Avery Johnson helps No. 14 K-State dump No. 20 Arizona 31-7 in nonconference matchup of Big 12 foes

Avery Johnson threw two touchdown passes, Dylan Edwards returned a punt 71 yards for a score and No. 14 Kansas State beat No. 20 Arizona 31-7 on Friday night in a nonconference matchup of new Big 12 rivals
Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson passes during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Arizona Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson passes during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Arizona Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State delivered Arizona a rude welcome to the Big 12 on Friday night.

Even if it won't count in the conference standings.

Avery Johnson threw two touchdown passes, Dylan Edwards returned a punt 71 yards for a score, and No. 14 Kansas State shut out No. 20 Arizona in the second half of a 31-7 victory in a rare nonconference matchup of new Big 12 rivals rivals.

The loss ended Arizona’s nine-game winning streak, the longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

“I don't know what we're trying to prove to everyone else. We're trying to prove to ourselves that we can sustain this and play at a high level,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “That was a great week of preparation. Now we have to do it again.”

The schools had agreed to the matchup before Arizona left the Pac-12 for the Big 12. With neither able to secure a replacement opponent, Kansas State and Arizona kept the game but without it counting in the race for the league title game.

Good thing for Arizona.

Johnson finished with 156 yards passing and 110 yards rushing, and D.J. Giddens added 86 yards rushing and a score, as Kansas State (3-0) rebounded from a lackluster road with over Tulane with an emphatic victory over the desert Wildcats.

“Everybody wanted to get back on the field,” said Jayce Brown, who had three catches for 60 yards. “We wanted to show everybody what we could do.”

Noah Fifita had 268 yards passing for Arizona (2-1) with an interception. Tetairoa McMillan had 11 catches for 138 yards, but the potential first-round NFL draft pick was unable to turn any of those grabs into a big play or touchdown.

“Those guys just play good football,” Arizona coach Brent Brennan said. “They tackle well. They're in coverage, they do a good job. I give that staff a lot of credit. They have a well-coached football team, their kids play really hard. They're impressive.”

The teams traded grinding, time-consuming touchdown drives to start the game, but otherwise the first 30 minutes was plagued by penalties, mental mistakes and dumbfounding miscues from two teams trying to make a statement.

Arizona failed to cover a poor punt that Edwards returned untouched for a touchdown. On the next drive, Fifita lazily threw over the middle into double coverage and was picked off by Kansas State's Keenan Garber in the end zone.

Johnson made perhaps the most embarrassing gaffe. He was sacked at the Arizona 19 with 24 seconds left in the first half. On the next play, the freshman needed only to step out of bounds to stop the clock and bring on the field-goal team, but he instead reversed field and ran the other way, allowing the clock to expire without the chance for an attempt.

“It is all on me at the end of the first half,” Klieman said. “I should have called timeout. That isn't on the kid."

Kansas State still led 14-7 at the break, and the mistake didn't matter in the end.

The fleet-footed Johnson began to sling it in the second half, leading his team on back-to-back TD drives. The first featured a 48-yard pass to Jayce Brown on third-and-12, setting up Johnson's scoring toss to Brayden Loftin. The next included a 21-yard throw to Loftin before Giddens plowed into the end zone to give Kansas State a 28-7 lead.

Kansas State stuffed Arizona on fourth down a few minutes later, and merely had to run out the fourth quarter.

“(Johnson) is a pretty good player, and he rose up tonight when we needed him,” Klieman said. “He played really good football and was really calm, and made some plays with his feet. Made some plays with his legs. That was a fun performance to watch.”

The takeaway

Arizona might have fared better had it not repeatedly hurt itself with flags. It committed 30 yards worth of penalties on a single drive in the first half, and finished with nine penalties for 74 yards in the game.

Kansas State had something to prove after allowing Tulane to throw for 342 yards and pile up 491 total in last week's 34-27 comeback win. The Wildcats held Arizona to 324 yards of total offense Friday night.

Up next

Arizona: At No. 12 Utah on Sept. 28 in the Wildcats' first true Big 12 game.

Kansas State: At BYU next Saturday night.

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Kansas State tight end Will Swanson, left, celebrates with quarterback Avery Johnson (2) after scoring a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Arizona Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Arizona's defense tries unsuccessfully to stop a one yard run by Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson for a first down during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Arizona running back Quali Conley (7) dives over Kansas State safety Marques Sigle (21) to score a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson (2) runs the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Arizona Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Arizona wide receiver Montana Lemonious-Craig falls after catching a pass out of bounds during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kansas State Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Arizona running back Quali Conley (7) is tackled by Kansas State linebacker Desmond Purnell (32) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita passes around Kansas State defensive end Cody Stufflebean (47) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Arizona running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (1) is tackled by Kansas State safety Jordan Riley (6), safety VJ Payne (19) and defensive end Tobi Osunsanmi (44) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita passes around Kansas State defensive end Cody Stufflebean (47) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Arizona head coach Brent Brennan watches during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kansas State Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita (11) looks to pass under pressure from Kansas State linebacker Austin Moore (41) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Arizona wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (4) tries to get past Kansas State cornerback Keenan Garber (1) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita passes the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kansas State Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Kansas State wide receiver Dante Cephas drops a pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Arizona Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman watches during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Arizona Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, in Manhattan, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

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