MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP)
— Will Howard threw for three touchdowns and ran for two others as
No. 15 Kansas State defeated Troy 42-13. Howard threw touchdown
passes of 9 yards to Jadon Jackson and 39 yards to Philip Brooks to
help the Wildcats to a 21-10 lead at half. His 2-yard run late in the
third quarter made it an 18-point game. Howard finished 21 of 32 for
250 yards and had eight carries for 33 yards. K-State held the
Trojans to 286 total yards a week after they gained 540 against
Stephen F. Austin. Troy’s Gunnar Watson was 17 of 32 for 167 yards
with a touchdown.

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.
(AP) — Quinn Ewers finished what he started last season, passing
for 349 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 11 Texas to a 34-24
victory over third-ranked Alabama on Saturday night in a huge win for
a program trying to climb back into national championship contention.
The Longhorns delivered the biggest victory under Steve Sarkisian in
a game that slipped away last season after a red-hot Ewers exited
with a first-quarter shoulder injury. He was back and with another
big weapon in Adonai Mitchell. This amounted to a
welcome-to-the-Southeastern Conference moment for a program set to
join Alabama &amp; Co. next season.

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) —
Dillon Gabriel threw four touchdown passes, Tawee Walker ran for a
career-high 117 yards and No. 18 Oklahoma clawed out a 28-11 win over
SMU. Andrel Anthony caught seven passes for 76 yards and a touchdown
for the Sooners and linebacker Danny Stutsman anchored a steady
defense with 17 tackles and a sack. Preston Stone passed for 250
yards, Jaylan Knighton had 103 yards from scrimmage and Jake Bailey
had seven catches for 73 yards for SMU. The Mustangs outgained
Oklahoma 367 yards to 365. But the Sooners went without a turnover
while SMU turned it over twice and had a punt blocked.

WACO, Texas (AP) —
Jaylon Glover's 11-yard run with 17 seconds remaining was Utah’s
second touchdown in the final two minutes as the 12th-ranked Utes
escaped Baylor with a 20-13 win. It was a matchup of future Big 12
foes both missing their starting quarterbacks. Utah’s game-winning
drive was set up at the Baylor 29 after Cole Bishop’s interception
on a pass that Sawyer Robertson threw while under pressure. The 2-0
Utes tied the game at 13 with 1:59 left when redshirt freshman
quarterback Nate Johnson scored on a 7-yard draw.

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP)
— Bo Nix threw for 359 yards and two touchdowns, Jeffrey Bassa had
a 45-yard interception return for a score in the final minute and No.
13 Oregon rallied for a 38-30 victory over Texas Tech. Tyler Shough
threw for three TDs and ran for 101 yards and another score against
his former team. It wasn’t enough to extend the Red Raiders’
school-record 23-game winning streak in home openers. The Ducks had
twice rallied in the fourth quarter behind Nix, who led a pair of
drives to go-ahead field goals. Shough was trying to answer for a
second time with a drive to a field goal when Brandon Dorlus hit
Shough as he was throwing. The ball went straight to Bassa for the
easy score.

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) —
Garret Rangel found a wide-open Brennan Presley on a 16-yard
touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter and Oklahoma State stymied
Arizona State defensively for a 27-15 win. The Cowboys overcame one
of the hottest games in Arizona State history with a bruising
defensive game that gave the offense a short field all night.
Oklahoma State had an interception and forced Arizona State to turn
it over on downs three times — the last one from the Sun Devils’
33-yard line in the fourth quarter. Rangel, the Cowboys’ third
quarterback of the night, caught Arizona State clogging up the middle
and floated a pass to Presley, who had no one within 15 yards of him.

FORT WORTH, Texas
(AP) — Blake Nowell returned a blocked punt 24 yards for a
touchdown, Chandler Morris threw for 263 yards with two TDs and TCU
beat FCS team Nicholls 41-6. Morris also ran for a score, converting
a third-and-12 with a 32-yard touchdown. He was 26-of-30 passing. The
1-1 Frogs never trailed a week after losing to Colorado at home as a
three-touchdown favorite. The first score came when Trent Battle
blocked the punt to end Nicholls’ opening possession of the game
and took it into the end zone.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) —
Colton Boomer hit four field goals including the 40-yard game winner
on the final play to lift Central Florida over Boise State 18-16.
UCF, which struggled in the red zone, leaned on Boomer, who tied a
school record with a 55-yard field goal in the second quarter. Boise
State, which had fallen behind midway through the fourth quarter for
the first time since the opening period, took a 16-15 lead with 1:49
remaining when backup quarterback Maddux Madsen threw a 28-yard
touchdown pass to Stefan Cobbs. But the two-point conversion pass
attempt failed, which proved to be costly. UCF quarterback John Rhys
Plumlee, who finished 16-of-24 passing for 272 yards, engineered a
comeback of his own. Plumlee drove the Knights 58 yards on nine plays
to set up Boomer’s game-winning kick at the horn.

HOUSTON (AP) — JT
Daniels tied a career high passing for 401 yards and three scores,
Daelen Alexander rushed for three touchdowns and Rice defeated
Houston 43-41 in double overtime in the 42nd Bayou Bucket. Daniels
finished 28 for 42 passing and registered his second-career 400-yard
game. His only other came against Mississippi State on November 21,
2020.The win for Rice snapped a seven-game winning streak for Houston
in the Bayou Bucket series. The last win for the Owls prior to
Saturday came on October 16, 2010, when they beat the Cougars 34-31.
This is only the second time a game in the Bayou Bucket series has
gone to overtime. The last time was September 2, 2000.

BOULDER, Colo. (AP)
— Shedeur Sanders accounted for three scores, Colorado’s defense
forced four turnovers and the 22nd-ranked Buffaloes beat longtime
rival Nebraska 36-14 in the home debut of Deion Sanders at sold-out
Folsom Field. Shedeur Sanders threw for 393 yards and two scores,
while running for another touchdown. He capped his 6-yard romp with
the dance moves his dad made famous during his playing days. The 2-0
Buffaloes needed a moment to wake up given the early kickoff. But
once they did, they were unstoppable. After punting on their first
four drives, Sanders and the offense scored on seven of eight
possessions to turn the game into a rout. Matt Rhule is still looking
for his first win at Nebraska

TORONTO (AP) —
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a tiebreaking double in the seventh inning,
Bo Bichette had two hits and two RBIs in his return from injury and
the Toronto Blue Jays held on to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on
Friday night. Guerrero’s two-run double off right-hander Carlos
Hernández (1-10) helped the Blue Jays (78-63) hold onto the final AL
wild-card berth with their fourth win in five games. Bichette went 2
for 5 and scored once after being activated off the 10-day injured
list before the game. The two-time AL hits leader returned after
missing nine games because of a strained right quadriceps. Chad Green
(2-0) got two outs for the win. Jordan Romano recorded the final four
outs for his 33rd save.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) —
Logan Webb pitched six scoreless innings for his first win in more
than a month, Thairo Estrada homered and had three RBIs, and the San
Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 9-1 on Saturday night.
Mike Yastrzemski had four hits and two RBIs, and J.D. Davis singled
twice for San Francisco. The Giants have won back-to-back games
following a six-game losing streak that matched their longest of the
season. They remain 2 1/2 games behind Arizona for the third NL wild
card.

