It's never flashy. It's rarely a blowout. But the result are usually the same for Kansas State.
The Wildcats held off Iowa State, 27-21, moving Bill Snyder to 4-0 all-time against Paul Rhoads although all four games have been decided by seven points or less.
Kansas State is now 6-0 and sits atop the Big 12 standings by themselves following West Virginia's loss to Texas Tech.
If you're looking for a quick summary of the game, Iowa State Paul Rhoads pretty much summed it up in his opening comment in the postgame press conference.
“This was a standard Kansas State football game, coached by a legendary coach and quarterbacked by a great football player. I thought our kids battled the fifth-ranked team in the country tooth and nail. We fought to the very end.”
It wasn't all standard Kansas State football, all the time, however. The Wildcats hurt themselves with penalties in the first half which is something that doesn't happen often from a Snyder coached team. They finished with nine penalties for 62 yards in damages. That's not horrible by some teams' standards, but then again, this is Kansas State.
“It was tremendously out of character for us, we had been the least penalized team in the country and now we look like the most penalized team in the country. That’s a matter of discipline," Snyder said following the game.
Iowa State's offense had trouble getting into any kind of sustained rhythm all afternoon mainly because they were rarely on the field. Kansas State held the time of possession advantage by a whopping 40:54 minutes to only 19:06 for the Cyclones. It's surprising Kansas State only ran 16 more plays than ISU (76 to 60), but then again, a lot can happen - and did - in those 16 extra plays.
Then there is the matter of Collin Klein who just continues to do what he does which is winning football games. He continues to hang around the Heisman trophy discussion not only because of his production, but the consistently in which he plays. I'm not even sure what a bad game looks likes from him anymore.
On Saturday, Klein ran for 105 yards on 25 carries, scored three touchdowns, and threw for another 187 yards without an interception.
Count Rhoads as one who is impressed. "He's a great player. He's an All-American in my book. He doesn't get the attention because he's not as flashy and doesn't put up the gaudy numbers that some of the other football players do."
"But he's got a 6-0 football team that's ranked in the top five in the country and can play with anybody in the country with arguably with less talent on the field than everyone in the top ten, if not the top fifteen."
That last comment is not only a tribute to Klein, but maybe even more so towards Snyder. Run down the list of talented teams in the Big 12 and where does Kansas State fall? Fifth, maybe? Yet they're the best team in the Big 12 through six games and they don't show any signs of slowing down.
The road doesn't get any easier next week with the Wildcats heading to Morgantown. Even with Texas Tech dismantling the Mountaineers this afternoon, you can bet they'll be a different team on their home field. Whether or not they'll be a team than can beat Kansas State, however, is the question of the day.
Iowa State wasn't one, neither was Kansas, Oklahoma, or Miami.
If Kansas State can get by West Virginia on the road, they're toughest tests are behind them. That's not to say the rest of the schedule is a piece of cake because it's far from it, but beat the Mountaineers and there's not telling just how far this team can go.
They don't beat themselves and given the circus that is the Big 12 standings right now, that might just be enough because thus far, nobody else has been able to do it, either.
