Football defeats K-State, 31-21, in Big 12 opener

Saturday, September 21

Austin, Texas

7 p.m.

University of Texas

2-2 , 1-0

K-State

2-2 , 0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Kansas State

Texas

Football defeats K-State, 31-21, in Big 12 opener

09.21.2013 | Football

Box Score

Gray posts career-high 141 rushing yards, defense forces three turnovers

AUSTIN, Texas - Behind a career-high 141 rushing yards and two touchdowns from Johnathan Gray and a defense which forced three turnovers, Texas defeated Kansas State, 31-21, on Saturday night at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in the Big 12 Conference opener for both teams.

The victory was the Longhorns' first over the Wildcats since 2003 and snapped a five-game losing streak.

Texas quarterback David Ash went 14 of 25 with 166 yards and a touchdown in the first half to help the Longhorns take a 17-7 halftime lead. Ash had concussion symptoms and didn't play after the halftime break, giving way to senior Case McCoy who played last week vs. Ole Miss.

Texas (2-2, 1-0 Big 12) finished nine of 18 on third-down conversions, including four on its first scoring drive of the game, which was capped by a 27-yard field goal from Anthony Fera.

Three plays after the defense forced Kansas State's second punt of the game, Ash fired downfield and hit Kendall Sanders for a 63-yard touchdown. The play marked the sixth different Texas player to score a touchdown of 50 yards or longer this season.

Ash completed a 10-yard pass to Jaxon Shipley on fourth-and-2 and two plays later Gray ran the ball in for a 21-yard touchdown, putting the Wildcats (2-2, 0-1) into a 17-0 hole in the second quarter.

"Last week we were more conservative in fourth-down situations, didn't go for things," said head coach Mack Brown, who tied Woody Hayes for 10th on the NCAA all-time coaches victories list with the win. "We said we're going to have to score some points in this league to win. So let's go for it."

The Wildcats crossed into UT territory for the first time with two minutes left in the first half and John Hubert got them on the board with a 15-yard touchdown run.

Ash drove the Horns into Kansas State territory with less one minute left in the half, but the Horns were unable to convert a fourth-and-3 from the 40.

The junior missed last week's Ole Miss game with head and shoulder injuries, but was cleared to play Friday against Kansas State.

"With the new concussion rules, if they have symptoms pop back up, they take you out, period," said Mack Brown. "He had symptoms at halftime. (The medical staff) said he couldn't play the second half."

McCoy led the Longhorns to touchdowns on two of his first three drives.

A fumble by Hubert and some trickery set up the first touchdown.

Three straight rushes by Gray netted just 8 yards and the Horns set up to punt from the K-State 48, but Alex De La Torre took the direct snap and weaved 19 yards for a first down. Four plays later, Gray scampered 15 yards for his second touchdown of the night.

The Wildcats cut the deficit to 24-14 on Hubert's 4-yard touchdown run with 13:22 left in the game, but the Longhorns answered on the ensuing possession.

Malcolm Brown capped off an 11-play, 66-yard rive with a 1-yard touchdown run with 9:11 remaining.

Texas finished with 227 rushing yards and 225 passing yards in the game. Texas' 452 total yards were the most in the 14 all-time meetings with Kansas State.

After being aided by a targeting penalty and ejection to Texas linebacker Steve Edmond, the Wildcats cut the lead to 31-21 on a 1-yard sneak from quarterback Jake Waters who was 19 of 30 for 275 yards.

The Longhorns sealed the win with two fumble recoveries in the final three minutes, one from Dalton Santos and the other by Chris Whaley.

"We told them in the dressing room, this is a start, this isn't the end," Brown said. "We had to get this game tonight. We had to get back on the right track. We had to get 1-0 against the Big 12 champs from last year that we have not been successful against in a very physical ballgame."

Steve Edmond led Texas with 11 tackles and the Longhorns had four sacks.