MANILA, Philippines
(AP) — The U.S. played the bronze-medal game short-handed, and
Canada sent the Americans home from the World Cup empty-handed.
Dillon Brooks scored 39 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31
points and 12 assists and Canada survived a miracle from Mikal
Bridges that forced overtime to medal at a global men’s basketball
tournament for the first time in 87 years. It beat the U.S. 127-118
in the third-place game at the World Cup on Sunday.

Final	(25)Clemson	66	Charleston
Southern	17	

Final	(17)North
Carolina	40	Appalachian St.	34	

Final	Washington
St.	31	(19)Wisconsin	22	

Final	(4)Florida
St.	66	Southern Miss.	13	

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691404624657.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP)
— Will Howard threw for three touchdowns and ran for two others as
No. 15 Kansas State defeated Troy 42-13. Howard threw touchdown
passes of 9 yards to Jadon Jackson and 39 yards to Philip Brooks to
help the Wildcats to a 21-10 lead at half. His 2-yard run late in the
third quarter made it an 18-point game. Howard finished 21 of 32 for
250 yards and had eight carries for 33 yards. K-State held the
Trojans to 286 total yards a week after they gained 540 against
Stephen F. Austin. Troy’s Gunnar Watson was 17 of 32 for 167 yards
with a touchdown.TUSCALOOSA, Ala.
(AP) — Quinn Ewers finished what he started last season, passing
for 349 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 11 Texas to a 34-24
victory over third-ranked Alabama on Saturday night in a huge win for
a program trying to climb back into national championship contention.
The Longhorns delivered the biggest victory under Steve Sarkisian in
a game that slipped away last season after a red-hot Ewers exited
with a first-quarter shoulder injury. He was back and with another
big weapon in Adonai Mitchell. This amounted to a
welcome-to-the-Southeastern Conference moment for a program set to
join Alabama &amp; Co. next season.NORMAN, Okla. (AP) —
Dillon Gabriel threw four touchdown passes, Tawee Walker ran for a
career-high 117 yards and No. 18 Oklahoma clawed out a 28-11 win over
SMU. Andrel Anthony caught seven passes for 76 yards and a touchdown
for the Sooners and linebacker Danny Stutsman anchored a steady
defense with 17 tackles and a sack. Preston Stone passed for 250
yards, Jaylan Knighton had 103 yards from scrimmage and Jake Bailey
had seven catches for 73 yards for SMU. The Mustangs outgained
Oklahoma 367 yards to 365. But the Sooners went without a turnover
while SMU turned it over twice and had a punt blocked.WACO, Texas (AP) —
Jaylon Glover's 11-yard run with 17 seconds remaining was Utah’s
second touchdown in the final two minutes as the 12th-ranked Utes
escaped Baylor with a 20-13 win. It was a matchup of future Big 12
foes both missing their starting quarterbacks. Utah’s game-winning
drive was set up at the Baylor 29 after Cole Bishop’s interception
on a pass that Sawyer Robertson threw while under pressure. The 2-0
Utes tied the game at 13 with 1:59 left when redshirt freshman
quarterback Nate Johnson scored on a 7-yard draw.LUBBOCK, Texas (AP)
— Bo Nix threw for 359 yards and two touchdowns, Jeffrey Bassa had
a 45-yard interception return for a score in the final minute and No.
13 Oregon rallied for a 38-30 victory over Texas Tech. Tyler Shough
threw for three TDs and ran for 101 yards and another score against
his former team. It wasn’t enough to extend the Red Raiders’
school-record 23-game winning streak in home openers. The Ducks had
twice rallied in the fourth quarter behind Nix, who led a pair of
drives to go-ahead field goals. Shough was trying to answer for a
second time with a drive to a field goal when Brandon Dorlus hit
Shough as he was throwing. The ball went straight to Bassa for the
easy score.TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) —
Garret Rangel found a wide-open Brennan Presley on a 16-yard
touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter and Oklahoma State stymied
Arizona State defensively for a 27-15 win. The Cowboys overcame one
of the hottest games in Arizona State history with a bruising
defensive game that gave the offense a short field all night.
Oklahoma State had an interception and forced Arizona State to turn
it over on downs three times — the last one from the Sun Devils’
33-yard line in the fourth quarter. Rangel, the Cowboys’ third
quarterback of the night, caught Arizona State clogging up the middle
and floated a pass to Presley, who had no one within 15 yards of him.FORT WORTH, Texas
(AP) — Blake Nowell returned a blocked punt 24 yards for a
touchdown, Chandler Morris threw for 263 yards with two TDs and TCU
beat FCS team Nicholls 41-6. Morris also ran for a score, converting
a third-and-12 with a 32-yard touchdown. He was 26-of-30 passing. The
1-1 Frogs never trailed a week after losing to Colorado at home as a
three-touchdown favorite. The first score came when Trent Battle
blocked the punt to end Nicholls’ opening possession of the game
and took it into the end zone.BOISE, Idaho (AP) —
Colton Boomer hit four field goals including the 40-yard game winner
on the final play to lift Central Florida over Boise State 18-16.
UCF, which struggled in the red zone, leaned on Boomer, who tied a
school record with a 55-yard field goal in the second quarter. Boise
State, which had fallen behind midway through the fourth quarter for
the first time since the opening period, took a 16-15 lead with 1:49
remaining when backup quarterback Maddux Madsen threw a 28-yard
touchdown pass to Stefan Cobbs. But the two-point conversion pass
attempt failed, which proved to be costly. UCF quarterback John Rhys
Plumlee, who finished 16-of-24 passing for 272 yards, engineered a
comeback of his own. Plumlee drove the Knights 58 yards on nine plays
to set up Boomer’s game-winning kick at the horn.HOUSTON (AP) — JT
Daniels tied a career high passing for 401 yards and three scores,
Daelen Alexander rushed for three touchdowns and Rice defeated
Houston 43-41 in double overtime in the 42nd Bayou Bucket. Daniels
finished 28 for 42 passing and registered his second-career 400-yard
game. His only other came against Mississippi State on November 21,
2020.The win for Rice snapped a seven-game winning streak for Houston
in the Bayou Bucket series. The last win for the Owls prior to
Saturday came on October 16, 2010, when they beat the Cougars 34-31.
This is only the second time a game in the Bayou Bucket series has
gone to overtime. The last time was September 2, 2000.BOULDER, Colo. (AP)
— Shedeur Sanders accounted for three scores, Colorado’s defense
forced four turnovers and the 22nd-ranked Buffaloes beat longtime
rival Nebraska 36-14 in the home debut of Deion Sanders at sold-out
Folsom Field. Shedeur Sanders threw for 393 yards and two scores,
while running for another touchdown. He capped his 6-yard romp with
the dance moves his dad made famous during his playing days. The 2-0
Buffaloes needed a moment to wake up given the early kickoff. But
once they did, they were unstoppable. After punting on their first
four drives, Sanders and the offense scored on seven of eight
possessions to turn the game into a rout. Matt Rhule is still looking
for his first win at NebraskaTORONTO (AP) —
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a tiebreaking double in the seventh inning,
Bo Bichette had two hits and two RBIs in his return from injury and
the Toronto Blue Jays held on to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on
Friday night. Guerrero’s two-run double off right-hander Carlos
Hernández (1-10) helped the Blue Jays (78-63) hold onto the final AL
wild-card berth with their fourth win in five games. Bichette went 2
for 5 and scored once after being activated off the 10-day injured
list before the game. The two-time AL hits leader returned after
missing nine games because of a strained right quadriceps. Chad Green
(2-0) got two outs for the win. Jordan Romano recorded the final four
outs for his 33rd save.SAN FRANCISCO (AP) —
Logan Webb pitched six scoreless innings for his first win in more
than a month, Thairo Estrada homered and had three RBIs, and the San
Francisco Giants beat the Colorado Rockies 9-1 on Saturday night.
Mike Yastrzemski had four hits and two RBIs, and J.D. Davis singled
twice for San Francisco. The Giants have won back-to-back games
following a six-game losing streak that matched their longest of the
season. They remain 2 1/2 games behind Arizona for the third NL wild
card.MANILA, Philippines
(AP) — The U.S. played the bronze-medal game short-handed, and
Canada sent the Americans home from the World Cup empty-handed.
Dillon Brooks scored 39 points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 31
points and 12 assists and Canada survived a miracle from Mikal
Bridges that forced overtime to medal at a global men’s basketball
tournament for the first time in 87 years. It beat the U.S. 127-118
in the third-place game at the World Cup on Sunday.SATURDAY SCORESINTERLEAGUEFinal	Minnesota	8	N.Y.
Mets	4	Final	Milwaukee	9	N.Y.
Yankees	2	Final	Houston	7	San
Diego	5	AMERICAN LEAGUEFinal	Toronto	5	Kansas
City	1	Final	Tampa
Bay	7	Seattle	5	Final	Baltimore	13	Boston	12	Final	Detroit	3	Chicago
White Sox	1	Final	Texas	3	Oakland	2	Final	L.A.
Angels	6	Cleveland	2	NATIONAL LEAGUEFinal	Arizona	3	Chicago
Cubs	2	Final	Washington	7	L.A.
Dodgers	6	Final	Philadelphia	8	Miami	4	Final	St.
Louis	4	Cincinnati	3	Final	Pittsburgh	8	Atlanta	4	Final	San
Francisco	9	Colorado	1	TOP-25 COLLEGE
FOOTBALLFinal	(11)Texas	34	(3)Alabama	24	Final	(20)Mississippi	37	(24)Tulane	20	Final	(15)Kansas
St.	42	Troy	13	Final	(22)Colorado	36	Nebraska	14	Final	(10)Notre
Dame	45	NC State	24	Final	(12)Utah	20	Baylor	13	Final	(1)Georgia	45	Ball
St.	3	Final	(7)Penn
St.	63	Delaware	7	Final	(5)Ohio
St.	35	Youngstown St.	7	Final	(25)Clemson	66	Charleston
Southern	17	Final	(2)Michigan	35	UNLV	7	Final	Miami	48	(23)Texas
A&amp;M	33	Final	(8)Washington	43	Tulsa	10	Final	(9)Tennessee	30	Austin
Peay	13	Final	(17)North
Carolina	40	Appalachian St.	34	Final	(18)Oklahoma	28	SMU	11	Final	(21)Duke	42	Lafayette	7	Final	(13)Oregon	38	Texas
Tech	30	Final	(14)LSU	72	Grambling
St.	10	Final	Washington
St.	31	(19)Wisconsin	22	Final	(4)Florida
St.	66	Southern Miss.	13	Final	(16)Oregon
St.	55	UC Davis	7

