2015_Kansas_State_Wildcats_football_team
2015 Kansas State Wildcats football team
American college football season
The 2015 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the 2015 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Wildcats played their home games at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium, in Manhattan, Kansas as they have done since 1968. The Wildcats were led by head coach Bill Snyder in his 24th overall and seventh straight season since taking over for his second tenure in 2009. 2015 was the 120th season in school history. K-State was a member of the Big 12 Conference. They finished the season 6–7, 3–6 in Big 12 play to finish in eighth place. They were invited to the Liberty Bowl where they lost to Arkansas.
| 2015 Kansas State Wildcats football | |
|---|---|
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Liberty Bowl, L 23–45 vs. Arkansas | |
| Conference | Big 12 conference |
| Record | 6–7 (3–6 Big 12) |
| Head coach |
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| Co-offensive coordinator | Dana Dimel (9th season) |
| Co-offensive coordinator | Del Miller (16th season) |
| Offensive scheme | Multiple |
| Defensive coordinator | Tom Hayes (4th season) |
| Base defense | 4–3 |
| Home stadium | Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium |
Seasons | |
| Conf | Overall | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Team | W | L | W | L | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 5 Oklahoma $^ | 8 | – | 1 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 20 Oklahoma State | 7 | – | 2 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 7 TCU | 7 | – | 2 | 11 | – | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No. 13 Baylor | 6 | – | 3 | 10 | – | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| West Virginia | 4 | – | 5 | 8 | – | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas Tech | 4 | – | 5 | 7 | – | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Texas | 4 | – | 5 | 5 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas State | 3 | – | 6 | 6 | – | 7 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Iowa State | 2 | – | 7 | 3 | – | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kansas | 0 | – | 9 | 0 | – | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The 2014 Kansas State Wildcats football team finished the regular season 9-3, with losses to Auburn of the SEC, Baylor and TCU. The Wildcats had been ranked in all polls with the highest ranked in the new College Football Playoff rankings at number 7. Kansas State became bowl eligible after winning its sixth game against Texas on October 25 and was invited to play in the 2015 Alamo Bowl against UCLA. Kansas State fell short to the Bruins in San Antonio, Texas with a loss of 35–40.
Kansas State announced their 2015 football schedule on November 19, 2014. The 2015 schedule consists of seven home games and five away games in the regular season. The Wildcats will host Big 12 foes Baylor, Iowa State, Oklahoma, TCU, and West Virginia and will travel to Kansas, Oklahoma State, Texas, and Texas Tech.[1]
The Wildcats hosted two non conference games against South Dakota and Louisiana Tech and traveled to its other non conference foe UTSA in San Antonio, TX.
On December 6, 2015, Kansas State accepted an invitation to play in the 2016 AutoZone Liberty Bowl on January 2 in Memphis, Tennessee.[2]
| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 5 | 6:00 p.m. | South Dakota* | K-StateHD.TV | W 34–0 | 53,297 | |
| September 12 | 11:00 a.m. | at UTSA* | FS1 | W 30–3 | 29,424 | |
| September 19 | 2:00 p.m. | Louisiana Tech* |
| FSN | W 39–33 3OT | 53,540 |
| October 3 | 3:00 p.m. | at No. 20 Oklahoma State | FS1 | L 34–36 | 57,618 | |
| October 10 | 6:30 p.m. | No. 2 TCU |
| FOX | L 45–52 | 53,671 |
| October 17 | 2:30 p.m. | No. 19 Oklahoma |
| ABC | L 0–55 | 52,867 |
| October 24 | 11:00 a.m. | at Texas | FS1 | L 9–23 | 88,283 | |
| November 5 | 6:30 p.m. | No. 2 Baylor |
| FS1 | L 24–31 | 52,108 |
| November 14 | 2:30 p.m. | at Texas Tech | FS1 | L 44–59 | 53,833 | |
| November 21 | 11:00 a.m. | Iowa State |
| FS1 | W 38–35 | 53,297 |
| November 28 | 3:00 p.m. | at Kansas | FS1 | W 45–14 | 23,842 | |
| December 5 | 3:30 p.m. | West Virginia |
| FS1 | W 24–23 | 52,918 |
| January 2, 2016 | 2:20 p.m. | vs. Arkansas* | ESPN | L 23–45 | 61,136 | |
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At UTSA
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcats | 0 | 7 | 6 | 17 | 30 |
