Coming off of a tough loss to the Louisville Cardinals, Notre Dame looked to avoid a losing streak, as they visited Manhattan... Kansas.
The #13 Irish and #21 Wildcats battled to a rather boring 3-0 Irish advantage through 1 quarter, before Riley Leonard and Jeremiyah Love both found the end zone on short runs, to give the Irish what looked like a dominant 17-0 halftime lead. Unfortunately for Notre Dame, QB Avery Johnson had other plans, as he found WR Quenton Rice for an 87 yard strike with just :17 seconds to work before the half, making it 7-17 Notre Dame.
Kansas State had the hammer and looked to double dip... and they swung for the fences and nailed it, as HB Dylan Edwards tore off a 66yd run on the 2nd play of the half, quickly making it 14-17 Notre Dame. After a quick defensive stop, it was Edwards again ripping the Irish defense for 33yds and giving the crazy Wildcat fans something to cheer for, as Kansas State took the lead 21-17!
Notre Dame looked rattled, but Leonard and Love kept scratching and clawing away at the Wildcat D, finding ways to convert 1st downs and keep ND in the game. Their first drive came up short, but "Money" Mitch Jeter cashed in for 3 and put the Irish within 1, 20-21. From there, it was a big defensive stand thanks to a clutch tackle by Thorpe Award winner Xavier Watts, that setup the Irish for 6yd TD run from Jeremiyah Love to take the lead, 26-21, after the failed 2pt conversion.
Another big stop led Notre Dame working the ball up the field for most of the final minutes and Jeter nailing 1 more FG to extend the lead to 8 with just :22 seconds left. K-State QB Avery Johnson was hoping for 1 more late half heroic, but DE RJ Oben nailed him, sending the ball floating for LB Jack Kiser to grab it and dive to the ground to seal the victory.
GG Coach Texanole, your squad played a helluva game tonight!
Kansas State Pushes Notre Dame to the Brink but Falls Short
They call it the Little Apple for a reason—Kansas State isn’t quite ready for the big lights just yet. But they showed they’re getting close.
In what many expected to be a lopsided matchup, the Wildcats challenged Notre Dame in a nonconference showdown that turned into an unexpectedly thrilling game.
The Irish jumped out to a dominant 17-0 lead, and with just 30 seconds left in the first half, it looked like a blowout in the making. But K-State quarterback Avery Johnson had other plans. He connected with Quincy down the right sideline for an electrifying 82-yard touchdown, injecting life into the Wildcats before halftime.
Momentum carried into the second half. Just two plays in, K-State found the end zone again, cutting the deficit to 17-14. Then, in a stunning turn, they struck once more, taking a 21-17 lead. Suddenly, an upset was brewing.
Notre Dame responded with a field goal, closing the gap to 21-20 heading into the fourth quarter. The Wildcats had a chance to seal the deal, but that’s when disaster struck. With the game hanging in the balance, Avery Johnson made a risky throw over the middle—only to have it picked off. That was the turning point. Notre Dame capitalized, driving down the field for a touchdown and never looking back.
It wasn’t the outcome K-State wanted, but they proved they can hang with the best. The Little Apple isn’t so little anymore.
Good luck, Coach Regin
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