Saturday Sports Headlines and Scores presented by Barton Community College

After an 0-2 start to the season against perennially-tough opponents Hillsboro and Beloit, the Ellinwood High School volleyball team has rattled off nine straight wins. The Lady Eagles went 5-0 Saturday to claim the tournament championship in Ellsworth.

Ellinwood needed just two sets for four of its five matches Saturday. The Eagles downed Salina-Sacred Heart 25-23, 25-16, then beat league foe Central Plains 25-17, 25-16. A 25-11, 25-19 win against Nickerson, and a 25-11, 25-19 victory against Republic County put the Lady Eagles into the title match. There they came from behind to beat Ellsworth 21-25, 25-20, 25-18.

(Note: This story has been edited. Ellinwood lost its matches to reigning 2A champion Hillsboro and No. 2 Beloit (3A))

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694301838667.jpeg" alt="The Lady Eagle volleyball team improved to 9-2 on the season with a championship run in Ellsworth Saturday." />
 <figcaption>The Lady Eagle volleyball team improved to 9-2 on the season with a championship run in Ellsworth Saturday.</figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Post SportsAfter an 0-2 start to the season against perennially-tough opponents Hillsboro and Beloit, the Ellinwood High School volleyball team has rattled off nine straight wins. The Lady Eagles went 5-0 Saturday to claim the tournament championship in Ellsworth.Ellinwood needed just two sets for four of its five matches Saturday. The Eagles downed Salina-Sacred Heart 25-23, 25-16, then beat league foe Central Plains 25-17, 25-16. A 25-11, 25-19 win against Nickerson, and a 25-11, 25-19 victory against Republic County put the Lady Eagles into the title match. There they came from behind to beat Ellsworth 21-25, 25-20, 25-18.(Note: This story has been edited. Ellinwood lost its matches to reigning 2A champion Hillsboro and No. 2 Beloit (3A))

Lady Eagles win Ellsworth volleyball tournament

The run continues for the Great Bend High School volleyball team. The Lady Panthers took a perfect 4-0 record into the Riley County Tournament bracket Saturday. Great Bend won its first three matches in two sets, extending that streak to seven matches to open the season. The Lady Panthers battled Jefferson County North for a 25-23, 23-25, 25-22 win in the semifinal match, then defeated Clay Center 25-18, 28-26 for the title.

Great Bend opened play with a 25-17, 25-15 win against St. Marys. Next came a 25-19, 25-16 win against Valley Heights. The Lady Panthers also defeated Wichita Independent 25-14, 25-10.

The Lady Panthers bring a 9-0 record into their first home matches of the season on Tuesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694299613913.jpeg" alt="The Lady Panthers moved to 9-0 with a 5-0 run at the Riley County tournament Saturday. Great Bend has won eight of its nine matches in two sets." />
 <figcaption>The Lady Panthers moved to 9-0 with a 5-0 run at the Riley County tournament Saturday. Great Bend has won eight of its nine matches in two sets.</figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Post SportsThe run continues for the Great Bend High School volleyball team. The Lady Panthers took a perfect 4-0 record into the Riley County Tournament bracket Saturday. Great Bend won its first three matches in two sets, extending that streak to seven matches to open the season. The Lady Panthers battled Jefferson County North for a 25-23, 23-25, 25-22 win in the semifinal match, then defeated Clay Center 25-18, 28-26 for the title.Great Bend opened play with a 25-17, 25-15 win against St. Marys. Next came a 25-19, 25-16 win against Valley Heights. The Lady Panthers also defeated Wichita Independent 25-14, 25-10.The Lady Panthers bring a 9-0 record into their first home matches of the season on Tuesday.

Lady Panthers move to 9-0 with Riley County championship

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Will Howard passed for three touchdowns and ran for two others as No. 15 Kansas State defeated Troy 42-13 Saturday.

Howard threw touchdown passes of 9 yards to Jadon Jackson and 39 yards to Philip Brooks to help the Wildcats (2-0) to a 21-10 lead at the half, and his 2-yard run late in the third quarter made it an 18-point game.

K-State went over 40 points for the fourth straight regular-season game. The Wildcats also stopped Troy's 12-game winning streak, the second-longest in FBS coming into the game.

