K-State halftime: Wildcats trail by one score

Kansas State kept the halftime deficit at 10-3 with stellar defensive moments on successive snaps.

A short punt allowed the Cornhuskers to take over at the K-State 35 and two first downs later Nebraska faced a second-and-goal at the 5. On a night when defense was setting the early tone a two-score lead might have seemed insurmountable.

But Wildcats end Jeffrey Fitzgerald ran down Zac Lee for a 14-yard sack. Now, at least, Nebraska could be facing a long field-goal attempt.

The Cornhuskers never got the chance because on the next play, Lee under threw his target in the end zone and safety Tysyn Hartman collected his team-leading fifth interception of the season.

His 42-yard return gave the Wildcats’ good field position, but Kansas State returned the favor when Grant Gregory, tossed an interception of his own.

Only three minutes in the half remained, but the Wildcats weren’t through threatening. The defense held, and K-State went 49 yards in less than a minute. But Josh Cherry’s 51-yard field goal attempt came up short as time expired.

Cherry had gotten the Wildcats on the board on their first possession with a 44-yard boot. But Nebraska’s defense, plus a few ill-timed penalties, kept the Kansas State off the scoreboard for the rest of the half.

A delayed intentional grounding penalty on Gregory stalled one drive. A holding penalty took the Wildcats out of field-goal range on another drive.

Nebraska, which found an offensive rhythm for the first time in league play last week against Kansas, succeeded in playing keep away. The Cornhuskers held the ball for more than 18 minutes in the first half, and converting six of 10 on third downs kept several drives alive.

But Nebraska cashed in only twice. The Cornhuskers answered Kansas State’s field-goal with one of their own as Alex Henery was good from 34. That possession went 56 yards on 16 plays and consumed 7:37.

The touchdown came next. A pump fake by Lee and a stop-and-go route by tight end Mike McNeil allowed McNeil to race by the linebackers and into the end zone from 17 yards. Lee’s pass was high but McNeil pulled it down.