Junction
City hosts Washburn Rural at Blue Jay Stadium. It is the homecoming
game for the Blue Jays. You can hear the pregame broadcast starting
at 6:30 with kickoff at 7:00 on 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK.

High School Football week five matchupsBy Anthony GorgesJC PostJunction
City hosts Washburn Rural at Blue Jay Stadium. It is the homecoming
game for the Blue Jays. You can hear the pregame broadcast starting
at 6:30 with kickoff at 7:00 on 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK.Abilene
travels to Rose Hill 
Chapman
travels to Wichita Collegiate 
Clay
Center hosts Southeast of SalineConcordia
travels to Hiawatha 
Council
Grove hosts West Franklin 
Herington
travels to Pretty PrairieManhattan
hosts Emporia 
Rock
Creek travels to MarysvilleTopeka
Hayden hosts Perry-Lecompton 
Topeka
High hosts Wichita Northwest 
Wamego
travels to Coffeyville

High School Football week five matchups 

NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Swift's trip to watch the Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce play football on Sunday didn't just have the internet talking nonstop. Following the 12-time Grammy Award winner's appearance at Arrowhead Stadium, jersey sales for the All-Pro tight-end seemingly skyrocketed.

According to sportswear and fan merchandise company Fanatics, Kelce was one of the top 5 selling NFL players Sunday. He “saw a nearly 400% spike in sales throughout the Fanatics network of sites, including NFLShop.com,” a spokesperson told The Associated Press via email.

Sales spiked on the same day that Swift was spotted in Kansas City, watching the Chiefs play the Chicago Bears alongside Kelce’s mother, Donna, from one of the football stadium's glass-enclosed suites.

Kelce did not speak to reporters afterward, but he was spotted leaving Arrowhead with Swift by his side.

Still, just about everyone in the Kansas City locker room was buzzing about the news after Sunday's game, including coach Andy Reid, who joked that “I set them up.”

Swift has always been reluctant to discuss her personal life in public, but rumors have been flying about the popstar and the pro football player in recent months — notably after a July episode of Kelce's “New Heights” podcast, when he said he was disappointed that he didn’t get to meet Swift and gift her a friendship bracelet during Kansas City stop on her Eras Tour. In a later appearance on the “The Pat McAfee Show,” Kelce revealed that he invited Swift to watch him play.

Swift is currently on a break from her Eras Tour, which resumes Nov. 9 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695812021456.jpeg" alt="AP photo" />
 <figcaption>AP photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Taylor Swift's trip to watch the Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce play football on Sunday didn't just have the internet talking nonstop. Following the 12-time Grammy Award winner's appearance at Arrowhead Stadium, jersey sales for the All-Pro tight-end seemingly skyrocketed.According to sportswear and fan merchandise company Fanatics, Kelce was one of the top 5 selling NFL players Sunday. He “saw a nearly 400% spike in sales throughout the Fanatics network of sites, including NFLShop.com,” a spokesperson told The Associated Press via email.Sales spiked on the same day that Swift was spotted in Kansas City, watching the Chiefs play the Chicago Bears alongside Kelce’s mother, Donna, from one of the football stadium's glass-enclosed suites.Kelce did not speak to reporters afterward, but he was spotted leaving Arrowhead with Swift by his side.Still, just about everyone in the Kansas City locker room was buzzing about the news after Sunday's game, including coach Andy Reid, who joked that “I set them up.”Swift has always been reluctant to discuss her personal life in public, but rumors have been flying about the popstar and the pro football player in recent months — notably after a July episode of Kelce's “New Heights” podcast, when he said he was disappointed that he didn’t get to meet Swift and gift her a friendship bracelet during Kansas City stop on her Eras Tour. In a later appearance on the “The Pat McAfee Show,” Kelce revealed that he invited Swift to watch him play.Swift is currently on a break from her Eras Tour, which resumes Nov. 9 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Taylor Swift is a fan of Travis Kelce and suddenly, so is everyone else

Former Junction City Blue Jay running back DJ Giddens picked up national awards following his historic performance on Saturday night for the Kansas State Wildcats.

Giddens, who graduated from Junction City High School, rushed the football for 207 yards and four touchdowns on Saturday night at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Per K-State Athletics, it was the first time in school history that a player rushed the ball for 200 yards and scored four touchdowns in a single game. He also caught eight passes for 86 yards. Giddens was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and the Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week.

The Wildcats are currently 3-1 on the season and are off this weekend before traveling to Stillwater next Friday (October 6) to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

By Anthony Gorges, JC Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695746750773.jpeg" alt="DJ Giddens scored four touchdowns at Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Saturday night as K-State defeated UCF 44-31 in their first conference game of the year.&nbsp; Giddens was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and the Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (Photo courtesy of K-State Athletics) " />
 <figcaption>DJ Giddens scored four touchdowns at Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Saturday night as K-State defeated UCF 44-31 in their first conference game of the year.&nbsp; Giddens was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and the Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; (Photo courtesy of K-State Athletics) </figcaption>
 </figure>Former Junction City Blue Jay running back DJ Giddens picked up national awards following his historic performance on Saturday night for the Kansas State Wildcats.Giddens, who graduated from Junction City High School, rushed the football for 207 yards and four touchdowns on Saturday night at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Per K-State Athletics, it was the first time in school history that a player rushed the ball for 200 yards and scored four touchdowns in a single game. He also caught eight passes for 86 yards. Giddens was named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week and the Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week.The Wildcats are currently 3-1 on the season and are off this weekend before traveling to Stillwater next Friday (October 6) to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys.

Former Junction City Blue Jay DJ Giddens picks up national awards 

Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– After a record-setting first season, head coach&nbsp;Jerome Tang&nbsp;has agreed to new 7-year contract through the 2029-30 season to continue his leadership of the Kansas State men’s basketball program, Director of Athletics&nbsp;Gene Taylor&nbsp;announced on Monday afternoon (September 25).

The new contract replaces his original 6-year deal that Tang agreed to become the 25th&nbsp;men’s basketball coach in school history on March 21, 2022. Tang now has 7 years left on his agreement that runs until April 30, 2030. The second-year head coach will be paid $3 million in 2023-24 and receive a $100,000 increase to his salary in each remaining contract year culminating in a $3.6 million base for the 2029-30 season. There are also four retention bonuses of $200,000 following the 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons.

The new contract was unanimously approved by University leadership.

“What Coach Tang and his staff did in their first year here was phenomenal. The run to the Elite Eight was remarkable, but what separates Coach Tang is his pure love of his players and the relationships that he builds with everyone that he encounters. His ability to connect with players, staff, recruits, students and fans is special, and he is the perfect fit for Kansas State. The culture that he and his staff have built is extraordinary. We are delighted to have him, Rey, Seven and Aylyn as a vital part of the Wildcat family and for him to continue to lead our basketball team for a very long time.”

“My family and I could not be more excited about the future with this commitment from President (Richard) Linton and (athletics director) Gene (Taylor), as the staff and I continue to elevate this program to even greater heights. I say it all the time and I truly mean it, we’re fortunate every day to be at such a special place.

I’m a blessed individual with a wonderful family, and I’m in this position today due to the love, support and sacrifices of many people. I want to first thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for all the blessings in my life. I would not be where I’m right now if it wasn't for His faithfulness in my life and guidance.

“I have the best coaching staff in America, who work tirelessly to make our players the best they can be on-and-off the court. I’m blessed and honored that I get to live life with these incredible men and women every day. I want to thank our players – both past and present – for their hard work and commitment to this program as well as their families for their support and trust with their most important asset.

“I said before I didn’t come here to rebuild but to elevate and the work has already begun. Last year’s success was just the start. The staff and I are excited about what’s ahead for this team as we start practice. EMAW!”

With his relentless passion, energy and positivity, Tang reenergized a K-State program which had endured three consecutive losing seasons and was picked last in the preseason Big 12 poll by guiding the school to its third-highest win total (26) and a thrilling run to the Elite Eight in 2022-23. He became the 11th first-year head coach to direct his team to the Elite Eight since 1996-97, while joining North Carolina’s&nbsp;Bill Guthridge&nbsp;(K-State alum) in 1997-98 and&nbsp;Hubert Davis&nbsp;in 2021-22 and Kent State’s&nbsp;Stan Heath&nbsp;in 2001-02 as one of four first-time head coaches to accomplish the feat. Tang's win total was the second-most by a first-year Division I head coach in 2022-23, trailing Duke's&nbsp;Jon Scheyer&nbsp;(27-9).&nbsp;

Armed with just two returning players, the Wildcats posted a 26-10 overall record in Tang’s inaugural season, which included a tie for third place in the nation’s most difficult conference – the Big 12 – with an 11-7 mark and the school’s 13th appearance in the Elite Eight and the first since 2017-18. The 26 wins are the third-most in school history, trailing the school-record 29 in 2009-10 and the 27 in 2012-13, and just the eighth 25-win campaign. His 26 wins are the second-most by a first-year head coach in school history.

For these efforts, Tang was named a finalist for several National Coach of the Year honors, winning the 2023 Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year from the Atlanta Tipoff Club. He was the runner-up for The Associated Press’ National Coach of the Year, finishing behind Marquette’s&nbsp;Shaka Smart. He was also selected as the consensus Big 12 Coach of the Year by the league coaches and AP.

