MANHATTAN — Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson returned to the game after missing one play that resulted in a touchdown. The quarterback was slow to get up after a 59-yard run that set up a four-yard rushing touchdown by Rodney Fields.
Backup Jacob Knuth entered the game to hand the ball off to Fields with 13:46 left in the first quarter.
Johnson lay on the turf for several minutes before being pulled up by the trainers. He smiled as he got up and had no noticeable limp. At the end of the 59-yard run, he stumbled before falling to the turf.
Kansas' Bryson Hayes returned the ensuing kickoff for a 95-yard touchdown to tie the game at seven with 13:04 left in the opening quarter. On Johnson's first play back, he completed a 45-yard pass to a wide-open Derrick Salley downfield. The Wildcats ran a designed run for Johnson two plays later.
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Avery Johnson injury updates: Kansas State QB exits game vs Kansas