| Roadrunners | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Louisiana Tech
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bulldogs | 0 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 33 |
| Wildcats | 3 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 16 | 39 |
At Oklahoma State
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcats | 14 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 34 |
| Cowboys | 7 | 13 | 6 | 10 | 36 |
Kansas State traveled to Stillwater, Oklahoma to take on the 25th-ranked Cowboys on October 3, 2015. Late in the second quarter, an officiating error gave Oklahoma State a first down when the offense was four yards short of the line to gain after the third down play. The series ended with a touchdown for Oklahoma State.[4]
The error brought into question Big 12 Conference officiating, especially in light that the game was on the 25th anniversary of the Fifth Down Game between the Colorado Buffaloes and Missouri Tigers.[5] SB Nation published "K-State lost to Oklahoma State, 36-34. Inept Big 12 officials gifted Oklahoma State a touchdown."[6] The Big 12 Conference later acknowledged the error[7] and that disciplinary actions will be addressed with both the field officials and chain crew.[8]
Oklahoma State won the game on a last-minute field goal.[9]
TCU
| All-time record | Big 12 record | Last meeting | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–4 | 2–2 | 2014 | TCU, 41–20 |
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #2 Horned Frogs | 14 | 3 | 14 | 21 | 52 |
| Wildcats | 7 | 28 | 0 | 10 | 45 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium • Manhattan, KS
- Date: October 10, 2015
- Game time: 6:30 p.m. CT (actual: 6:35 p.m. – 10:12 p.m.)
- Game weather: Clear, 76 °F (24 °C), wind S 14 mph (23 km/h)
- Game attendance: 53,671
- Referee: Reggie Smith, Umpire: Joel Bellinger, Linesman: Mike Moeller, Line judge: Mark Stewart, Back judge: Lyndon Nixon, Field judge: Matt Mills, Side judge: Tim Murray, Center judge: Dan Scanlan
- TV announcers (FOX): Gus Johnson (play-by-play), Joel Klatt (color), Molly McGrath (sideline)
- Sources: TCU Game Notes,[10] GoFrogs.com[11]
As the winner of the 2015 TCU–Kansas State football game, TCU took the lead in the all-time series against the Wildcats, with an overall record of 5–4. The Horned Frogs' come-from-behind win marked Gary Patterson's first win as a head coach against his alma mater in Manhattan. Jaden Oberkrom tied the all-time TCU career field goal record with a 50-yd field goal in the first half. The win marked the Frogs' 14th in a row, tying the all-time TCU record for consecutive wins. TCU's 52 points notched a school-record 5-game-50+ point streak. With the win, the Horned Frogs are now 25–1 when ranked in the top 5 and 36–3 when ranked in the top 10 under coach Patterson.
Oklahoma
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #19 Oklahoma | 14 | 21 | 13 | 7 | 55 |
| Kansas State | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium • Manhattan, KS
- Date: October 17, 2015
- Game time: 2:41 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Temperature: 60 °F (16 °C) • Wind SE 13 mph (21 km/h) • Weather: Cloudy
- Game attendance: 52,867
- Referee: Referee: Dan Romeo • Umpire: Scott Teifer • Linesman: Andy Warner • Line judge: Marc Bovos • Back judge: Chris Alston • Field judge: Ed Vinzant • Side judge: Craig Faulkner • Scorer: Ken Ray
- TV announcers (ABC): Dave LaMont (Play-by-play),[13] Ray Bentley (Color)[13] & Dawn Davenport (Sideline)[13]
At Texas
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcats | 0 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 9 |
| Longhorns | 3 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 23 |
Baylor
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bears | 14 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 31 |
| Wildcats | 7 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 24 |
At Texas Tech
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcats | 7 | 14 | 7 | 16 | 44 |
| Red Raiders | 28 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 59 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Jones AT&T Stadium Lubbock, TX
- Date: November 14
- Game time: 2:30 CT
- Game attendance: 53,833
- TV: FS1
With the win, the Red Raiders broke a two-game losing streak against the Wildcats and became bowl eligible for the first time since the 2013 season. In the third quarter, kicker Clayton Hatfield made a season long 48 yard field goal.