During the team’s historic season, Tang coached a pair of All-Americans in 2023 Bob Cousy Award winner&nbsp;Markquis Nowell&nbsp;and small forward&nbsp;Keyontae Johnson, who were the only teammates nationally to earn All-America honors in 2022-23. Nowell was also selected as the winner of Cousy Award as the nation's top point guard by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, while he was chosen as the East Regional Most Outstanding Player during the Wildcats’ run to the Elite Eight. Johnson, who was the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, became the first Wildcat under Tang and the first since 2017 to be selected in the NBA Draft.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tang helped reestablish the “Octagon of Doom” as one of the toughest places to play in college basketball, as the Wildcats played before eight sellouts while posting a 15-1 record at home with 5 wins over Top 25 opponents, including No. 2/2 Kansas, No. 9/10 Baylor, No. 17/19 TCU, No. 19/18 Iowa State and No. 24/24 West Virginia. The 15 wins were the most in nearly a decade (2014-15) and tied for the second-most in the arena’s 35-year history. The eight sellouts were the most since 2014-15, while the team ranked 23rd&nbsp;nationally in percentage capacity at 87.57 percent in the newly configured 11,000-seat arena.

The contract continues the momentum the program has generated since their Elite Eight run, as Tang and his coaching staff officially opened practice earlier today (September 25). The Wildcats bring back six players, including returning starters&nbsp;Nae’Qwan Tomlin,&nbsp;Cam Carter&nbsp;and&nbsp;David N’Guessan, along with one of the top transfer classes in the nation (graduate transfers&nbsp;Ques Glover&nbsp;and&nbsp;Tylor Perry&nbsp;and junior&nbsp;Arthur Kaluma) and a consensus top-30 freshmen class (Dai Dai Ames,&nbsp;R.J. Jones&nbsp;and&nbsp;Macaleab Rich).

<a>A limited number of season tickets for the 2023-24 season are still available by calling&nbsp;</a>(800) 221.CATS (2287) and/or online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">www.kstatesports.com/tickets</a>.&nbsp;Pricing for single-game tickets will be announced shortly. Ahearn Fund members will have the first opportunity to purchase single-game tickets starting Monday, Oct. 16. Remaining tickets will be available to the general public starting Wednesday, Oct. 18.

Courtesy of Kansas State AthleticsMANHATTAN, Kan.&nbsp;– After a record-setting first season, head coach&nbsp;Jerome Tang&nbsp;has agreed to new 7-year contract through the 2029-30 season to continue his leadership of the Kansas State men’s basketball program, Director of Athletics&nbsp;Gene Taylor&nbsp;announced on Monday afternoon (September 25).The new contract replaces his original 6-year deal that Tang agreed to become the 25th&nbsp;men’s basketball coach in school history on March 21, 2022. Tang now has 7 years left on his agreement that runs until April 30, 2030. The second-year head coach will be paid $3 million in 2023-24 and receive a $100,000 increase to his salary in each remaining contract year culminating in a $3.6 million base for the 2029-30 season. There are also four retention bonuses of $200,000 following the 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons.The new contract was unanimously approved by University leadership.Director of Athletics Gene Taylor“What Coach Tang and his staff did in their first year here was phenomenal. The run to the Elite Eight was remarkable, but what separates Coach Tang is his pure love of his players and the relationships that he builds with everyone that he encounters. His ability to connect with players, staff, recruits, students and fans is special, and he is the perfect fit for Kansas State. The culture that he and his staff have built is extraordinary. We are delighted to have him, Rey, Seven and Aylyn as a vital part of the Wildcat family and for him to continue to lead our basketball team for a very long time.”Head coach Jerome Tang“My family and I could not be more excited about the future with this commitment from President (Richard) Linton and (athletics director) Gene (Taylor), as the staff and I continue to elevate this program to even greater heights. I say it all the time and I truly mean it, we’re fortunate every day to be at such a special place.I’m a blessed individual with a wonderful family, and I’m in this position today due to the love, support and sacrifices of many people. I want to first thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for all the blessings in my life. I would not be where I’m right now if it wasn't for His faithfulness in my life and guidance.“I have the best coaching staff in America, who work tirelessly to make our players the best they can be on-and-off the court. I’m blessed and honored that I get to live life with these incredible men and women every day. I want to thank our players – both past and present – for their hard work and commitment to this program as well as their families for their support and trust with their most important asset.“I said before I didn’t come here to rebuild but to elevate and the work has already begun. Last year’s success was just the start. The staff and I are excited about what’s ahead for this team as we start practice. EMAW!”With his relentless passion, energy and positivity, Tang reenergized a K-State program which had endured three consecutive losing seasons and was picked last in the preseason Big 12 poll by guiding the school to its third-highest win total (26) and a thrilling run to the Elite Eight in 2022-23. He became the 11th first-year head coach to direct his team to the Elite Eight since 1996-97, while joining North Carolina’s&nbsp;Bill Guthridge&nbsp;(K-State alum) in 1997-98 and&nbsp;Hubert Davis&nbsp;in 2021-22 and Kent State’s&nbsp;Stan Heath&nbsp;in 2001-02 as one of four first-time head coaches to accomplish the feat. Tang's win total was the second-most by a first-year Division I head coach in 2022-23, trailing Duke's&nbsp;Jon Scheyer&nbsp;(27-9).&nbsp;Armed with just two returning players, the Wildcats posted a 26-10 overall record in Tang’s inaugural season, which included a tie for third place in the nation’s most difficult conference – the Big 12 – with an 11-7 mark and the school’s 13th appearance in the Elite Eight and the first since 2017-18. The 26 wins are the third-most in school history, trailing the school-record 29 in 2009-10 and the 27 in 2012-13, and just the eighth 25-win campaign. His 26 wins are the second-most by a first-year head coach in school history.For these efforts, Tang was named a finalist for several National Coach of the Year honors, winning the 2023 Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year from the Atlanta Tipoff Club. He was the runner-up for The Associated Press’ National Coach of the Year, finishing behind Marquette’s&nbsp;Shaka Smart. He was also selected as the consensus Big 12 Coach of the Year by the league coaches and AP.During the team’s historic season, Tang coached a pair of All-Americans in 2023 Bob Cousy Award winner&nbsp;Markquis Nowell&nbsp;and small forward&nbsp;Keyontae Johnson, who were the only teammates nationally to earn All-America honors in 2022-23. Nowell was also selected as the winner of Cousy Award as the nation's top point guard by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, while he was chosen as the East Regional Most Outstanding Player during the Wildcats’ run to the Elite Eight. Johnson, who was the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, became the first Wildcat under Tang and the first since 2017 to be selected in the NBA Draft.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tang helped reestablish the “Octagon of Doom” as one of the toughest places to play in college basketball, as the Wildcats played before eight sellouts while posting a 15-1 record at home with 5 wins over Top 25 opponents, including No. 2/2 Kansas, No. 9/10 Baylor, No. 17/19 TCU, No. 19/18 Iowa State and No. 24/24 West Virginia. The 15 wins were the most in nearly a decade (2014-15) and tied for the second-most in the arena’s 35-year history. The eight sellouts were the most since 2014-15, while the team ranked 23rd&nbsp;nationally in percentage capacity at 87.57 percent in the newly configured 11,000-seat arena.The contract continues the momentum the program has generated since their Elite Eight run, as Tang and his coaching staff officially opened practice earlier today (September 25). The Wildcats bring back six players, including returning starters&nbsp;Nae’Qwan Tomlin,&nbsp;Cam Carter&nbsp;and&nbsp;David N’Guessan, along with one of the top transfer classes in the nation (graduate transfers&nbsp;Ques Glover&nbsp;and&nbsp;Tylor Perry&nbsp;and junior&nbsp;Arthur Kaluma) and a consensus top-30 freshmen class (Dai Dai Ames,&nbsp;R.J. Jones&nbsp;and&nbsp;Macaleab Rich).<a>A limited number of season tickets for the 2023-24 season are still available by calling&nbsp;</a>(800) 221.CATS (2287) and/or online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kstatesports.com/tickets" target="_blank">www.kstatesports.com/tickets</a>.&nbsp;Pricing for single-game tickets will be announced shortly. Ahearn Fund members will have the first opportunity to purchase single-game tickets starting Monday, Oct. 16. Remaining tickets will be available to the general public starting Wednesday, Oct. 18.

K-State's Jerome Tang agrees to contract extension

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns, Travis Kelce hauled in one of them to the delight of Taylor Swift, and the Kansas City Chiefs blew out the inept Chicago Bears 41-10 on Sunday.

Jerick McKinnon had a pair of touchdown catches and Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire added touchdown runs, helping the Super Bowl champion Chiefs (2-1) deal the Bears (0-3) their 13th consecutive loss dating to last season.

Kelce finished with seven catches for 69 yards and the 3-yard score, which made it 41-0 early in the second half. The All-Pro tight end celebrated by revving the engine of an imaginary motorcycle while Swift, whom Kelce had invited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">amid rumors of their budding relationship</a>, joyfully pounded the glass of her Arrowhead Stadium suite and his mother, Donna Kelce, cheered alongside.

The game was so lopsided by the third quarter that Mahomes and most of the Chiefs' starters got the rest of the day off.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justin-fields-chicago-bears-nfl-b28d8307fff74f48c81346719f322cba">Embattled Bears quarterback Justin Fields</a>&nbsp;was 11 of 22 for 99 yards with an interception and a meaningless touchdown in the final minutes. He also led the Bears with 47 yards rushing, a good chunk of that coming on a 17-yard scramble, as the league's 27th-ranked offense finished with just 203 yards against one of the NFL's fast-improving defenses.

It was a brutal end to a dismal week of distractions for Chicago.

In the span of a few hours Wednesday, defensive coordinator&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alan-williams-bears-defensive-coordinator-d3f16da381b8d1fe38f3935f5b86803a">Alan Williams abruptly resigned</a>, citing the need “to take care of my health and family,” and Fields had to walk back some comments he made blaming his “robotic” play through the first two weeks on the way he had been coached.

