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Texas vs. Kansas State: Game Grades, Analysis for Longhorns and Wildcats
October 25, 2014
The Texas Longhorns entered the Little Apple with an upset on their minds, but the No. 11 Kansas State Wildcats dominated en route to a 23-0 victory.
It was the 500th win in Kansas State history, and the Wildcats earned solid grades in the process.
| Texas Longhorns Game Grades | ||
| Positional Unit | First-Half Grade | Final Grade |
| Pass Offense | C- | D |
| Run Offense | D | D+ |
| Pass Defense | B- | C |
| Run Defense | C- | B- |
| Special Teams | B | B |
| Coaching | C | B- |
| vs. Kansas State in Week 9 | ||
Pass Offense: Behind a makeshift offensive line, Tyrone Swoopes didn't have time to settle down and go through a progression. He certainly missed some reads, but a 13-of-25, 106-yard performance was very underwhelming.
Run Offense: While Swoopes was effective with his legs, Johnathan Gray and Malcolm Brown managed just 45 yards on 16 carries. Put simply, the Longhorns are in a bad situation in the trenches.
Pass Defense: Kansas State didn't shred the Texas secondary by any means, but a few mental breakdowns proved costly for the defense. None was bigger than a broken coverage on 3rd-and-10 when Tyler Lockett, the Wildcats' top receiver, was all alone; the conversion led to a game-sealing touchdown.
Run Defense: Early on, the Longhorns couldn't stop DeMarcus Robinson, so K-State earned an early first-quarter lead. Texas started to contain the running game, but poor tackling led to both touchdowns.
Special Teams: William Russ blasted a 56-yard punt, and he averaged a shade less than 40 per attempt. Overall, there was nothing great and nothing bad from the special teams as a whole.
Coaching: Charlie Strong's first season is not going swimmingly, yet the transition isn't necessarily a failure. Defensive coordinator Vance Bedford called a superb game, and the offense is visibly limited by the inexperienced line. It's a long road to relevance, nevertheless.
| Kansas State Wildcats Game Grades | ||
| Positional Unit | First-Half Grade | Final Grade |
| Pass Offense | B | B+ |
| Run Offense | B+ | B |
| Pass Defense | A- | A- |
| Run Defense | B+ | A- |
| Special Teams | A | A |
| Coaching | A- | B+ |
| vs. Texas in Game 9 | ||
Pass Offense: The Wildcats didn't lean on Jake Waters until the second half, and he responded by completing 11 of 18 attempts. Lockett posted the 12th 100-yard receiving output of his career.
Run Offense: Robinson racked up 49 yards during the opening frame, but the Wildcats were contained after that. Though he and Charles Jones both scored, K-State averaged just 3.3 yards per attempt.
Pass Defense: Starting with the first two drives, the Kansas State front seven pressured Swoopes and forced quick punts. Two sacks and just 106 yards later, it was an excellent showing from the Wildcats pass defense.
Run Defense: No, Texas does not have anything close to a good offensive line, However, K-State refused to allow any long runs between the tackles, limiting the Longhorns to just 90 yards on 27 attempts.
Special Teams: Matthew McCrane was perfect on three field goals and added a pair of extra points. Nick Walsh tallied a decent 41.0 yards over four punts, and the kickoff coverage allowed 21.3 per kick return.
Coaching: Bill Snyder has led the Wildcats to a 4-0 start in conference play and just locked up the program's fifth straight bowl appearance. Tom Hayes' defense was nothing short of stellar, surrendering less than 200 yards and just four of 13 third-down conversions.
Follow Bleacher Report college football writer David Kenyon on Twitter: @Kenyon19_BR.