Big Second Quarter Gives Kansas State 37-7 Win Over UMass Football

Sept. 14, 2013

MANHATTAN, Kan. - Kansas State used a 21-point second quarter to break-open a close game giving the Wildcats a 37-7 win over the UMass football team on Saturday night at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Sophomore wide receiver Tajae Sharpe had 98 yards receiving, while redshirt freshman running back Stacey Bedell had 81 yards rushing.

Sophomore quarterback A.J. Doyle was 21-of-31 for 186 yards and two interceptions in his first start of the season. Defensively, UMass (0-3) was led by Ed Saint-Vil who had 12 tackles and Joe Colton who had nine including a sack.

Kansas State (2-1) picked up 329 yards on the ground tanks to John Hubert's 118 yards. Quarterbacks Daniel Sams had 77 yards, while Jake Waters had 74 yards rushing. Waters was 5-for-10 for 115 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

UMass trailed 27-7 at halftime after the Wildcats scored twice in the final four minutes of the second quarter.

The Wildcats took a 6-0 lead on a 38-yard interception return for a touchdown by Kip Daily with the Jack Cantele extra point being blocked.

The Minutemen then put together a 16-play, 77-yard drive which stalled at the Kansas State six yard line. The ensuing field goal attempt by Blake Lucas was blocked giving KSU the ball back but five plays later Antoine Tharpe picked off Jake Waters at the 46 yard line.

Doyle and Bedell went to work to quickly drive the Minutemen down the field for a five-play touchdown drive. Doyle hit Sharpe for a 27-yard pick-up and Bedell punched it in for his first career touchdown two plays later closing out the first quarter giving UMass a 7-6 lead.

Kansas State scored three times in the second quarter including a 26-yard run by Robert Rose and a 43 yard reception by John Hubert in the final four minutes of play to take a 27-7 lead at halftime.

The Minutemen failed to make any headway on their opening possession of the second half. After a quick three-and-out gave the ball back to KSU, a 50-yard pass play from Waters to Glenn Gronkowski, the brother of New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, put the Wildcats up 34-7.

It looked as if UMass would be in good shape on the ensuing possession moving the ball 50 yards on 14 plays, but a fourth-down interception with the ball at the KSU 30 yard line ended the promising drive.

The Wildcats added a 42-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter.

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