Bears coach Matt Eberflus was left to call defensive plays Sunday, just as he did in last weekend's loss to Tampa Bay, and Chiefs coach Andy Reid proceeded to make the former Indianapolis Colts coordinator look utterly lost.

The Chiefs began their assault with the first of Mahomes' two TD passes to McKinnon, then Edwards-Helaire scored from a yard out to make it 14-0 early in the second quarter. When the Bears punted a third consecutive time, Mahomes hit McKinnon again to extend the lead, and Kansas City proceeded to score on its next four possessions.

As for Fields, well, the QB was not just robotic but inaccurate. When one of the league's most porous offensive lines wasn't allowing the Chiefs to pressure him, Fields was consistently missing open targets down field.

He was picked off by Mike Edwards late in the first half, leading to Pacheco's touchdown run. And when Harrison Butker added the second of his two field goals, the Chiefs were able to take a 34-0 lead into the break.

The Bears have not won in Kansas City since Week 5 of the 2015 season. ... Reid won his 271st game, moving him past Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry into fourth place on the career list. ... Mahomes went over 25,000 yards passing for his career. He did it in 83 games, the fastest in NFL history. ... Mahomes had his 22nd game with three TD passes and no interceptions, tying Aaron Rodgers for the most by a QB before turning 30. Mahomes turned 28 last Sunday. ... Kelce needs three more TD catches to pass Tony Gonzalez (76) for second in Chiefs history.

Bears: Starting safety Eddie Jackson was inactive with a foot injury and cornerback Josh Blackwell was dealing with a hamstring injury, all before cornerback Tyrique Stevenson had to be evaluated for a concussion; he later was deemed to have an illness and did not return. Defensive backs Jaquan Brisker and Jaylon Johnson also were hobbled during the game.

Bears: Host the Denver Broncos next Sunday.

Chiefs: Visit the New York Jets next Sunday night.

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports WriterKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw for 272 yards and three touchdowns, Travis Kelce hauled in one of them to the delight of Taylor Swift, and the Kansas City Chiefs blew out the inept Chicago Bears 41-10 on Sunday.Jerick McKinnon had a pair of touchdown catches and Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire added touchdown runs, helping the Super Bowl champion Chiefs (2-1) deal the Bears (0-3) their 13th consecutive loss dating to last season.Kelce finished with seven catches for 69 yards and the 3-yard score, which made it 41-0 early in the second half. The All-Pro tight end celebrated by revving the engine of an imaginary motorcycle while Swift, whom Kelce had invited&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">amid rumors of their budding relationship</a>, joyfully pounded the glass of her Arrowhead Stadium suite and his mother, Donna Kelce, cheered alongside.The game was so lopsided by the third quarter that Mahomes and most of the Chiefs' starters got the rest of the day off.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justin-fields-chicago-bears-nfl-b28d8307fff74f48c81346719f322cba">Embattled Bears quarterback Justin Fields</a>&nbsp;was 11 of 22 for 99 yards with an interception and a meaningless touchdown in the final minutes. He also led the Bears with 47 yards rushing, a good chunk of that coming on a 17-yard scramble, as the league's 27th-ranked offense finished with just 203 yards against one of the NFL's fast-improving defenses.It was a brutal end to a dismal week of distractions for Chicago.In the span of a few hours Wednesday, defensive coordinator&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alan-williams-bears-defensive-coordinator-d3f16da381b8d1fe38f3935f5b86803a">Alan Williams abruptly resigned</a>, citing the need “to take care of my health and family,” and Fields had to walk back some comments he made blaming his “robotic” play through the first two weeks on the way he had been coached.Bears coach Matt Eberflus was left to call defensive plays Sunday, just as he did in last weekend's loss to Tampa Bay, and Chiefs coach Andy Reid proceeded to make the former Indianapolis Colts coordinator look utterly lost.The Chiefs began their assault with the first of Mahomes' two TD passes to McKinnon, then Edwards-Helaire scored from a yard out to make it 14-0 early in the second quarter. When the Bears punted a third consecutive time, Mahomes hit McKinnon again to extend the lead, and Kansas City proceeded to score on its next four possessions.As for Fields, well, the QB was not just robotic but inaccurate. When one of the league's most porous offensive lines wasn't allowing the Chiefs to pressure him, Fields was consistently missing open targets down field.He was picked off by Mike Edwards late in the first half, leading to Pacheco's touchdown run. And when Harrison Butker added the second of his two field goals, the Chiefs were able to take a 34-0 lead into the break.STATS AND STREAKSThe Bears have not won in Kansas City since Week 5 of the 2015 season. ... Reid won his 271st game, moving him past Hall of Fame coach Tom Landry into fourth place on the career list. ... Mahomes went over 25,000 yards passing for his career. He did it in 83 games, the fastest in NFL history. ... Mahomes had his 22nd game with three TD passes and no interceptions, tying Aaron Rodgers for the most by a QB before turning 30. Mahomes turned 28 last Sunday. ... Kelce needs three more TD catches to pass Tony Gonzalez (76) for second in Chiefs history.INJURIESBears: Starting safety Eddie Jackson was inactive with a foot injury and cornerback Josh Blackwell was dealing with a hamstring injury, all before cornerback Tyrique Stevenson had to be evaluated for a concussion; he later was deemed to have an illness and did not return. Defensive backs Jaquan Brisker and Jaylon Johnson also were hobbled during the game.UP NEXTBears: Host the Denver Broncos next Sunday.Chiefs: Visit the New York Jets next Sunday night.

🏈 Patrick Mahomes throws 3 TD passes, Chiefs rout Bears

For the first time since 2008-09,
Kansas is ranked in the Associated Press College Football poll in consecutive
seasons. The 4-0 Jayhawks make their debut into this year’s poll at No. 24 following Saturday's home
win over BYU.

Kansas was ranked twice in the AP Poll during the 2022 season, both at No. 19.&nbsp;

Missouri makes their first appearance at No. 23.

Kansas State (3-1), who was ranked
as high as 15th before losing at Missouri two weeks ago, is just out of this week’s poll as the highest vote-getter not ranked

The Big 12 has three teams
ranked. Texas holds at No. 3 and Oklahoma moves up two to No. 14.

AP COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLL 1. Georgia (4-0) 2. Michigan (4-0) 3. Texas (4-0) 4. Ohio State (4-0) 5. Florida State (4-0) 6. Penn State (4-0) 7.&nbsp; Washington (4-0) 8.&nbsp; USC (4-0) 9.&nbsp; Oregon (4-0) 10. Utah (4-0) 11.&nbsp; Notre Dame (4-1) 12. Alabama (3-1) 13. LSU (3-1) 14. Oklahoma (4-0) 15. North Carolina (4-0) 16. Washington State (4-0) 17. Duke (4-0) 18. Miami (Fla.) (4-0) 19. Oregon State (3-1) 20. Ole Miss (3-1) 21. Tennessee (3-1) 22. Florida (3-1) 23. Missouri (4-0) 24. Kansas (4-0) 25. Fresno State (4-0)

Other receiving votes:&nbsp;Kansas St. 57, Kentucky 41, Colorado 32, Louisville 32, UCLA 28, Maryland 20, TCU 17, Tulane 11, Syracuse 8, Wisconsin 6, Air Force 6, Clemson 5, Texas A&amp;M 5.

For the first time since 2008-09,
Kansas is ranked in the Associated Press College Football poll in consecutive
seasons. The 4-0 Jayhawks make their debut into this year’s poll at No. 24 following Saturday's home
win over BYU.Kansas was ranked twice in the AP Poll during the 2022 season, both at No. 19.&nbsp;Missouri makes their first appearance at No. 23.Kansas State (3-1), who was ranked
as high as 15th before losing at Missouri two weeks ago, is just out of this week’s poll as the highest vote-getter not rankedThe Big 12 has three teams
ranked. Texas holds at No. 3 and Oklahoma moves up two to No. 14.Kansas plays at Texas this Saturday.AP COLLEGE FOOTBALL POLL 1. Georgia (4-0) 2. Michigan (4-0) 3. Texas (4-0) 4. Ohio State (4-0) 5. Florida State (4-0) 6. Penn State (4-0) 7.&nbsp; Washington (4-0) 8.&nbsp; USC (4-0) 9.&nbsp; Oregon (4-0) 10. Utah (4-0) 11.&nbsp; Notre Dame (4-1) 12. Alabama (3-1) 13. LSU (3-1) 14. Oklahoma (4-0) 15. North Carolina (4-0) 16. Washington State (4-0) 17. Duke (4-0) 18. Miami (Fla.) (4-0) 19. Oregon State (3-1) 20. Ole Miss (3-1) 21. Tennessee (3-1) 22. Florida (3-1) 23. Missouri (4-0) 24. Kansas (4-0) 25. Fresno State (4-0)Other receiving votes:&nbsp;Kansas St. 57, Kentucky 41, Colorado 32, Louisville 32, UCLA 28, Maryland 20, TCU 17, Tulane 11, Syracuse 8, Wisconsin 6, Air Force 6, Clemson 5, Texas A&amp;M 5.

🏈 Jayhawks move into AP top-25, K-State just out

By CODY FRIESEN Associated Press

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — DJ Giddens ran for a career-high 207 yards and four touchdowns and Kansas State beat UCF 44-31 on Saturday night in the Big 12 debut for the Knights.

Giddens ran for three scores in the first half that included a 1-yard run on the opening drive for K-State (3-1, 1-0), which has found the end zone in its opening drives in all four games this season.

Will Howard went 27-for-42 passing for 255 yards and threw an interception. He added 64 yards on the ground and scored on a 31-yard run to give K-State a 44-24 lead with 2:01 remaining.