Howard finished 21 of 32 for 250 yards and had eight carries for 33 yards.

“It wasn't perfect, by any stretch,” Howard said. “We had some rough moments early in the second quarter. But we needed it. This was a game where we learned a lot. That was a really good team. They've got one of the tougher defenses I've ever gone against. They were hitting, and they did some really good things, schematically.

"I think that was a really good game for us to learn from. ”

K-State held the Trojans (1-1) to 286 total yards a week after they gained 540 against Stephen F. Austin.

“I can’t take anything away from them — hats off to Kansas State,” Troy coach Jon Sumrall said. “But I don’t care about the opponent. What makes me upset is we didn’t play to our standard. It makes me sick. K-State is going to beat a lot of people when they play good, but we can’t play the way we did and expect to beat anybody. We have a long way to go.”

Troy's Gunnar Watson was 17 of 32 for 167 yards with a touchdown and interception.

“This game doesn’t define us or mark us as a team,” safety Dell Pettus said. “And we know that. But we are going to put in the work to fix it.”

The Wildcats put the game out of reach with a nine-play, 76-yard drive capped by Howard's 1-yard shovel pass to Treshaun Ward for a 35-13 lead.

“That was a great win for our guys, a great win over a really good team,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said. “Their quarterback is a good player. We were going to shut down their run game. We gave them one big run where we missed a fit, but we did a really good job in the rush game."

K-State had a 21-10 halftime lead and put the clamps on the Troy offense in the third quarter. The Trojans' first three drives netted minus-1 yard.

“They had their way in the second quarter a little bit, so we had to make some adjustments," Klieman said. "I thought our guys adjusted well.”

Troy had pulled within 14-10 with 52 seconds left in the second quarter on Watson's 21-yard TD pass to Chris Lewis. Lewis made a dazzling one-handed catch in the end zone.

Kansas State had a huge answer just before halftime when Howard found Brooks on a crossing pattern for the 39-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left. Brooks caught the ball around the 20 and raced up the sideline for the score and a 21-10 halftime lead.

“We definitely needed to make a play right there,” Brooks said. “That play was big-time, because they had stopped us a few times.”

Kansas State did not overlook Troy. After being stunned at home by non-Power Five opponents in two of the last three seasons, the Wildcats defended the home field with a strong defensive effort.

Troy: Trojans will return home to face James Madison for their Sun Belt Conference opener.

Kansas State: Wildcats will travel to Columbia, Missouri, for a matchup with their former Big Eight and Big 12 rival Missouri.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Will Howard passed for three touchdowns and ran for two others as No. 15 Kansas State defeated Troy 42-13 Saturday.Howard threw touchdown passes of 9 yards to Jadon Jackson and 39 yards to Philip Brooks to help the Wildcats (2-0) to a 21-10 lead at the half, and his 2-yard run late in the third quarter made it an 18-point game.K-State went over 40 points for the fourth straight regular-season game. The Wildcats also stopped Troy's 12-game winning streak, the second-longest in FBS coming into the game.Howard finished 21 of 32 for 250 yards and had eight carries for 33 yards.“It wasn't perfect, by any stretch,” Howard said. “We had some rough moments early in the second quarter. But we needed it. This was a game where we learned a lot. That was a really good team. They've got one of the tougher defenses I've ever gone against. They were hitting, and they did some really good things, schematically."I think that was a really good game for us to learn from. ”K-State held the Trojans (1-1) to 286 total yards a week after they gained 540 against Stephen F. Austin.“I can’t take anything away from them — hats off to Kansas State,” Troy coach Jon Sumrall said. “But I don’t care about the opponent. What makes me upset is we didn’t play to our standard. It makes me sick. K-State is going to beat a lot of people when they play good, but we can’t play the way we did and expect to beat anybody. We have a long way to go.”Troy's Gunnar Watson was 17 of 32 for 167 yards with a touchdown and interception.“This game doesn’t define us or mark us as a team,” safety Dell Pettus said. “And we know that. But we are going to put in the work to fix it.”The Wildcats put the game out of reach with a nine-play, 76-yard drive capped by Howard's 1-yard shovel pass to Treshaun Ward for a 35-13 lead.“That was a great win for our guys, a great win over a really good team,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said. “Their quarterback is a good player. We were going to shut down their run game. We gave them one big run where we missed a fit, but we did a really good job in the rush game."K-State had a 21-10 halftime lead and put the clamps on the Troy offense in the third quarter. The Trojans' first three drives netted minus-1 yard.“They had their way in the second quarter a little bit, so we had to make some adjustments," Klieman said. "I thought our guys adjusted well.”Troy had pulled within 14-10 with 52 seconds left in the second quarter on Watson's 21-yard TD pass to Chris Lewis. Lewis made a dazzling one-handed catch in the end zone.Kansas State had a huge answer just before halftime when Howard found Brooks on a crossing pattern for the 39-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left. Brooks caught the ball around the 20 and raced up the sideline for the score and a 21-10 halftime lead.“We definitely needed to make a play right there,” Brooks said. “That play was big-time, because they had stopped us a few times.”THE TAKEAWAYKansas State did not overlook Troy. After being stunned at home by non-Power Five opponents in two of the last three seasons, the Wildcats defended the home field with a strong defensive effort.UP NEXTTroy: Trojans will return home to face James Madison for their Sun Belt Conference opener.Kansas State: Wildcats will travel to Columbia, Missouri, for a matchup with their former Big Eight and Big 12 rival Missouri.

Howard leads No. 15 K-State past Troy 42-13

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs proved in their season-opening loss to the Detroit Lions on Thursday night that their defense can get by just fine without Chris Jones, at least for a while, as the All-Pro defensive tackle continues his holdout.

While the Chiefs defense repelled the Lions all night, their perpetually high-scoring offense fizzled, undone by dropped passes, penalties and miscommunication. Patrick Mahomes looked a beat off, the offensive line played well until two significant penalties as the Chiefs tried to march for a go-ahead field goal, and just about everyone who had an opportunity to get their hands on the ball dropped it at least once, all leading to a 21-20 loss at Arrowhead Stadium.

Perhaps it would have turned out differently if Mahomes had Kelce, his All-Pro tight end and sure-handed security blanket, who missed the game after hyperextending his knee in practice two days earlier.

“I mean, you're losing I think the best tight end of all time,” Mahomes said. “It's going to have an impact on the game, but others guys have to step up, and they're going to have to step up in moments, because I'm sure there will be times when he gets doubled, and so we're just going to have to rely on guys that are young and talented to step up and make plays.”

Mahomes finished by saying, “I believe they will.” But they did little Thursday night to create a whole lot of confidence.

Noah Gray, who was first off the bench to replace Kelce, miscommunicated once with Mahomes and dropped his pass on another play. Jerick McKinnon, who rarely drops a pass, did so late in the game. Kadarius Toney not only had one bounce off his hands for a pick-6 but dropped what would have been a long gain as the Chiefs were driving for go-ahead points.

Hard to believe that Kelce would have dropped so many balls under any circumstances.

“Got to be better as an offense,” said Blake Bell, another Kansas City tight end. “Defense battled their tails off, played great. Offensively we've got to finish when we get down there and whatever it is — dropped balls — we're just not scoring.”

Kelce tried to convince Chiefs coach Andy Reid and trainer Rick Burkholder to let him play, going through a series of drills earlier in the day. But he acknowledged some pain in the knee and Reid and Burkholder decided to give him the night off.

