The No. 17 Kansas State Wildcats overcame a slow start to defeat the Tulane Green Wave 17-10 in their first road game of the season.
**Manhattan, Kan.** - In a tale of two halves, the No. 17 Kansas State Wildcats (2-0) rallied from behind to secure a hard-fought 17-10 victory over the Tulane Green Wave (1-1) in their first road game of the season.
Kansas State Wildcats Rally for Victory Over Tulane Green Wave
The Wildcats struggled to find their footing early on, as Tulane dominated the first half. The Green Wave's defense held Kansas State to just 46 yards of offense and forced a pair of turnovers. Tulane took advantage, scoring a field goal on their opening drive and later adding a touchdown to take a 10-0 lead into halftime.
However, the second half was a different story. The Wildcats' offense came alive, led by quarterback Adrian Martinez. Martinez, who had been held in check in the first half, found his rhythm and began connecting with his receivers. Kansas State marched down the field on their opening drive of the third quarter, culminating in a touchdown to cut the deficit to 10-7.
The Wildcats' defense also stepped up in the second half, forcing a fumble and intercepting a pass. Kansas State took advantage of the turnovers, scoring a field goal and a touchdown to take a 17-10 lead.
Tulane had a chance to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, but their field goal attempt was blocked by Kansas State's Reggie Stubblefield. The Wildcats held on for the 17-10 victory, improving their record to 2-0 on the season.
Adrian Martinez finished the game with 234 passing yards and a touchdown, while Deuce Vaughn led the Wildcats' rushing attack with 90 yards. Tulane's Tyjae Spears rushed for 97 yards, but the Green Wave's offense struggled to sustain drives in the second half.
The victory is a significant one for Kansas State, which is now 2-0 for the first time since 2019. The Wildcats will look to continue their winning ways next week when they return home to face South Dakota.
For Tulane, the loss is a disappointing setback after a promising start to the season. The Green Wave's defense played well in the first half, but they were unable to keep up the pressure in the second half. The offense also struggled to find consistency, and the blocked field goal late in the game proved to be a crucial turning point.
Tulane will look to bounce back next week when they host Southern Miss. The Green Wave will need to improve their offensive execution and find a way to generate more pressure on opposing quarterbacks if they want to get back on track.