Giddens added a score in the second half to put the Wildcats up 37-24 with 4:01 left. K-State amassed 536 total yards with 281 rushing.

Timmy McClain threw three touchdowns passes and went 14 for 24 with 264 yards passing with an interception for UCF (3-1, 0-1). The Knights totaled 407 yards and rushed for 143 yards. UCF added a 1-yard touchdown by RJ Harvey with three seconds left in the game.

Kobe Hudson had two receiving touchdowns for his first scores of the season and finished with 138 yards despite being the Knights' leading receiver. He recorded his third-straight 100-yard receiving game.

Hudson scored on a 69-yard touchdown pass from McClain on a flea flicker late in the second quarter and again in the first UCF drive of the second half with a 46-yard reception on third-and-10 to give the Knights a 24-21 lead.

Harvey scored a 27-yard touchdown on third-and-15 in the first quarter. The first points in a Big 12 game for the Knights came on Colton Boomer's 29-yard field goal.

Knights: The passing attack was extremely successful for the Knights, with all three touchdowns coming in the air. UCF had success on third down with two scores coming on third-and-long. The defense seldom had an answer to slow the K-State rushing attack, allowing a season-high in yards rushing.

Wildcats: Giddens was clearly the primary source of the K-State offense, leading the team in carries, receptions and total yards. The secondary got beat deep on a pair of touchdown catches by Hudson; both were over 45 yards. The Wildcats have allowed a receiver to net over 100 yards receiving in two straight games.

UCF played its first Big 12 Conference game against the reigning Big 12 champions. It was the first time K-State hosted a new conference member to open Big 12 play since welcoming Texas Tech to the newly-minted Big 12 in 1996.

UCF continues its list of Big 12 firsts, hosting Baylor in its first Big 12 home game next Saturday. The two faced off in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl. The Knights hold a 1-0 series with a 52-42 win led by then UCF quarterback Blake Bortles.

K-State will get a week off before a road clash against Oklahoma State on Oct. 6. The Wildcats blanked the Cowboys 48-0 last season.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695531100401.jpeg" alt="Kansas State running back D.J. Giddens runs toward the endzone against UCF on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Manhattan, Kan. (Kansas State Athletics photo/Lathe Cobb Photography photo)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State running back D.J. Giddens runs toward the endzone against UCF on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Manhattan, Kan. (Kansas State Athletics photo/Lathe Cobb Photography photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CODY FRIESEN Associated PressMANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — DJ Giddens ran for a career-high 207 yards and four touchdowns and Kansas State beat UCF 44-31 on Saturday night in the Big 12 debut for the Knights.Giddens ran for three scores in the first half that included a 1-yard run on the opening drive for K-State (3-1, 1-0), which has found the end zone in its opening drives in all four games this season.Will Howard went 27-for-42 passing for 255 yards and threw an interception. He added 64 yards on the ground and scored on a 31-yard run to give K-State a 44-24 lead with 2:01 remaining.Giddens added a score in the second half to put the Wildcats up 37-24 with 4:01 left. K-State amassed 536 total yards with 281 rushing.Timmy McClain threw three touchdowns passes and went 14 for 24 with 264 yards passing with an interception for UCF (3-1, 0-1). The Knights totaled 407 yards and rushed for 143 yards. UCF added a 1-yard touchdown by RJ Harvey with three seconds left in the game.Kobe Hudson had two receiving touchdowns for his first scores of the season and finished with 138 yards despite being the Knights' leading receiver. He recorded his third-straight 100-yard receiving game.Hudson scored on a 69-yard touchdown pass from McClain on a flea flicker late in the second quarter and again in the first UCF drive of the second half with a 46-yard reception on third-and-10 to give the Knights a 24-21 lead.Harvey scored a 27-yard touchdown on third-and-15 in the first quarter. The first points in a Big 12 game for the Knights came on Colton Boomer's 29-yard field goal.THE TAKEAWAYKnights: The passing attack was extremely successful for the Knights, with all three touchdowns coming in the air. UCF had success on third down with two scores coming on third-and-long. The defense seldom had an answer to slow the K-State rushing attack, allowing a season-high in yards rushing.Wildcats: Giddens was clearly the primary source of the K-State offense, leading the team in carries, receptions and total yards. The secondary got beat deep on a pair of touchdown catches by Hudson; both were over 45 yards. The Wildcats have allowed a receiver to net over 100 yards receiving in two straight games.BIG 12 STATE OF MINDUCF played its first Big 12 Conference game against the reigning Big 12 champions. It was the first time K-State hosted a new conference member to open Big 12 play since welcoming Texas Tech to the newly-minted Big 12 in 1996.UP NEXTUCF continues its list of Big 12 firsts, hosting Baylor in its first Big 12 home game next Saturday. The two faced off in the 2014 Fiesta Bowl. The Knights hold a 1-0 series with a 52-42 win led by then UCF quarterback Blake Bortles.K-State will get a week off before a road clash against Oklahoma State on Oct. 6. The Wildcats blanked the Cowboys 48-0 last season.

🏈 Giddens runs for 207 yards, leads Kansas State to win over UCF

By DAVE SKRETTA&nbsp; AP Sports Writer

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Lance Leipold did plenty of background work on Kansas before accepting its head-coaching job a couple of years ago. But in the pantheon of the obscure, he never looked up the last time the Jayhawks started 4-0 in back-to-back seasons.

When told it had been 108 years, Leipold replied Saturday: “I'm glad I didn't do all my research.”

“Sometimes you don't know what you're really stepping into until you there,” Leipold added with a smile, after leading the once-suffering Jayhawks to a 38-27 victory over BYU in the Cougars' Big 12 debut. “Like I told our team, I'm really proud of them when you look at the short time what we've been able to do.”

Jalon Daniels threw three touchdown passes, including two in the second half to Luke Grimm, and the Jayhawks got a pair of scores from their opportunistic defense in rallying from a 17-14 halftime deficit. Cobee Bryant returned a fumble for the game's first touchdown, and Kenny Logan Jr. brought back an interception early in the third quarter for another score.

The offense got going down the stretch, helping the Jayhawks win their eighth straight September game.

“When you walked in here in the past you would hear frustration,” explained Leipold, whose team will try to match last year's 5-0 start when it heads to No. 3 Texas next weekend. “You walk in there now and it's different, and that's where it should be."

Kedon Slovis was 30 of 51 for 357 yards with two TDs and two interceptions for BYU. But the Cougars (3-1) were imbalanced on offense, running 22 times for nine yards, and settling for two field goals in the red zone proved costly.

“We just battled through,” Logan said. “We showed we can take some jabs.”

The Jayhawks, who struggled to put away Nevada last week, rolled into their conference opener averaging more than 500 yards per game. But the Cougars consistently put pressure on Daniels, who at times needed every bit of his athleticism just to get the ball away, and their defense held Kansas to one offensive touchdown in the first half.

The other score? That came on Bryant's bone-jarring hit on BYU's second play from scrimmage. The ball popped out, Bryant was there to scoop it, and the cornerback — who had a pick later in the game- returned it 22 yards for a touchdown.

The Cougars refused to let the turnover set the tone for the game. They answered with back-to-back 75-yard touchdown drives, then used another long drive in the final minutes of the first half to add a field goal for a 17-14 lead at the break.

That's when the Kansas defense got into the act again.

On the third play of the third quarter, Slovis had his pass batted into the air by tight end Isaac Rex, off the hands of linebacker Jayson Gilliom and into the arms of Logan, who returned the interception 33 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.

“The defense played lights-out,” Daniels said. “Stuff you can’t make up. That doesn’t happen every day.”

“We gave them 14 points,” Rex said later. “If we didn't do that, we would have had enough points to win the game.”

The Cougars could only muster an answering field goal, and the Kansas offense finally started humming.

Daniels swiftly led his team down field, converting an early third down with his legs before finding Grimm in the back of the end zone on another third-down play for a touchdown. And after Bryant picked off Slovis on fourth down to end BYU's ensuing drive, the Jayhawks marched other way with Daniels finding Grimm again to extend the lead to 35-20.

BYU's Keelan Marion scored midway through the fourth quarter, but the Jayhawks added a field goal to put the game away.

"There were some moments we want back,” Cougars defensive lineman Tyler Batty said. “There’s a lot to learn form here.”

BYU survived at Arkansas last week by scoring the last 17 points in a 38-31 win. But the Cougars looked downright tired in the second half Saturday, perhaps worn down by the physical nature of back-to-back road games against Power Five opponents.

Kansas defensive coordinator Brian Borland made it clear before the season that his group, which struggled mightily at times last year, would not hold back the Jayhawks this season. On Saturday, his defense was the difference in the outcome.

BYU plays its Big 12 home opener against fellow newcomer Cincinnati on Friday night.