There is hope that the 10 days before the Chiefs' next game in Jacksonville is enough to ensure Kelce is back on the field.

“I feel like we put ourselves in some bad situations. We didn’t execute. Couldn’t get conversions on third downs," McKinnon said. "When you play against a good team you can’t do those things, and if you can’t come up with points, this is what happens.”

Mahomes provided some of the biggest highlights against Detroit not with his strong right arm but with his feet, and the fact that his scrambling topped a short list of things that were working is a bad sign. Mahomes ran six times for 45 yards, while the rest of the Chiefs combined for another 45 yards rushing but needed 17 carries to get them.

The Chiefs have one of the league's youngest secondaries and it showed when Lions ace Amon-Ra St. Brown diced it up. It would have helped to have Jones, who watched from a stadium suite, putting pressure on Jared Goff so that the defensive backfield did not have to cover for so long, but regardless, the Lions simply had too many guys wide open.

It's not fair to say Kelce's stock rose when he didn't play, even though it may be true. Of those on the field, defensive end Mike Danna may have gotten the biggest bump by his performance. He had six tackles, a pass deflection and the Chiefs' lone sack, and his ability to create a little bit of pressure was sorely needed.

Toney has had a rough couple months. He needed surgery after one practice at training camp for a torn meniscus in his knee, causing him to miss the entire preseason, and the rust was evident. Not only did Toney drop some high-pressure passes, he also was stuffed for a loss on second-and-2 at the Detroit 20 midway through the fourth quarter. And when McKinnon dropped a pass of his own on the next play, the Chiefs had to settle for a field goal that left them with a 20-14 lead.

The Chiefs came out of the game without any new injuries, one of the few bright spots for them on opening night.

1 — Mahomes lost for the first time in a season opener Thursday night. He also threw his first interception in a Week 1 game.

The Chiefs head to Jacksonville on Sept. 17.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs proved in their season-opening loss to the Detroit Lions on Thursday night that their defense can get by just fine without Chris Jones, at least for a while, as the All-Pro defensive tackle continues his holdout.Travis Kelce is another matter.While the Chiefs defense repelled the Lions all night, their perpetually high-scoring offense fizzled, undone by dropped passes, penalties and miscommunication. Patrick Mahomes looked a beat off, the offensive line played well until two significant penalties as the Chiefs tried to march for a go-ahead field goal, and just about everyone who had an opportunity to get their hands on the ball dropped it at least once, all leading to a 21-20 loss at Arrowhead Stadium.Perhaps it would have turned out differently if Mahomes had Kelce, his All-Pro tight end and sure-handed security blanket, who missed the game after hyperextending his knee in practice two days earlier.“I mean, you're losing I think the best tight end of all time,” Mahomes said. “It's going to have an impact on the game, but others guys have to step up, and they're going to have to step up in moments, because I'm sure there will be times when he gets doubled, and so we're just going to have to rely on guys that are young and talented to step up and make plays.”Mahomes finished by saying, “I believe they will.” But they did little Thursday night to create a whole lot of confidence.Noah Gray, who was first off the bench to replace Kelce, miscommunicated once with Mahomes and dropped his pass on another play. Jerick McKinnon, who rarely drops a pass, did so late in the game. Kadarius Toney not only had one bounce off his hands for a pick-6 but dropped what would have been a long gain as the Chiefs were driving for go-ahead points.Hard to believe that Kelce would have dropped so many balls under any circumstances.“Got to be better as an offense,” said Blake Bell, another Kansas City tight end. “Defense battled their tails off, played great. Offensively we've got to finish when we get down there and whatever it is — dropped balls — we're just not scoring.”Kelce tried to convince Chiefs coach Andy Reid and trainer Rick Burkholder to let him play, going through a series of drills earlier in the day. But he acknowledged some pain in the knee and Reid and Burkholder decided to give him the night off.There is hope that the 10 days before the Chiefs' next game in Jacksonville is enough to ensure Kelce is back on the field.“I feel like we put ourselves in some bad situations. We didn’t execute. Couldn’t get conversions on third downs," McKinnon said. "When you play against a good team you can’t do those things, and if you can’t come up with points, this is what happens.”WHAT’S WORKINGMahomes provided some of the biggest highlights against Detroit not with his strong right arm but with his feet, and the fact that his scrambling topped a short list of things that were working is a bad sign. Mahomes ran six times for 45 yards, while the rest of the Chiefs combined for another 45 yards rushing but needed 17 carries to get them.WHAT NEEDS HELPThe Chiefs have one of the league's youngest secondaries and it showed when Lions ace Amon-Ra St. Brown diced it up. It would have helped to have Jones, who watched from a stadium suite, putting pressure on Jared Goff so that the defensive backfield did not have to cover for so long, but regardless, the Lions simply had too many guys wide open.STOCK UPIt's not fair to say Kelce's stock rose when he didn't play, even though it may be true. Of those on the field, defensive end Mike Danna may have gotten the biggest bump by his performance. He had six tackles, a pass deflection and the Chiefs' lone sack, and his ability to create a little bit of pressure was sorely needed.STOCK DOWNToney has had a rough couple months. He needed surgery after one practice at training camp for a torn meniscus in his knee, causing him to miss the entire preseason, and the rust was evident. Not only did Toney drop some high-pressure passes, he also was stuffed for a loss on second-and-2 at the Detroit 20 midway through the fourth quarter. And when McKinnon dropped a pass of his own on the next play, the Chiefs had to settle for a field goal that left them with a 20-14 lead.INJURIESThe Chiefs came out of the game without any new injuries, one of the few bright spots for them on opening night.KEY NUMBER1 — Mahomes lost for the first time in a season opener Thursday night. He also threw his first interception in a Week 1 game.NEXT STEPSThe Chiefs head to Jacksonville on Sept. 17.

Chiefs get by just fine without holdout Chris Jones, but injury to Travis Kelce proved costly

