Nov 17, 2001

Final Stats |  Quotes |  Notes

By STEVE BRISENDINE
Associated Press Writer

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) - Josh Scobey ran for 113 yards, scored two second-half touchdowns and passed the 1,000-yard rushing mark as Kansas State beat Louisiana Tech 40-7 on Saturday.

Both of Scobey's touchdown sweeps, a 2-yarder and a 16-yarder on fourth-and-1, came early in the third quarter as Kansas State (5-5) pulled away from a 12-7 halftime lead.

Scobey has 1,089 yards on the season, and his sixth 100-yard game of the year tied a school record set by Isaac Jackson in 1973 and matched by J.J. Smith in 1994.

Louisiana Tech (6-4), which had been scheduled to visit Manhattan on Sept. 15 - until the terror attacks of Sept. 11 wiped out that weekend's major college football schedule - can still win the Western Athletic Conference outright and secure a bowl bid by beating Tulsa next week.

The Wildcats held Bulldogs quarterback Luke McCown to 144 yards and a touchdown - less than half his average of 339.8 yards - on 16-for-36 passing. He was sacked twice and gave up two interceptions before being lifted in the fourth quarter for Maxie Causey.

Kansas State's quarterbacks had their own problems, leading coach Bill Snyder to replace starter Ell Roberson with Marc Dunn - three times - despite the Wildcats' 543-175 edge in total offense.

Roberson was 6-for-8 for 107 yards and scored the Wildcats' first touchdown on a 1-yard sneak in the second quarter, but was replaced by Dunn shortly before the half as Kansas State was plagued by turnovers and poor clock management.

After a safety gave Kansas State a 9-7 lead with 2:55 left in the half, Dunn completed 5 of 7 passes for 67 yards to set up Jamie Rheem's 30-yard field goal as time ran out.

He came out after throwing two third-quarter interceptions to Michael John Lenard, but Roberson lasted only one series - during which he burned two time-outs on fourth-and-1 at his own 29.

Roberson also spelled Dunn for one down later in the third quarter.

Dunn threw an interception to Lenard on Kansas State's first drive of the second half, but John Simon fumbled after a 20-yard completion two plays later and Terence Newman returned it to the Bulldogs 25 to set up Scobey's first score.

Rock Cartwright had a 4-yard TD run in the fourth quarter for a 33-7 lead, and Joe Hall added a 2-yard scoring run later in the fourth.

Kansas State outgained the Bulldogs 316-125 in the first half but managed only 12 points - despite going inside Louisiana Tech's 35 on all seven of its possessions.

The first ended on Rheem's missed 45-yard field goal attempt, and McCown put the Bulldogs up 7-0 nine plays later on a 33-yard pass to Allen Stark.

Kansas State's second drive ended when Jonte Price recovered Roberson's bad pitchout at the Bulldogs 14. Kansas State next turned the ball over on downs at the Louisiana Tech 33, before Roberson's TD - set up by Hall's 61-yard run to the Bulldogs 1 - tied the game at 7.

An interception by Bobby Gray and a fumble by Kansas State wide receiver Ricky Lloyd killed the Wildcats' next two drives. One play after Gerome Wallace recovered Lloyd's fumble at the Bulldogs' 11, though, a mistake by McCown gave Kansas State its first lead.

McCown's pitchout, intended for Joe Smith, rolled into the end zone. Defensive tackle Tank Reese and cornerback DeRon Tyler both dove for the ball and missed it, and McCown was able to scoop it out of the end zone.