Kansas visits Texas next Saturday for the first time since a 57-56 double-overtime win in 2021.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695520340266.jpeg" alt="Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels passes the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against BYU Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels passes the ball during the first half of an NCAA college football game against BYU Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, in Lawrence, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVE SKRETTA&nbsp; AP Sports WriterLAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Lance Leipold did plenty of background work on Kansas before accepting its head-coaching job a couple of years ago. But in the pantheon of the obscure, he never looked up the last time the Jayhawks started 4-0 in back-to-back seasons.When told it had been 108 years, Leipold replied Saturday: “I'm glad I didn't do all my research.”“Sometimes you don't know what you're really stepping into until you there,” Leipold added with a smile, after leading the once-suffering Jayhawks to a 38-27 victory over BYU in the Cougars' Big 12 debut. “Like I told our team, I'm really proud of them when you look at the short time what we've been able to do.”Jalon Daniels threw three touchdown passes, including two in the second half to Luke Grimm, and the Jayhawks got a pair of scores from their opportunistic defense in rallying from a 17-14 halftime deficit. Cobee Bryant returned a fumble for the game's first touchdown, and Kenny Logan Jr. brought back an interception early in the third quarter for another score.The offense got going down the stretch, helping the Jayhawks win their eighth straight September game.“When you walked in here in the past you would hear frustration,” explained Leipold, whose team will try to match last year's 5-0 start when it heads to No. 3 Texas next weekend. “You walk in there now and it's different, and that's where it should be."Kedon Slovis was 30 of 51 for 357 yards with two TDs and two interceptions for BYU. But the Cougars (3-1) were imbalanced on offense, running 22 times for nine yards, and settling for two field goals in the red zone proved costly.“We just battled through,” Logan said. “We showed we can take some jabs.”The Jayhawks, who struggled to put away Nevada last week, rolled into their conference opener averaging more than 500 yards per game. But the Cougars consistently put pressure on Daniels, who at times needed every bit of his athleticism just to get the ball away, and their defense held Kansas to one offensive touchdown in the first half.The other score? That came on Bryant's bone-jarring hit on BYU's second play from scrimmage. The ball popped out, Bryant was there to scoop it, and the cornerback — who had a pick later in the game- returned it 22 yards for a touchdown.The Cougars refused to let the turnover set the tone for the game. They answered with back-to-back 75-yard touchdown drives, then used another long drive in the final minutes of the first half to add a field goal for a 17-14 lead at the break.That's when the Kansas defense got into the act again.On the third play of the third quarter, Slovis had his pass batted into the air by tight end Isaac Rex, off the hands of linebacker Jayson Gilliom and into the arms of Logan, who returned the interception 33 yards for a go-ahead touchdown.“The defense played lights-out,” Daniels said. “Stuff you can’t make up. That doesn’t happen every day.”“We gave them 14 points,” Rex said later. “If we didn't do that, we would have had enough points to win the game.”The Cougars could only muster an answering field goal, and the Kansas offense finally started humming.Daniels swiftly led his team down field, converting an early third down with his legs before finding Grimm in the back of the end zone on another third-down play for a touchdown. And after Bryant picked off Slovis on fourth down to end BYU's ensuing drive, the Jayhawks marched other way with Daniels finding Grimm again to extend the lead to 35-20.BYU's Keelan Marion scored midway through the fourth quarter, but the Jayhawks added a field goal to put the game away."There were some moments we want back,” Cougars defensive lineman Tyler Batty said. “There’s a lot to learn form here.”THE TAKEAWAYBYU survived at Arkansas last week by scoring the last 17 points in a 38-31 win. But the Cougars looked downright tired in the second half Saturday, perhaps worn down by the physical nature of back-to-back road games against Power Five opponents.Kansas defensive coordinator Brian Borland made it clear before the season that his group, which struggled mightily at times last year, would not hold back the Jayhawks this season. On Saturday, his defense was the difference in the outcome.UP NEXTBYU plays its Big 12 home opener against fellow newcomer Cincinnati on Friday night.Kansas visits Texas next Saturday for the first time since a 57-56 double-overtime win in 2021.

🏈 Daniels throws 3 TD passes, KU beats BYU

The Coyotes are back on the road Saturday for a Kansas Conference game against Bethel. Kickoff is 6 p.m. at Thresher Stadium in North Newton.

The video stream of the game will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan">www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan</a>. Bethel will be handling video production.. Live Stats will be available at&nbsp;<a href="https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary.">https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary.</a> Radio coverage can be heard locally on KINA 910 AM/107.5 FM, and online at Eagle Communication's Post Sites (salinapost.com&nbsp;in Salina). The online stream is also available at&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2">https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2</a>. Tyler Henry will have the call with pregame starting at 5:00 p.m.

Bethel's 30-24 victory last season in JRI Stadium and the Graves Family Sports Complex ended KWU's 13-game winning streak. It was the Coyotes first loss to the Threshers since the 2008 season. KWU has an 18-4 edge since the 2001 season.

The Coyotes evened their record with a 35-28 victory over previously unbeaten Friends last Saturday at JRI Stadium and the Graves Family Sports Complex. The offense produced a season-high 353 yards that included a season-best 245 rushing yards.

Nick Allsman&nbsp;led the ground attack with 125 yards on 17 carries and&nbsp;Tyler Boston&nbsp;had 96 yards on 19 attempts. Both scored a touchdown as well. Quarterback&nbsp;Richard Lara&nbsp;was 9 of 13 passing for 108 yards, no interceptions and one touchdown - a 74-yard catch and run by&nbsp;Rhadarious Lomax-Spivey&nbsp;in the third quarter that broke a 7-7 tie. Lara also ran for KWU's final score in the fourth quarter and was not sacked during the game.

Luke Armstrong&nbsp;returned a punt 88 yards for touchdown early in the third quarter that gave the Coyotes a 21-7 lead. He also returned a kickoff 28 yards and was chosen the KCAC's Special Teams Player of the Week.. Friends entered the game averaging just under 56 points and 533 total yards - 494 rushing - but had 388 total yard and 320 rushing Saturday. Linebacker&nbsp;Shaylan Lewis&nbsp;had a team-best 13 tackles, linebacker&nbsp;Ricco Moore&nbsp;11 and safety&nbsp;Julian Urioste&nbsp;10 for the Coyotes.

KWU closes out play against the Kessinger Division a week from Saturday when McPherson comes to town. Following a bye week October 7 the Coyotes begin play against fellow Bissell Division opponents starting with Avila on October 14 in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Threshers defeated Avila 42-26 last Saturday in Kansas City. They led 35-6 at halftime but surrendered 20 points in the fourth quarter.&nbsp;They opened the season with victories over Sterling and Saint Mary but lost to Ottawa 28-24 September 9 in North Newton. Bethel doesn't run the flexbone but does employ a triple option offense that has been highly effective. The Threshers average 324 yards rushing, 420 total yards and are scoring 41 points per game. They had 405 total yards against Avila that included 264 on the ground. Bethel, like Friends, has a dynamic quarterback in DJ Ciers. He had 107 yards and two touchdowns running the ball and threw for 141 yards and two more scores against Avila. Ciers has 610 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns this season and averages 152.5 yards rushing and 95.5 yards passing per game.

 Bethel's defense has been stellar as well. Opponents are averaging 19.8 points and 72 yards rushing per game.

Linebacker Kade Miller has a team-best 31 tackles and linebacker Tate Seaboldt 29. Miller was the KCAC Defensive Player of the Week after making seven tackles and returning an interception 44 yards for a touchdown against Avila - his second pick six of the season.

"I was just super impressed by the overall effort by our guys. The energy on the sideline was incredible and the fans were awesome. The difference between 1-3 and 2-2 is massive - it was really a great night.&nbsp;Lara made great decisions with the ball and the zero sack thing is just huge. The final piece of this is making sure that we can stretch the defense vertically (with the passing game). Bethel is not the same offense (as Friends) but has a similar philosophy, they run the ball about 90 percent of the time. Their quarterback is extremely athletic and very, very fast. We need to find a way to make sure that he's on the ground at the end of the play and not making moves and cutting up the field. Their defense is very similar to Evangel who we didn't have a ton of success against."