Fort Scott 42, Central (Springfield), Mo. 12

Jackson Heights 42, Maur Hill - Mount Academy 6

Lawrence Free State 26, Olathe Northwest 0

Friday AP ScoresAbilene 47, Concordia 12Afton, Okla. 14, Columbus 12Andale 64, Rose Hill 13Anderson County 48, Osawatomie 6Andover Central 24, Maize 21Arkansas City 29, Andover 28, 2OTAshland 48, Golden Plains 31Atchison 63, KC Sumner 6Attica/Argonia 60, Cedar Vale-Dexter 14Axtell 52, Hartford 6BV West 31, BV North 13Baxter Springs 48, Uniontown 0Bishop Miege 51, BV Southwest 28Blue Valley 17, St. James Academy 3Bucklin 30, Kiowa County 12Buhler 21, Circle 13Burden Central 48, Flinthills 0Burlingame 60, Lebo 12Burlington, Colo. 42, Goodland 32Cair Paravel 60, Doniphan West 12Canton-Galva 62, Goessel 14Central Plains 58, Macksville 12Chanute 27, Pittsburg 0Cheney 41, Garden Plain 14Chetopa 46, Peabody-Burns 26Cheylin 47, Weskan 0Clay Center 61, Chapman 0Clifton-Clyde 56, Blue Valley Randolph 0Coffeyville 14, Winfield 0Council Grove 28, Mission Valley 6Crest 50, Chase County 8Cunningham 53, Moscow 0Deerfield 55, Western Plains-Healy 0Derby 63, Salina South 0Eads, Colo. 70, Greeley County 26Ell-Saline 44, Hanover 28Ellinwood 40, Douglass 6Ellsworth 62, Republic County 6Erie 22, Cherryvale 16Eudora 55, Bonner Springs 8Eureka 12, Neodesha 6Fort Scott 42, Central (Springfield), Mo. 12Frankfort 54, Washington County 6Fredonia 32, Bluestem 0Frontenac 21, Riverton 18Garden City 70, Wichita North 15Goddard-Eisenhower 44, Salina Central 28Haven 61, Smoky Valley 28Hays 28, Great Bend 27Hays-TMP-Marian 39, Ellis 14Highland Park 32, KC Schlagle 26Hill City 32, Trego 14Hillsboro 35, Nickerson 0Hoisington 38, Halstead 14Holcomb 49, Cimarron 10Holyoke, Colo. 43, Colby 7Hoxie 56, Wheatland-Grinnell 0Hugoton 55, Ulysses 13Humboldt 28, Caney Valley 8Hutchinson 50, Newton 7Hutchinson Trinity 41, Remington 7Ingalls 51, Triplains-Brewster 0Jackson Heights 42, Maur Hill - Mount Academy 6Jefferson North 36, Atchison County 0Jefferson West 16, Hiawatha 14Junction City 52, Dodge City 35KC Bishop Ward 26, Olpe 14KC Piper 34, Basehor-Linwood 31KC Washington 61, KC Harmon 0Kapaun Mount Carmel 43, Wichita East 29Kingman 40, Conway Springs 19Kinsley 50, Otis-Bison 0Lakeside 56, Reno County 52Lakin 50, Syracuse 14Larned 60, Lyons 0Lawrence 49, Olathe West 14Lawrence Free State 26, Olathe Northwest 0Leavenworth 58, Topeka West 6Liberal 47, Emporia 14Lincoln 62, Pike Valley 16Linn 44, Logan/Palco 32Little River 60, Rural Vista 20Louisburg 35, Paola 20Lyndon 62, Herington 0Madison 58, Marais des Cygnes Valley 6Maize South 49, Wichita Campus 7Marion 19, Sterling 0Marmaton Valley 74, Yates Center 0McLouth 26, Horton 6McPherson 57, Augusta 10Meade 54, Hodgeman County 34Medicine Lodge 61, Belle Plaine 0Mill Valley 65, SM West 7Minneapolis 34, Salina Sacred Heart 0Minneola 68, Spearville 20Mound Westonka, Minn. 27, Winona 11Moundridge 52, Bennington 6Mulvane 21, Independence 14Nemaha Central 62, Royal Valley 0Northern Valley 40, Tescott 7Northland Christian, Mo. 32, Cornerstone Family 14Norton 12, Smith Center 8Olathe East 34, SM East 14Olathe South 54, SM North 45Osage City 29, Burlington 18Osborne 60, Stockton 0Ottawa 30, Baldwin 0Parsons 24, Labette County 13Pawnee Heights 56, Chase 6Perry-Lecompton 20, Riverside 6Phillipsburg 46, Oakley 12Pittsburg Colgan 47, Girard 8Pleasanton 34, Northeast-Arma 14Pratt 54, Hesston 13Pratt Skyline 46, Stafford 0Quapaw, Okla. 47, Galena 20Quinter 52, St. Francis 0Rawlins County 30, Dighton 12Riley County 26, Rossville 20Rock Creek 32, St. Mary's 6Ruskin, Mo. 61, KC Wyandotte 6Russell 20, Plainville 13Sabetha 24, Holton 8Santa Fe Trail 28, Prairie View 22Scott City 54, Wray, Colo. 22Sedan 50, Udall 0Sedgwick 35, Inman 20Shawnee Heights 26, Lansing 25Solomon 44, Wakefield 20South Barber 54, Pretty Prairie 6South Sumner 66, Norwich 18Southeast Saline 52, Beloit 6Southern Cloud 71, Burrton 6Spring Hill 36, Tonganoxie 29St. Mary's Academy 58, Northeast-Arma 26St. Paul 40, Oswego 22St. Thomas Aquinas 28, BV Northwest 14Sublette 20, South Central 12Sylvan Grove 58, St John's Beloit 12Thunder Ridge 46, Rock Hills 0Topeka Hayden 56, Silver Lake 7Topeka Seaman 59, KC Turner 6Troy 46, Valley Falls 8Valley Center 14, Goddard 6Valley Heights 48, Onaga 16Victoria 44, La Crosse 22Wabaunsee 56, Northern Heights 0Wallace County 54, Oberlin-Decatur 8Wamego 49, Marysville 0Washburn Rural 28, DeSoto 14Waverly 45, Altoona-Midway 0Wellington 21, Clearwater 14Wellsville 35, Iola 6West Elk 56, Oxford 6West Franklin 24, Central Heights 13Wichita Bishop Carroll 47, Wichita South 7Wichita Collegiate 60, El Dorado 7Wichita County 88, Elkhart 0Wichita Independent 40, Fairfield 20Wichita Northwest 41, Wichita Heights 13Wichita Sunrise 39, Hutchinson Central Christian 20Wichita Trinity 33, Chaparral 14

Friday Statewide Football Scores

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The sore back that had bothered Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels throughout the fall looked just fine Friday night.

Making his season debut, Daniels threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns, and Devin Neal ran for 120 yards and another score, sending the Jayhawks past Illinois 34-23 in the first meeting between the Power Five schools since 1968.

“I could tell today when we were doing some walkthrough stuff Jalon felt really good. He was really anxious to play,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “I felt he was ready. I didn't see any apprehension that he was worried about anything.”

Daniel Hishaw added 98 yards rushing and a touchdown, and Lawrence Arnold had five catches for 89 yards, as Daniels and the Jayhawks (2-0) piled up nearly 300 yards of offense in the first half and finished with 543 for the game,

“I feel like everything we game-planned this week,” Daniels said, “we executed it to a ‘T’”

The Illini's Luke Altmyer threw for 202 yards and a touchdown while running for 70 and two more scores, and he showed some moxie by bouncing back from a crushing blow from Kansas defensive lineman Austin Booker to lead a fourth-quarter rally.

The Illini (1-1) trailed 34-7 before Altmyer scored both of his TDs on the ground, and the 2-point conversions got them within 34-23 late in the fourth quarter. But the Illinois quarterback was picked off with 1:59 to go, ending the comeback bid.

“We still had plenty of time, we just had to manage it,” Illini coach Bret Bielema said. “We just haven't been in this moment and it's definitely something we have to correct. I promise you, in the Big Ten, we're going to have these exact scenarios.”

Daniels showed no signs of rust — and how much more dynamic the Kansas offense is with him under center — after he missed last week's opener against Missouri State to rest his ailing back. He led a 10-play, 82-yard TD march the first time he touched the ball, then added two more touchdown drives to send Kansas to a 21-0 lead.

The Illini, meanwhile, were going nowhere: four drives, four punts. And when they finally put together a sustained series, with Altmyer hitting five straight passes and Tip Rieman hauling in a short TD pass, Daniels made them pay for leaving 41 seconds on the clock. He quickly completed a 48-yard pass to set up Hishaw's touchdown run.

