Eric Boggs 
BYU shocked ranked Kansas State to move to 4-0 on the season.
BYU delivered a statement victory on Saturday night, dominating No. 13 Kansas State 38-9 and breaking their program record for the largest margin of victory over a top-15 opponent. The win, which took place in front of a raucous sellout crowd at Lavell Edwards Stadium, propelled the Cougars to 4-0 and set the tone for their inaugural Big 12 campaign. This was Kansas State’s first game without a touchdown since 2020, and it was BYU’s defense that stole the show, forcing three turnovers and sparking an explosive run that left the Wildcats shell-shocked.
The turning point came in a span of just 39 seconds before halftime. Trailing 6-3, BYU linebacker Jack Kelly forced a fumble from Kansas State’s DJ Giddens, and freshman safety Tommy Prassas scooped it up for a 30-yard return touchdown, giving BYU a 10-6 lead with 1:08 left in the half. Two plays later, BYU defensive end Tyler Batty intercepted an Avery Johnson pass, setting up a 23-yard touchdown strike from Jake Retzlaff to Chase Roberts. Just like that, BYU led 17-6, and the momentum had completely shifted.
Kansas State struggled to recover as BYU’s defense continued to dominate. On the Wildcats’ opening drive of the second half, linebacker Harrison Taggart intercepted Johnson again, setting up another BYU score—this time a 5-yard touchdown pass from Retzlaff to Darius Lassiter, extending the lead to 24-6. BYU then piled on with a highlight-reel play from Parker Kingston, who returned a punt 90 yards for a touchdown after nearly fumbling the ball. His electrifying run across the field put BYU up 31-6 and left Kansas State reeling.
“It was stunning to see that,” Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman said. “We got embarrassed, and that hasn’t happened here since the Covid year.”
BYU capped off the night with a 22-yard touchdown run from true freshman running back Sione Moa, who finished with a career-high 76 yards on the ground. Moa’s physical run through multiple Kansas State defenders epitomized the Cougars’ dominance in all phases of the game.
Kansas State, which rushed for 224 yards, couldn’t capitalize on their early success in the run game. Despite averaging 6.9 yards per carry in the first half, the Wildcats only managed two field goals. Quarterback Avery Johnson amassed 204 yards of total offense but was plagued by two costly interceptions.
“We just shot ourselves in the foot too many times,” Johnson said. “You got to take care of the football on the road if you want to win games.”
BYU’s defense forced turnovers on three consecutive Kansas State drives, fueling their 31 unanswered points. “You’ve got to make them earn it all,” BYU head coach Kalani Sitake said. “Eventually, we were able to crack the code, get some turnovers, create momentum, and then you saw the result.”
The win snapped BYU’s five-game losing streak against Big 12 opponents and marked their second straight game without allowing a touchdown to a Power Four opponent. The Cougars limited Kansas State to three field goals on three trips to the red zone, building on their earlier success against SMU.
“We already know what we’re capable of,” linebacker Isaiah Glasker said. “It’s really just about showing other people what we can do.”
The loss could see Kansas State fall out of the AP Top 25, while BYU looks poised to crack the rankings. With this type of defensive performance, the Cougars have shown they’re capable of making noise in the Big 12.
Up next, Kansas State will try to rebound as they host Oklahoma State, while BYU travels to face Baylor, riding high on their 4-0 start.
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