The Coyotes return to Bissell Field in JRI Stadium and the Graves Family Sports Complex on Saturday for a game against McPherson. Kickoff is 1 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695478804369.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Coyotes are back on the road Saturday for a Kansas Conference game against Bethel. Kickoff is 6 p.m. at Thresher Stadium in North Newton.<h2>LIVE COVERAGE</h2>The video stream of the game will be available online through the Coyote Sports Network at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan">www.kcacnetwork.com/kansaswesleyan</a>. Bethel will be handling video production.. Live Stats will be available at&nbsp;<a href="https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary.">https://kwucoyotes.com/sidearmstats/football/summary.</a> Radio coverage can be heard locally on KINA 910 AM/107.5 FM, and online at Eagle Communication's Post Sites (salinapost.com&nbsp;in Salina). The online stream is also available at&nbsp;<a href="https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2">https://radio.securenetsystems.net/ce/kina2</a>. Tyler Henry will have the call with pregame starting at 5:00 p.m.<h2>RECORDS</h2>Kansas Wesleyan 2-2. Bethel 3-1<h2>THE SERIES</h2>Bethel's 30-24 victory last season in JRI Stadium and the Graves Family Sports Complex ended KWU's 13-game winning streak. It was the Coyotes first loss to the Threshers since the 2008 season. KWU has an 18-4 edge since the 2001 season.<h2>KANSAS WESLEYAN AT A GLANCE</h2>The Coyotes evened their record with a 35-28 victory over previously unbeaten Friends last Saturday at JRI Stadium and the Graves Family Sports Complex. The offense produced a season-high 353 yards that included a season-best 245 rushing yards.Nick Allsman&nbsp;led the ground attack with 125 yards on 17 carries and&nbsp;Tyler Boston&nbsp;had 96 yards on 19 attempts. Both scored a touchdown as well. Quarterback&nbsp;Richard Lara&nbsp;was 9 of 13 passing for 108 yards, no interceptions and one touchdown - a 74-yard catch and run by&nbsp;Rhadarious Lomax-Spivey&nbsp;in the third quarter that broke a 7-7 tie. Lara also ran for KWU's final score in the fourth quarter and was not sacked during the game.Luke Armstrong&nbsp;returned a punt 88 yards for touchdown early in the third quarter that gave the Coyotes a 21-7 lead. He also returned a kickoff 28 yards and was chosen the KCAC's Special Teams Player of the Week.. Friends entered the game averaging just under 56 points and 533 total yards - 494 rushing - but had 388 total yard and 320 rushing Saturday. Linebacker&nbsp;Shaylan Lewis&nbsp;had a team-best 13 tackles, linebacker&nbsp;Ricco Moore&nbsp;11 and safety&nbsp;Julian Urioste&nbsp;10 for the Coyotes.KWU closes out play against the Kessinger Division a week from Saturday when McPherson comes to town. Following a bye week October 7 the Coyotes begin play against fellow Bissell Division opponents starting with Avila on October 14 in Kansas City, Missouri.<h2>BETHEL AT A GLANCE</h2> The Threshers defeated Avila 42-26 last Saturday in Kansas City. They led 35-6 at halftime but surrendered 20 points in the fourth quarter.&nbsp;They opened the season with victories over Sterling and Saint Mary but lost to Ottawa 28-24 September 9 in North Newton. Bethel doesn't run the flexbone but does employ a triple option offense that has been highly effective. The Threshers average 324 yards rushing, 420 total yards and are scoring 41 points per game. They had 405 total yards against Avila that included 264 on the ground. Bethel, like Friends, has a dynamic quarterback in DJ Ciers. He had 107 yards and two touchdowns running the ball and threw for 141 yards and two more scores against Avila. Ciers has 610 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns this season and averages 152.5 yards rushing and 95.5 yards passing per game. Bethel's defense has been stellar as well. Opponents are averaging 19.8 points and 72 yards rushing per game.Linebacker Kade Miller has a team-best 31 tackles and linebacker Tate Seaboldt 29. Miller was the KCAC Defensive Player of the Week after making seven tackles and returning an interception 44 yards for a touchdown against Avila - his second pick six of the season.<h2>KWU COACH MATT MYERS-</h2>"I was just super impressed by the overall effort by our guys. The energy on the sideline was incredible and the fans were awesome. The difference between 1-3 and 2-2 is massive - it was really a great night.&nbsp;Lara made great decisions with the ball and the zero sack thing is just huge. The final piece of this is making sure that we can stretch the defense vertically (with the passing game). Bethel is not the same offense (as Friends) but has a similar philosophy, they run the ball about 90 percent of the time. Their quarterback is extremely athletic and very, very fast. We need to find a way to make sure that he's on the ground at the end of the play and not making moves and cutting up the field. Their defense is very similar to Evangel who we didn't have a ton of success against."<h2>Next Week</h2>The Coyotes return to Bissell Field in JRI Stadium and the Graves Family Sports Complex on Saturday for a game against McPherson. Kickoff is 1 p.m.

K-Dub Football travels to North Newton on Saturday to face Bethel

Junction City defeats Bishop Carroll 41-7

Topeka Hayden defeats Jefferson West 64-0

By Anthony GorgesJC PostJunction City defeats Bishop Carroll 41-7Abilene defeats Chapman 33-6Clay Center defeats Hiawatha 75-13Humboldt beats Council Grove 14-7Herington beats Goessel 40-34Silver Lake beats Rock Creek 38-35Topeka Hayden defeats Jefferson West 64-0Topeka High beats Emporia 39-10Wamego defeats KC Washington 53-6Washburn Rural defeats Manhattan 35-28

High School Football week four scores

Junction City hosts Bishop Carroll at Blue Jay Stadium. You can hear the broadcast starting at 6:30, with kickoff at 7:00 on 107.9 FM/1420 KJCK

Topeka Hayden goes to Jefferson West&nbsp;

By Anthony GorgesJC PostJunction City hosts Bishop Carroll at Blue Jay Stadium. You can hear the broadcast starting at 6:30, with kickoff at 7:00 on 107.9 FM/1420 KJCKAbilene travels to ChapmanClay Center travels to HiawathaConcordia hosts MarysvilleCouncil Grove travels to HumboldtHerington travels to GoesselManhattan travels to Washburn RuralRock Creek travels to Silver LakeTopeka Hayden goes to Jefferson West&nbsp;Topeka High goes to EmporiaWamego hosts KC Washington

High School Football week four matchups

By MARK LONG AP Pro Football Writer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes, including one to returning star Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs overcame three early turnovers to beat Jacksonville 17-9 on Sunday for their third victory against the Jaguars in 10 months.

The Chiefs (1-1) won their eighth straight in the series and avoided becoming the first Super Bowl champions to start 0-2 since Denver in 1999.

The Jaguars (1-1), who insisted all week they owed the Chiefs because of a loss in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs in January, pretty much no-showed in their home opener.

Coach Doug Pederson’s team had another slow start, failed to capitalize on two of three turnovers and struggled to protect quarterback Trevor Lawrence.

Lawrence threw incomplete on a fourth-and-12 play with 4:16 remaining in an eight-point game, and Kansas City didn't let the Jaguars get the ball back.

Chiefs All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, making his season debut after ending his holdout and signing a one-year contract, dominated his one-on-one matchups. Jones&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1703473144487444561">manhandled rookie right tackle Anton Harrison</a>&nbsp;and was equally effective against the rest of Jacksonville’s line. He finished with two sacks on five QB pressures.

With extra time to prepare following a loss to Detroit 10 days earlier in the NFL opener, the Chiefs had hoped to look a lot more like their normally dynamic selves on offense. But Richie James muffed a punt, Justin Watson fumbled and Mahomes threw an interception. Kadarius Toney, who dropped three passes in the opener, fumbled late in the third but was able to scoop up the loose ball and avoid another turnover.

Mahomes completed 29 of 41 passes for 305 yards. He&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1703481447833600419">found Kelce all alone in the end zone</a>&nbsp;to extend KC’s lead to 14-6. CBS play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle slipped in a song reference to reports linking Kelce to pop superstar Taylor Swift by saying “Kelce finds a blank space for the score.” One of Swift’s many hits is “Blank Space.”

Kelce, who missed the opener because of a hyperextended knee,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1703482916917940720">punted the ball into the end zone to celebrate</a>. He finished with four catches on nine targets for 26 yards.

The Chiefs converted twice on fourth down and outgained Jacksonville 399 to 271 in total yards. The Jaguars had several chances but settled for field goals in two trips into the red zone, and they averaged a measly 4.2 yards per play.

Chiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who spent the first four years of his NFL career with Jacksonville, had a rough homecoming. Taylor was penalized five times and ultimately benched for a series. He was flagged twice for false starts, once for an illegal formation and twice for holding.

Pederson fell to 0-4 against his close friend and mentor, Chiefs coach Andy Reid. This was Pederson's first loss at home; the previous three were played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

The Chiefs beat Pederson and Philadelphia 27-20 in Week 2 of the 2017 season; the Eagles rebounded and ultimately won the Super Bowl. The Chiefs swept the Jaguars last season, winning 27-17 in Week 10 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-jacksonville-jaguars-nfl-sports-patrick-mahomes-ii-c198676ebe3fa51c02060b1c473701ef">27-20 in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs</a>.

Chiefs: LBs Nick Bolton and Willie Gay were attended to on the field, but both were able to return to the game.

Jaguars: LB Josh Allen left the game in the second half with a shoulder injury. WR Zay Jones (knee) returned after spending time in the locker room. WR Calvin Ridley ran into the padding surrounding the goal post and was shaken up. RB Travis Etienne dealt with cramping issues late.

By MARK LONG AP Pro Football WriterJACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes, including one to returning star Travis Kelce, and the Kansas City Chiefs overcame three early turnovers to beat Jacksonville 17-9 on Sunday for their third victory against the Jaguars in 10 months.The Chiefs (1-1) won their eighth straight in the series and avoided becoming the first Super Bowl champions to start 0-2 since Denver in 1999.The Jaguars (1-1), who insisted all week they owed the Chiefs because of a loss in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs in January, pretty much no-showed in their home opener.Coach Doug Pederson’s team had another slow start, failed to capitalize on two of three turnovers and struggled to protect quarterback Trevor Lawrence.Lawrence threw incomplete on a fourth-and-12 play with 4:16 remaining in an eight-point game, and Kansas City didn't let the Jaguars get the ball back.Chiefs All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones, making his season debut after ending his holdout and signing a one-year contract, dominated his one-on-one matchups. Jones&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1703473144487444561">manhandled rookie right tackle Anton Harrison</a>&nbsp;and was equally effective against the rest of Jacksonville’s line. He finished with two sacks on five QB pressures.With extra time to prepare following a loss to Detroit 10 days earlier in the NFL opener, the Chiefs had hoped to look a lot more like their normally dynamic selves on offense. But Richie James muffed a punt, Justin Watson fumbled and Mahomes threw an interception. Kadarius Toney, who dropped three passes in the opener, fumbled late in the third but was able to scoop up the loose ball and avoid another turnover.Mahomes completed 29 of 41 passes for 305 yards. He&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1703481447833600419">found Kelce all alone in the end zone</a>&nbsp;to extend KC’s lead to 14-6. CBS play-by-play announcer Ian Eagle slipped in a song reference to reports linking Kelce to pop superstar Taylor Swift by saying “Kelce finds a blank space for the score.” One of Swift’s many hits is “Blank Space.”Kelce, who missed the opener because of a hyperextended knee,&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Chiefs/status/1703482916917940720">punted the ball into the end zone to celebrate</a>. He finished with four catches on nine targets for 26 yards.The Chiefs converted twice on fourth down and outgained Jacksonville 399 to 271 in total yards. The Jaguars had several chances but settled for field goals in two trips into the red zone, and they averaged a measly 4.2 yards per play.TAYLOR BENCHEDChiefs right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who spent the first four years of his NFL career with Jacksonville, had a rough homecoming. Taylor was penalized five times and ultimately benched for a series. He was flagged twice for false starts, once for an illegal formation and twice for holding.MENTOR VS MENTEEPederson fell to 0-4 against his close friend and mentor, Chiefs coach Andy Reid. This was Pederson's first loss at home; the previous three were played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.The Chiefs beat Pederson and Philadelphia 27-20 in Week 2 of the 2017 season; the Eagles rebounded and ultimately won the Super Bowl. The Chiefs swept the Jaguars last season, winning 27-17 in Week 10 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-chiefs-jacksonville-jaguars-nfl-sports-patrick-mahomes-ii-c198676ebe3fa51c02060b1c473701ef">27-20 in the divisional round of the AFC playoffs</a>.INJURY REPORTChiefs: LBs Nick Bolton and Willie Gay were attended to on the field, but both were able to return to the game.Jaguars: LB Josh Allen left the game in the second half with a shoulder injury. WR Zay Jones (knee) returned after spending time in the locker room. WR Calvin Ridley ran into the padding surrounding the goal post and was shaken up. RB Travis Etienne dealt with cramping issues late.UP NEXTChiefs: Host Chicago next Sunday.

