No. 17 Kansas State rallies, tops Tulane on fumble return

Field Level Media|published: Sat 7th September, 16:12 2024

Aug 31, 2024; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats head coach Chris Klieman watches the game during the third quarter against the Tennessee-Martin Skyhawks at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

Avery Johnson threw two touchdown passes and Jack Fabris' 60-yard fumble return produced the winning touchdown as No. 17 Kansas State rallied past Tulane 34-27 on Saturday afternoon in New Orleans.

Johnson completed 15 of 23 passes for 181 yards, with one of his scoring passes going to DJ Giddens, who added 114 rushing yards on 19 carries for the Wildcats (2-0). Fabris' return broke a tie midway through the fourth quarter.

Tulane's Darian Mensah was 19-of-29 passing for 342 yards and two touchdowns, but his fumble led to the decisive score. Mekhi Hughes rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown and Mario Williams had 128 receiving yards for the Green Wave (1-1).

Tulane drove to the Kansas State 1 in the final minute, but an offensive pass interference penalty nullified Mensah's touchdown pass, and VJ Payne intercepted a Mensah pass with 12 seconds remaining.

Chris Tennant kicked a 28-yard field goal to start the second-half scoring and pull Kansas State within 20-13.

Tulane, which scored two touchdowns and made two field goals on its last four possessions of the first half, punted at the end of its first two possessions of the third quarter.

Johnson threw a 45-yard touchdown pass to Giddens to tie the score at 20 late in the third.

On the second play of the fourth quarter, Mensah threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Alex Bauman to give the Green Wave a 27-20 lead, but on the ensuing possession Dylan Edwards ran 13 yards for a tying touchdown.

Tulane reached the Kansas State 18 on the next possession before going backward, and Fabris' score gave the Wildcats a 34-27 lead with 8:13 remaining.

On Kansas State' second possession of the game, Tennant kicked a 48-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead. Tulane responded on the ensuing possession as Hughes rushed 3 yards for a touchdown and a 7-3 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Green Wave increased the lead to 14-3 on its next possession as Mensah threw a 36-yard touchdown pass to Bauman.

The Wildcats responded with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Johnson to Will Swanson to get within four points. Jacob Barnes kicked field goals of 40 and 41, leaving the Green Wave with a 20-10 halftime lead.

--Field Level Media