Iowa State
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cyclones | 7 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 35 |
| Wildcats | 7 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 38 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium, Manhattan, KS
- Date: November 21
- Game time: 11:05 a.m. CST
- Game weather: Temperature: 36 °F (2 °C) • Wind N 11–15 mph (18–24 km/h) • Weather: Mostly sunny
- Game attendance: 53,297
- Referee: Referee: Brad Van Vark • Umpire: Michael Cooper • Linesman: George Gusman • Line judge: Jerod Phillips • Back judge: Brian Ernest • Field judge: Jason Ledet • Side judge: Gene Semko • Center judge: Brian Alos
- TV announcers (FS1): Justin Kutcher (Play-by-play)[13] & Steve Hutchinson (Color)[13]
At Kansas
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildcats | 28 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 45 |
| Jayhawks | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
West Virginia
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountaineers | 3 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 23 |
| Wildcats | 0 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 24 |
Vs. Arkansas
After finishing their season 6–6, the Wildcats accepted their invitation to play in the game.[15]
This was the Wildcats' first Liberty Bowl. They would later play Navy in the 2019 Liberty Bowl were they would again suffer defeat.
| Scoring summary | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source:[16]
| Statistics[16] | K-ST | ARK |
|---|---|---|
| First Downs | 13 | 30 |
| Total offense, plays - yards | 47–242 | 68–569 |
| Rushes-yards (net) | 22–79 | 42–254 |
| Passing yards (net) | 163 | 315 |
| Passes, Comp-Att-Int | 12–25–1 | 20–26–1 |
| Time of Possession | 22:30 | 37:30 |
Arkansas running back Alex Collins was named the game's MVP, after gaining 185 yards and 3 touchdowns on 23 carries.
- "K-State Announces 2015 Football Schedule" (Press release). Kansas State University Department of Athletics. November 19, 2014. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- "K-State to Play Arkansas in AutoZone Liberty Bowl | KSU Wildcats". Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved December 6, 2015.
- "2015 Kansas State Wildcats Football Schedule". FB Schedules. Retrieved December 26, 2014.
- Trotter, Jake (October 4, 2015). "Officials Place First-Down Marker in Wrong Spot, Leading to OK State TD". ESPN. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
- Bromberg, Nick (October 4, 2015). "Oklahoma St. Apparently Mistakenly Awarded 1st Down in Win Over Kansas St". Yahoo! Sports. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
- "Outrageous Officiating Incompetence Costs K-State". SB Nation. October 3, 2015. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
- Trotter, Jake (October 4, 2015). "Big 12 Admits Officiating Error in Oklahoma State-Kansas State". ESPN. Retrieved October 4, 2015.
- Fredrickson, Kyle (October 4, 2015). "Big 12 Acknowledges it Incorrectly Gave Cowboys a First Down Against Kansas State". The Oklahoman. Oklahoma City. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
- Robinett, Kellis (October 3, 2015). "Oklahoma State Catches a Break in Win Over K-State". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
- "No. 2 TCU 52, Kansas State 45". Texas Christian University Department of Athletics. October 10, 2015. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
- "Boykin Helps No. 2 TCU Rally Past K-State". Texas Christian University Department of Athletics. October 10, 2015. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
- "Oklahoma vs Kansas State (Oct 17, 2015)". University of Oklahoma Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. October 17, 2015. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
- Bailey, Eric (October 15, 2015). "Oklahoma vs Kansas State (Chalk Talk)". Tulsa World. Retrieved October 17, 2015.
- "Scoring Summary" (PDF). Iowa State University Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. November 21, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 23, 2015. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
- "K-State to Play Arkansas in AutoZone Liberty Bowl". KStateSports.com. Kansas State University. December 6, 2015. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved December 7, 2015.
- "Arkansas motors past Kansas State 45-23 in AutoZone Liberty Bowl". ESPN. Retrieved September 18, 2021.