🏈 Chiefs overcome mistakes to beat Jaguars

By DAN HINXMAN Associated Press

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Devin Neal and Daniel Hishaw Jr. combined for 137 rushing yards and four touchdowns, Jalon Daniels threw for 298 yards, and Kansas pulled away from Nevada in the fourth quarter for a 31-24 victory Saturday night.

The game was tied at 24-all when Daniels went 4-for-4 for 55 yards, leading to Neal’s third touchdown on a 3-yard run and a 31-24 lead with 6:20 left to play.

Nevada was not able to cross midfield on its final two possessions.

The Jayhawks (3-0) were a 28-point favorite at Nevada sports books.

The Wolf Pack (0-3) was looking to end the nation’s longest losing streak. The now 13-game skid is also the longest in program history.

Brendon Lewis led Nevada with 113 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns.

Neither team could muster much offense in the first half, but the second half was a shootout. They combined for 20 points on 247 yards in the first half but had 35 points on 461 yards in the second.

The teams used long pass plays to trade three touchdowns in a span of 2 minutes, 7 seconds late in the third quarter. Daniels connected with tight end Mason Fairchild on a 29-yard pass to the Nevada 1.

Two plays later, Nevada’s Dalevon Campbell hauled in a 53-yard pass from Lewis to set up a short TD run by Sean Dollars to tie it at 17-apiece.

On the next play, Daniels and Neal connected on a 59-yard pass to the Nevada 1, leading to Hishaw’s TD and a 24-17 lead that Kansas took into the fourth quarter.

The Jayhawks embarked on a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive on the game’s first possession, moving the ball with ease and scoring on a Neal 3-yard run. But the Wolf Pack defense stiffened – with the help of five Kansas penalties – and allowed just 75 yards on 23 plays the rest of the half.

Dollars scored on a 3-yard run in the final minute and the teams went into the locker room tied at 10-10 despite Nevada having just 97 total yards of offense.

The Jayhawks opened the season 3-0 for the second straight season. Kansas stretched it to 5-0 in 2022 before losing seven of its final eight games. This marks KU’s first back-to-back 3-0 starts since 1991-92 under head coach Glen Mason.

Kansas: Will host BYU (3-0) on Saturday in what will be the Cougars’ first Big 12 Conference game. BYU had been independent the previous 12 years before joining the Big 12 this season.

Nevada: Travels to San Marcos, Texas, to take on the Sun Belt’s Texas State Bobcats (2-1) on Saturday. Texas State is the last team Nevada defeated, 38-14, on Sept. 3, 2022, in Reno.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694931207846.jpeg" alt="Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels throw a pass against Nevada during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Reno Nev. (AP Photo/Andy Barron)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels throw a pass against Nevada during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Reno Nev. (AP Photo/Andy Barron)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAN HINXMAN Associated PressRENO, Nev. (AP) — Devin Neal and Daniel Hishaw Jr. combined for 137 rushing yards and four touchdowns, Jalon Daniels threw for 298 yards, and Kansas pulled away from Nevada in the fourth quarter for a 31-24 victory Saturday night.The game was tied at 24-all when Daniels went 4-for-4 for 55 yards, leading to Neal’s third touchdown on a 3-yard run and a 31-24 lead with 6:20 left to play.Nevada was not able to cross midfield on its final two possessions.The Jayhawks (3-0) were a 28-point favorite at Nevada sports books.The Wolf Pack (0-3) was looking to end the nation’s longest losing streak. The now 13-game skid is also the longest in program history.Brendon Lewis led Nevada with 113 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns.Neither team could muster much offense in the first half, but the second half was a shootout. They combined for 20 points on 247 yards in the first half but had 35 points on 461 yards in the second.The teams used long pass plays to trade three touchdowns in a span of 2 minutes, 7 seconds late in the third quarter. Daniels connected with tight end Mason Fairchild on a 29-yard pass to the Nevada 1.Two plays later, Nevada’s Dalevon Campbell hauled in a 53-yard pass from Lewis to set up a short TD run by Sean Dollars to tie it at 17-apiece.On the next play, Daniels and Neal connected on a 59-yard pass to the Nevada 1, leading to Hishaw’s TD and a 24-17 lead that Kansas took into the fourth quarter.The Jayhawks embarked on a nine-play, 75-yard touchdown drive on the game’s first possession, moving the ball with ease and scoring on a Neal 3-yard run. But the Wolf Pack defense stiffened – with the help of five Kansas penalties – and allowed just 75 yards on 23 plays the rest of the half.Dollars scored on a 3-yard run in the final minute and the teams went into the locker room tied at 10-10 despite Nevada having just 97 total yards of offense.BIG PICTUREThe Jayhawks opened the season 3-0 for the second straight season. Kansas stretched it to 5-0 in 2022 before losing seven of its final eight games. This marks KU’s first back-to-back 3-0 starts since 1991-92 under head coach Glen Mason.UP NEXTKansas: Will host BYU (3-0) on Saturday in what will be the Cougars’ first Big 12 Conference game. BYU had been independent the previous 12 years before joining the Big 12 this season.Nevada: Travels to San Marcos, Texas, to take on the Sun Belt’s Texas State Bobcats (2-1) on Saturday. Texas State is the last team Nevada defeated, 38-14, on Sept. 3, 2022, in Reno.

🏈 Neal runs for 3TDs, Hishaw Jr. adds another to help Kansas beat Nevada

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Eli Drinkwitz and the Missouri coaching staff decided in the closing seconds of a back-and-forth affair with Kansas State on Saturday that if the Tigers crossed midfield and reached the 40-yard line, they would give Harrison Mevis a chance to kick the winning field goal.

Missouri made it to the Kansas State 38 and quarterback Brady Cook spiked the ball to stop the clock.

Then that same coaching staff inexplicably lost track of time on the sideline, and the delay-of-game penalty pushed the field-goal attempt back 5 yards. What would have been a 56-yarder became a 61-yard long shot from the wrong side of midfield.

After Cook threw incomplete trying to recoup the yardage, Mevis trotted onto the field anyway. And with the final few seconds ticking away, he boomed the SEC-record 61-yarder over the crossbar, sending the Tigers to a field-storming, come-from-behind 30-27 victory over the No. 15 Wildcats in a showdown of former Big 12 rivals.

“We took the penalty to make it more dramatic,” Drinkwitz said afterward. “This is all for TV anyway. This was in the script.”

“I told him right before the kick: ‘Listen, you’ve been doing this your whole life. This is your opportunity,'” Cook said. “I was just on a knee, watching. I just could not believe it. I could not believe it.”

The beleaguered Cook, who was booed by some home fans during introductions, finished with 356 yards passing and two touchdowns, despite hobbling around the second half on a sprained knee. Luther Burden III had both of the scoring grabs for the Tigers (3-0), finishing with seven catches for 114 yards in another star-making performance.

“Redemption is a beautiful thing," Drinkwitz said. “That pissed me off when we booed our starting quarterback to start the game — that pissed me off. And he went out there and played his butt off for the team.”

Will Howard, who was likewise left hobbling after the brutally physical game, had 270 yards passing and three scores. But the senior also threw a costly pick, and the Wildcats (2-1) blew too many chances on third down to put the game away.

“We had plenty of opportunities in all three phases,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said. “This is what Big 12 football is going to be like starting next week. You'd better get used to tight ballgames that are hard to win.”

The Wildcats started off like they finished a year ago, when they rolled to a rain-soaked 40-12 victory in the first meeting since Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC. Howard hit four different receivers while swiftly marching Kansas State down field, and his third-and-goal throw tipped by the Tigers' JC Carlies landed in the hands of Phillip Brooks for the score.

Rather than begin a blowout, the touchdown launched a thriller.

Cook answered with a 47-yard touchdown heave to Burden, who spent most of the game making a mockery of the Kansas State secondary. And after Howard threw a pick in tight coverage, Mevis' added his first field goal to give Missouri the lead.

When the Wildcats responded with a swift touchdown drive, the Tigers needed two big plays and about 2 1/2 minutes to score again. This time, Cook finished the drive with a short run to send them into halftime with a 17-14 lead.

That's about when Cook hurt his leg, and for a while, the Missouri offense became stagnant. The Tigers punted twice to start the second half, and Kansas State turned them into a field goal and Howard's second TD pass to Ben Sinnott for a 24-17 lead.

It was still 24-20 when the Wildcats squandered two chances to put the game away, failing twice on short third downs. And when Missouri took over after Howard's third-and-1 pass fell incomplete, it took two plays — Cody Schrader's 26-yard run and a personal foul penalty, and Cook's 26-yard TD pass to Burden — to cover 77 yards and give Missouri a 27-24 lead.