“You come down here to the end of the game — you have an 11-point game,” Bielema said, “and you realize you gave them a free touchdown. A free seven points, right before the half. Or it's a one-possession game.”

The Jayhawks extended their lead to 34-7 with a pair of field goals before Illinois finally got a big play. Altmyer escaped the pocket on third-and-18 and found nobody ahead of him, running untouched 72 yards for the score.

The Illini kept their momentum going when Xavier Scott picked off a jump ball in the end zone on the ensuing possession, and Altmyer swiftly led them the other way. After six completions, the Illini quarterback ran it into the end zone himself.

Suddenly, the Jayhawks' lead was down to 34-23 with just over 8 minutes to play.

Illinois got the ball again with about 4 minutes to go, but Altmyer's hot streak finally ended. After he completed a long throw to convert fourth-and-long, the Ole Miss transfer was picked by the Jayhawks' Kwinton Lassiter to put the game away.

“At first glimpse I thought we were an extremely physical football team tonight,” Leipold said. “The film will tell us for sure but I thought we played aggressive. We're playing in a fashion that we're going to need in the Big 12 this year.”

Big Ten referee Larry Smith's crew had a tough time with targeting penalties. They didn't call one after Booker's hit on Altmyer until Bielema demanded the play be reviewed, and only then was the Kansas defensive tackle kicked from the game. The crew later called targeting on the Illini's Tarique Barnes but overturned that one on review, allowing him to remain in the game. A third flag for targeting resulted in Kansas defensive back Cobee Bryant's ejection in the fourth quarter.

Illinois was dominated on the both sides of the ball most of the game, despite coming back in the fourth quarter, and the frustration was evident in the jawing that took place throughout the game; defensive tackle Keith Randolph Jr. was called for unsportsmanlike conduct at one point and tempers continued to flare.

Kansas was strong up front all night, setting the tone for most of the game. Booker and Jereme Robinson each had two sacks and the Jayhawks had six as a team, while the defensive line held Illinois running backs to 75 yards on the ground.

Illinois plays No. 7 Penn State next Saturday.

Kansas visits Nevada next Saturday night.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The sore back that had bothered Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels throughout the fall looked just fine Friday night.So did his arm and legs.Making his season debut, Daniels threw for 280 yards and two touchdowns, and Devin Neal ran for 120 yards and another score, sending the Jayhawks past Illinois 34-23 in the first meeting between the Power Five schools since 1968.“I could tell today when we were doing some walkthrough stuff Jalon felt really good. He was really anxious to play,” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said. “I felt he was ready. I didn't see any apprehension that he was worried about anything.”Daniel Hishaw added 98 yards rushing and a touchdown, and Lawrence Arnold had five catches for 89 yards, as Daniels and the Jayhawks (2-0) piled up nearly 300 yards of offense in the first half and finished with 543 for the game,“I feel like everything we game-planned this week,” Daniels said, “we executed it to a ‘T’”The Illini's Luke Altmyer threw for 202 yards and a touchdown while running for 70 and two more scores, and he showed some moxie by bouncing back from a crushing blow from Kansas defensive lineman Austin Booker to lead a fourth-quarter rally.The Illini (1-1) trailed 34-7 before Altmyer scored both of his TDs on the ground, and the 2-point conversions got them within 34-23 late in the fourth quarter. But the Illinois quarterback was picked off with 1:59 to go, ending the comeback bid.“We still had plenty of time, we just had to manage it,” Illini coach Bret Bielema said. “We just haven't been in this moment and it's definitely something we have to correct. I promise you, in the Big Ten, we're going to have these exact scenarios.”Daniels showed no signs of rust — and how much more dynamic the Kansas offense is with him under center — after he missed last week's opener against Missouri State to rest his ailing back. He led a 10-play, 82-yard TD march the first time he touched the ball, then added two more touchdown drives to send Kansas to a 21-0 lead.The Illini, meanwhile, were going nowhere: four drives, four punts. And when they finally put together a sustained series, with Altmyer hitting five straight passes and Tip Rieman hauling in a short TD pass, Daniels made them pay for leaving 41 seconds on the clock. He quickly completed a 48-yard pass to set up Hishaw's touchdown run.“You come down here to the end of the game — you have an 11-point game,” Bielema said, “and you realize you gave them a free touchdown. A free seven points, right before the half. Or it's a one-possession game.”The Jayhawks extended their lead to 34-7 with a pair of field goals before Illinois finally got a big play. Altmyer escaped the pocket on third-and-18 and found nobody ahead of him, running untouched 72 yards for the score.The Illini kept their momentum going when Xavier Scott picked off a jump ball in the end zone on the ensuing possession, and Altmyer swiftly led them the other way. After six completions, the Illini quarterback ran it into the end zone himself.Suddenly, the Jayhawks' lead was down to 34-23 with just over 8 minutes to play.Illinois got the ball again with about 4 minutes to go, but Altmyer's hot streak finally ended. After he completed a long throw to convert fourth-and-long, the Ole Miss transfer was picked by the Jayhawks' Kwinton Lassiter to put the game away.“At first glimpse I thought we were an extremely physical football team tonight,” Leipold said. “The film will tell us for sure but I thought we played aggressive. We're playing in a fashion that we're going to need in the Big 12 this year.”WHAT IS TARGETINGBig Ten referee Larry Smith's crew had a tough time with targeting penalties. They didn't call one after Booker's hit on Altmyer until Bielema demanded the play be reviewed, and only then was the Kansas defensive tackle kicked from the game. The crew later called targeting on the Illini's Tarique Barnes but overturned that one on review, allowing him to remain in the game. A third flag for targeting resulted in Kansas defensive back Cobee Bryant's ejection in the fourth quarter.THE TAKEAWAYIllinois was dominated on the both sides of the ball most of the game, despite coming back in the fourth quarter, and the frustration was evident in the jawing that took place throughout the game; defensive tackle Keith Randolph Jr. was called for unsportsmanlike conduct at one point and tempers continued to flare.Kansas was strong up front all night, setting the tone for most of the game. Booker and Jereme Robinson each had two sacks and the Jayhawks had six as a team, while the defensive line held Illinois running backs to 75 yards on the ground.UP NEXTIllinois plays No. 7 Penn State next Saturday.Kansas visits Nevada next Saturday night.

Jalon Daniels headlines 34-23 victory over Illinois in season debut

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

The game many media outlets in Kansas billed as the "Game of the Week" lived up to the hype Friday night in Hays. Great Bend and Hays scored a flurry of points early and late, punctuated by a pair of touchdowns in the final two-plus minutes. In the end, the fourth-ranked Indians took advantage of a missed extra point to escape with a 28-27 win.

"These guys have just seen a lot of winning," said Hays coach Tony Crough. "I think that's what pulled them through tonight. I don't know that we played well enough to win but there were no losers out there tonight. Both teams, hats off to Great Bend. They definitely didn't deserve to lose that game."

The teams split 28 points in the first quarter but that 14-14 tie was still the score in the final minute of the third quarter when Panther freshman Cooper Ohnmacht, filling in for sophomore quarterback Daxton Minton, found senior Colton Brack in the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown. Great Bend pulled ahead 21-14.

