MANHATTAN — The No. 25 Kansas State football team got behind the legs of quarterback Adrian Martinez to take down Texas Tech on Saturday afternoon, 37-28.
Martinez finished his day rushing for three touchdowns and 194 yards.
The Wildcat (4-1; 2-0 Big 12) quarterback, Martinez, also helped his team pull away in the second half with touchdown runs of 69 and 12 yards apiece.
The leading rusher began his day with a bang, rushing for an 18-yard touchdown on the second snap of the day. Martinez took the prior first snap of the game 57 yards into scoring position.
Martinez continued his magic on the second offensive drive of the afternoon when he escaped some tackles and connected with Kade Warner on a completion of 11 yards. He then found Malik Knowles downfield for a gain of 13 yards.
“He (Martinez) was really good. I thought our offensive line blocked the run game extremely well and he was very patient,” said Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman. “There’s not many kids that can catch Adrian and he had a couple of explosive plays.”
Kansas State kicker Chris Tennant came on for a 29-yard field goal to make it a 10-0 lead with four minutes left in the first quarter.
After Texas Tech turned the ball over on downs on a Donovan Smith rush for a loss of one, the Kansas State offense helped set up another field goal.
Martinez first found Warner across the middle of the field for a 20-yard connection. The quarterback then kept it himself again for a gain of 13 yards down the sideline.
Tennant came on and nailed the 26-yard field goal to put the Wildcats ahead, 13-0.
The Wildcat defense stepped up big on the opening drive of the second half when they sacked Smith on two straight plays for a combined loss of seven yards. Smith was then picked off by Kansas State’s Austin Moore where the home team took over around midfield.
Vaughn would fumble the ball on the second snap of the next drive for the Red Raiders to take over at the 50-yard line.
Kobe Savage came up with another big Kansas State defensive stop when he recovered a Tahj Brooks fumble at the Wildcat 38-yard line.
“When we get them to turn it over four times plus they went for it on fourth down twice and missed them, that’s really like six possessions you get,” said Klieman.
“We emphasize the heck out of it, getting the ball on the ground and interceptions. There’s good offenses in this league and you’ve got to find ways to make stops,” Klieman said.
Texas Tech would get on the board at the end of the first half when Smith fired a six-yard touchdown pass to Nehemiah Martinez for the 13-7 ballgame.