The Wildcats had a chance to regain the lead with 5 1/2 minutes to go. But with third-and-goal at the Missouri 3, Howard lost track of time and was called for a delay of game. Kansas State settled for a tying field goal — and a costly one at that.

Mevis made sure of that with his kick — the one that bailed out his coaches — on the game's final play.

“I would have preferred it from 56,” he said, “but you know, it really doesn't matter. It's going to be the same kick.”

Kansas State beat itself at the most inopportune of times. Along with the failed third downs, the Wildcats were penalized seven times for 65 yards, their running game was bottled up in the second half and Howard had far too many passes dropped. Those are all correctable mistakes going forward, but they proved costly on Saturday.

Missouri has been under pressure to move beyond mediocre under Drinkwitz, who has yet to have a winning record in three seasons despite going to three bowl games; that's part of the reason Cook was booed by fans, who have been pining for backup Sam Horn to take the field. The result Saturday could go a long way toward changing those narratives.

Kansas State plays Big 12 newcomer UCF next Saturday night.

Missouri plays Memphis next Saturday night in St. Louis.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694896476919.jpeg" alt="Missouri kicker Harrison Mevis kicks the game-winning field goal during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game against Kansas State Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won 30-27. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)" />
 <figcaption>Missouri kicker Harrison Mevis kicks the game-winning field goal during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game against Kansas State Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023, in Columbia, Mo. Missouri won 30-27. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Eli Drinkwitz and the Missouri coaching staff decided in the closing seconds of a back-and-forth affair with Kansas State on Saturday that if the Tigers crossed midfield and reached the 40-yard line, they would give Harrison Mevis a chance to kick the winning field goal.Missouri made it to the Kansas State 38 and quarterback Brady Cook spiked the ball to stop the clock.Then that same coaching staff inexplicably lost track of time on the sideline, and the delay-of-game penalty pushed the field-goal attempt back 5 yards. What would have been a 56-yarder became a 61-yard long shot from the wrong side of midfield.It didn't matter.After Cook threw incomplete trying to recoup the yardage, Mevis trotted onto the field anyway. And with the final few seconds ticking away, he boomed the SEC-record 61-yarder over the crossbar, sending the Tigers to a field-storming, come-from-behind 30-27 victory over the No. 15 Wildcats in a showdown of former Big 12 rivals.“We took the penalty to make it more dramatic,” Drinkwitz said afterward. “This is all for TV anyway. This was in the script.”Quite the fairytale ending.“I told him right before the kick: ‘Listen, you’ve been doing this your whole life. This is your opportunity,'” Cook said. “I was just on a knee, watching. I just could not believe it. I could not believe it.”The beleaguered Cook, who was booed by some home fans during introductions, finished with 356 yards passing and two touchdowns, despite hobbling around the second half on a sprained knee. Luther Burden III had both of the scoring grabs for the Tigers (3-0), finishing with seven catches for 114 yards in another star-making performance.“Redemption is a beautiful thing," Drinkwitz said. “That pissed me off when we booed our starting quarterback to start the game — that pissed me off. And he went out there and played his butt off for the team.”Will Howard, who was likewise left hobbling after the brutally physical game, had 270 yards passing and three scores. But the senior also threw a costly pick, and the Wildcats (2-1) blew too many chances on third down to put the game away.“We had plenty of opportunities in all three phases,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said. “This is what Big 12 football is going to be like starting next week. You'd better get used to tight ballgames that are hard to win.”The Wildcats started off like they finished a year ago, when they rolled to a rain-soaked 40-12 victory in the first meeting since Missouri left the Big 12 for the SEC. Howard hit four different receivers while swiftly marching Kansas State down field, and his third-and-goal throw tipped by the Tigers' JC Carlies landed in the hands of Phillip Brooks for the score.Rather than begin a blowout, the touchdown launched a thriller.Cook answered with a 47-yard touchdown heave to Burden, who spent most of the game making a mockery of the Kansas State secondary. And after Howard threw a pick in tight coverage, Mevis' added his first field goal to give Missouri the lead.When the Wildcats responded with a swift touchdown drive, the Tigers needed two big plays and about 2 1/2 minutes to score again. This time, Cook finished the drive with a short run to send them into halftime with a 17-14 lead.That's about when Cook hurt his leg, and for a while, the Missouri offense became stagnant. The Tigers punted twice to start the second half, and Kansas State turned them into a field goal and Howard's second TD pass to Ben Sinnott for a 24-17 lead.It was still 24-20 when the Wildcats squandered two chances to put the game away, failing twice on short third downs. And when Missouri took over after Howard's third-and-1 pass fell incomplete, it took two plays — Cody Schrader's 26-yard run and a personal foul penalty, and Cook's 26-yard TD pass to Burden — to cover 77 yards and give Missouri a 27-24 lead.The Wildcats had a chance to regain the lead with 5 1/2 minutes to go. But with third-and-goal at the Missouri 3, Howard lost track of time and was called for a delay of game. Kansas State settled for a tying field goal — and a costly one at that.Mevis made sure of that with his kick — the one that bailed out his coaches — on the game's final play.“I would have preferred it from 56,” he said, “but you know, it really doesn't matter. It's going to be the same kick.”THE TAKEAWAYKansas State beat itself at the most inopportune of times. Along with the failed third downs, the Wildcats were penalized seven times for 65 yards, their running game was bottled up in the second half and Howard had far too many passes dropped. Those are all correctable mistakes going forward, but they proved costly on Saturday.Missouri has been under pressure to move beyond mediocre under Drinkwitz, who has yet to have a winning record in three seasons despite going to three bowl games; that's part of the reason Cook was booed by fans, who have been pining for backup Sam Horn to take the field. The result Saturday could go a long way toward changing those narratives.UP NEXTKansas State plays Big 12 newcomer UCF next Saturday night.Missouri plays Memphis next Saturday night in St. Louis.

Missouri upsets Kansas State on 61-yard field goal with no time remaining

By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER Hays Post

MANHATTAN - A 21 point second quarter propelled #3-6A Manhattan to a 49-7 victory over #3-5A Hays Friday night at Bishop Stadium. 

Manhattan scored on the first drive with a 33 yard run and then added a second score on a three yard dive resulting in a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Hays High's Carter Graham went over top of the defense to Jarek Purdy for 78 yards and six points to answer. Trailing 14-7 the Indians' defense forced a three and out on a Wyatt Kirkpatrick and Slade Salmans combo sack.

Hays drove near the red zone but a tipped pass resulted in an interception. Manhattan went 78 yards on eight plays to take a 21-7 lead. They again scored following an interception right before half for a 28-7 advantage.

Manhattan continued to push the score in their favor with three second half touchdown runs. They were stopped on one drive on an interception by Cooper Lindenmeyer, his third of the season.

Manhattan piled up 494 yards of offense. Hays totaled just 188.

Hays drops to 2-1 on the season. Manhattan is 3-0 and has won a school record 16 consecutive games. Two of those against the Indians.

By DUSTIN ARMBRUSTER Hays PostMANHATTAN - A 21 point second quarter propelled #3-6A Manhattan to a 49-7 victory over #3-5A Hays Friday night at Bishop Stadium. Manhattan scored on the first drive with a 33 yard run and then added a second score on a three yard dive resulting in a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.Hays High's Carter Graham went over top of the defense to Jarek Purdy for 78 yards and six points to answer. Trailing 14-7 the Indians' defense forced a three and out on a Wyatt Kirkpatrick and Slade Salmans combo sack.Hays drove near the red zone but a tipped pass resulted in an interception. Manhattan went 78 yards on eight plays to take a 21-7 lead. They again scored following an interception right before half for a 28-7 advantage.Manhattan continued to push the score in their favor with three second half touchdown runs. They were stopped on one drive on an interception by Cooper Lindenmeyer, his third of the season.Manhattan piled up 494 yards of offense. Hays totaled just 188.Hays drops to 2-1 on the season. Manhattan is 3-0 and has won a school record 16 consecutive games. Two of those against the Indians.

🏈Manhattan runs over Hays in battle of ranked teams

The Junction City Blue Jays defeated the McPherson Bullpups 27-2 on the road in week three of the high school football season. The Blue Jays improve to 2-1 on the year.&nbsp;

After stopping McPherson of their first drive of the game, Junction City quarterback Brock Bazan connected with wide receiver Jamarcus Vornes for a 78-yard touchdown on their second offensive play from scrimmage.&nbsp;

Running back Malaki Daniels had another strong performance scoring three rushing touchdowns in the game.&nbsp;

The Junction City Blue Jay defense was dominant on the night holding the McPherson offense scoreless.&nbsp; The Bullpups only two points came from a safety on an intentional grounding penalty that occurred in the end zone.

By Anthony Gorges and Brian FieldJC PostThe Junction City Blue Jays defeated the McPherson Bullpups 27-2 on the road in week three of the high school football season. The Blue Jays improve to 2-1 on the year.&nbsp;After stopping McPherson of their first drive of the game, Junction City quarterback Brock Bazan connected with wide receiver Jamarcus Vornes for a 78-yard touchdown on their second offensive play from scrimmage.&nbsp;Running back Malaki Daniels had another strong performance scoring three rushing touchdowns in the game.&nbsp;The Junction City Blue Jay defense was dominant on the night holding the McPherson offense scoreless.&nbsp; The Bullpups only two points came from a safety on an intentional grounding penalty that occurred in the end zone.The Blue Jays return home to Blue Jay Stadium next week and host Bishop Carroll on Friday night.&nbsp;