K-State's 35-24 victory over KU in the Sunflower Showdown on Saturday offered a glimpse of how dangerous Collin Klein's offense can be. However, it also exposed an issue that could prevent the Wildcats from reaching their full potential.
For a team that accumulated 568 yards of total offense, the Wildcats left a lot of points on the field.
The Wildcats dominated nearly every statistical category, rushing for 359 yards while controlling possession for more than 36 minutes. Yet, despite moving the ball consistently, K-State struggled to turn promising drives into touchdowns.
As the team prepares for Arizona State, that is something Klein and his staff must address moving forward.
Offense is capable of explosive performances
There was plenty to like about the K-State offensive performance, especially the production of Avery Johnson and Joe Jackson.
Jackson finished the game with 27 carries for 159 yards, while Johnson had 341 yards of total offense.
That duo gave the Wildcats a dynamic rushing attack that the Jayhawks struggled to contain throughout the game.
Rodney Fields Jr. also contributed 66 rushing yards and a touchdown, giving the Wildcats three players who were making plays throughout the game.
What made Johnson's performance especially promising was the big plays in the passing game. This year, Johnson is averaging 7 yards per completion. However, on Saturday, he averaged 15 yards, which helped open up the running lanes.
Saturday demonstrated what this offense can do when the Wildcats challenge opponents down the field.
Finishing possessions remains a concern
Despite those impressive numbers, K-State left several scoring opportunities on the field.
The Wildcats made eight trips inside the KU red zone, but scored only three touchdowns. They also turned the ball over on downs twice deep in Jayhawks territory.
Kicker Luis Rodriguez helped overcome some of those struggles, connecting on all four of his field goal attempts. While he was able to come in and do his job, the recipe to win games in the Big 12 doesn't involve Rodriguez making four field goals each game.
K-State outgained the Jayhawks by 249 yards. However, until Logan Bartley intercepted Isaiah Marshall in the end zone, the Jayhawks were on their way to taking the lead in the middle of the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats showed they can move the ball, but to take that next step in the offense, they have to turn them into seven points.
What's next for K-State?
Saturday's victory was important for several reasons.
Extending its winning streak over KU to 18 games is a big deal. That streak over the Jayhawks is extremely important to the fan base, and a loss on Saturday would have made things uneasy in Manhattan.
Perhaps, more importantly, the Wildcats finally resembled the offense that Klein and his staff envisioned. It was a balanced offensive attack. The Wildcats were able to run the ball consistently, but also had the big plays in the passing game that has been lacking
The Wildcats hit the road to take on Arizona State in Week 8. The Wildcats have to be better at converting in the red zone.
The Sun Devils have issues of their own, as they are coming off a 53-25 loss at Texas Tech on Saturday. In their last two Big 12 games against the Red Raiders and Baylor, they have been outscored 108-44.
For the Wildcats to win the Big 12, they are going to have to run the table and get a lot of help. However, for one week, they stayed in and will look to build more momentum in Tempe.
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