Wildcats ever slowed down.
Nebraska transfer Adrian Martinez, who was just 11 of 15 for 53 yards through the air, added 39 yards rushing and a touchdown for Kansas State. Desmond Purnell returned an early blocked punt for a touchdown, and backup running back DJ Giddens reached the end zone midway through the third quarter to extend the lead to 34-0.
By that point, the Wildcats had built such a comfortable lead that they began resting their starters, and they in turn began thinking ahead to next weekend. Former conference rival Missouri is returning for the first time in more than a decade.
“I know they’re a really good program, lots of talent,” Klieman said. “I’m excited to have that rivalry game played again.”
Carson Camp had 139 yards passing and an interception for the Coyotes, who couldn’t overcome an abundance of dropped passes, silly penalties and other miscues against a team that expects to contend for the Big 12 title.
The game certainly looked nothing like their 2018 meeting, when the Coyotes lost a 27-24 heartbreaker.
“You have to learn from a game like this and get better for next week,” South Dakota coach Bob Nielson said.
The Wildcats started with a bang Saturday night, but it wasn’t their high-profile transfer quarterback or star running back that stepped into the spotlight. It was Knowles, the somewhat mercurial wide receiver, who took a simple end-around and, picking up a nice block from Vaughn, raced 75 yards for a touchdown on the game’s first play.
Things didn’t get any better for South Dakota.
After the Coyotes were held to a second straight three-and-out, Seth Porter got his hand on the ensuing punt and Purnell picked it up, then ran untouched 17 yards to the end zone to give the Wildcats a 14-0 lead.
Vaughn shook free for the first time late in the first quarter, when he split the defense on a 39-yard touchdown run.