Hays answered on its next drive with a 3-yard touchdown run from junior Ian McGuire. Great Bend drove the field on a potential game-winning drive, eating up more than five minutes of clock before sophomore Ian Premer went 18 yards on a Minton pass to give the Panthers a 27-21 edge with 2:15 to play.&nbsp;

Hays came up with a final answer, converting a fourth-and-four to keep a last drive alive. With no timeouts and facing a fourth-and-eight from the 16-yard line, standout running back Malik Bah went to the air to find junior Johnny Cano in the end zone with under 30 seconds to play. The extra point gave the Indians just their second lead of the night at 28-27.

The Panthers nearly mounted a miracle comeback. With no timeouts, Minton used short sideline passes to Premer and senior Maddox Spray to move the ball downfield. Premer nearly pulled in a touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone with just seconds left on the clock, but he was ruled out of bounds. That gave freshman kicker Omar Razo a shot at redemption. With two seconds left, his 39-yard field goal would win the game. Instead, Hays came up with a blocked kick to end the game.

The teams scored 28 points in the first 10 minutes of action. Hays quarterback Carter Graham found a wide-open Jarek Purdy for a 36-yard strike on the first drive of the game. Minton answered with a 49-yard touchdown pass to Spray just a few minutes later. Premer picked off a Graham pass to set up a 9-yard touchdown run from Minton for Great Bend's first lead of the night at 14-7. Bah ran 72 yards down the sideline just a few plays later for the equalizer.

Bah carried the ball 40 times for 218 yards in week one against Junction City. Friday, he finished with 231 yards on 37 carries. He was held to five yards or fewer on 14 of his 19 carries in the second half, and 102 of his total yards came on just two carries.

Minton threw for 299 yards on 21-of-26 passing with two more touchdowns in his second varsity start. Premer caught seven passes for 99 yards, Spray caught six balls for 106 yards, and Brack had three receptions for 67 yards. Premer also had two interceptions to bring his season total to three. Cody Miller finished with 57 yards on 17 carries.&nbsp;

Great Bend takes a 1-1 record on the road to Buhler next Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694238907715.jpeg" alt="Daxton Minton hands the ball to Cody Miller during the second half of Friday's 28-27 loss to Hays." />
 <figcaption>Daxton Minton hands the ball to Cody Miller during the second half of Friday's 28-27 loss to Hays.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostThe game many media outlets in Kansas billed as the "Game of the Week" lived up to the hype Friday night in Hays. Great Bend and Hays scored a flurry of points early and late, punctuated by a pair of touchdowns in the final two-plus minutes. In the end, the fourth-ranked Indians took advantage of a missed extra point to escape with a 28-27 win."These guys have just seen a lot of winning," said Hays coach Tony Crough. "I think that's what pulled them through tonight. I don't know that we played well enough to win but there were no losers out there tonight. Both teams, hats off to Great Bend. They definitely didn't deserve to lose that game."The teams split 28 points in the first quarter but that 14-14 tie was still the score in the final minute of the third quarter when Panther freshman Cooper Ohnmacht, filling in for sophomore quarterback Daxton Minton, found senior Colton Brack in the end zone for a 16-yard touchdown. Great Bend pulled ahead 21-14.Hays answered on its next drive with a 3-yard touchdown run from junior Ian McGuire. Great Bend drove the field on a potential game-winning drive, eating up more than five minutes of clock before sophomore Ian Premer went 18 yards on a Minton pass to give the Panthers a 27-21 edge with 2:15 to play.&nbsp;Hays came up with a final answer, converting a fourth-and-four to keep a last drive alive. With no timeouts and facing a fourth-and-eight from the 16-yard line, standout running back Malik Bah went to the air to find junior Johnny Cano in the end zone with under 30 seconds to play. The extra point gave the Indians just their second lead of the night at 28-27.The Panthers nearly mounted a miracle comeback. With no timeouts, Minton used short sideline passes to Premer and senior Maddox Spray to move the ball downfield. Premer nearly pulled in a touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone with just seconds left on the clock, but he was ruled out of bounds. That gave freshman kicker Omar Razo a shot at redemption. With two seconds left, his 39-yard field goal would win the game. Instead, Hays came up with a blocked kick to end the game.The teams scored 28 points in the first 10 minutes of action. Hays quarterback Carter Graham found a wide-open Jarek Purdy for a 36-yard strike on the first drive of the game. Minton answered with a 49-yard touchdown pass to Spray just a few minutes later. Premer picked off a Graham pass to set up a 9-yard touchdown run from Minton for Great Bend's first lead of the night at 14-7. Bah ran 72 yards down the sideline just a few plays later for the equalizer.Bah carried the ball 40 times for 218 yards in week one against Junction City. Friday, he finished with 231 yards on 37 carries. He was held to five yards or fewer on 14 of his 19 carries in the second half, and 102 of his total yards came on just two carries.Minton threw for 299 yards on 21-of-26 passing with two more touchdowns in his second varsity start. Premer caught seven passes for 99 yards, Spray caught six balls for 106 yards, and Brack had three receptions for 67 yards. Premer also had two interceptions to bring his season total to three. Cody Miller finished with 57 yards on 17 carries.&nbsp;Great Bend takes a 1-1 record on the road to Buhler next Friday.

Panthers come up a point shy against No. 4 Hays

TORONTO (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a tiebreaking double in the seventh inning, Bo Bichette had two hits and two RBIs in his return from injury and the Toronto Blue Jays held on to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Friday night.

Guerrero’s two-run double off right-hander Carlos Hernández (1-10) helped the Blue Jays (78-63) hold onto the final AL wild-card berth with their fourth win in five games.

Toronto matched a season best by moving 15 games above .500. The Blue Jays are 23-19 in one-run games. Kansas City, at 44-98, fell behind Oakland for the worst record in major leagues.

Bichette went 2 for 5 and scored once after being activated off the 10-day injured list before the game.

“When he has runners on base, he does anything to bring them in,” Guerrero said of his fellow All-Star through a translator. “It’s great to have him back.”

Bichette, the two-time AL hits leader, returned after missing nine games because of a strained right quadriceps.

“Just having him back in the lineup is definitely huge,” Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi said through a translator. “It puts a lot of pressure on the other teams. He’s a big presence in our lineup and also a leader. It’s really good to have a leader like him back.”

Blue Jays manager John Schneider called Bichette “an instant shot of energy to our offense.”

“He hasn’t seen live pitching in 10 or 12 days and he’s taking tough pitches,” Schneider said. “It’s impressive what he can do in the box.”

Royals manager Matt Quatraro wasn’t as pleased to see Bichette back.

“I would have been a lot happier if he had a few more days off,” Quatraro joked.

Blue Jays rookie Davis Schneider reached base four times. He doubled in the second and fourth, and walked in the sixth and seventh.

Chad Green (2-0) got two outs for the win and left-hander Tim Mayza got one out in the eighth. Closer Jordan Romano recorded the final four outs for his 33rd save in 36 chances despite giving up an RBI single to Salvador Perez in the ninth. Edward Olivares flied out to end it, stranding runners at first and second.

Kansas City left-hander Austin Cox had to be helped off the field in the seventh after injuring his left knee while covering first base.

“He’s in some pain,” Quatraro said. “We’re going to get more diagnostic testing and see exactly what it is.”

Cox struck out pinch hitter Santiago Espinal to begin the inning, but went down while trying to get to the base on Alejandro Kirk’s infield single.

“It’s really tough,” Royals infielder Nick Loftin said. “Saying a lot of prayers for him.”

Tyler Heineman pinch ran for Kirk and advanced on a wild pitch before Kevin Kiermaier flied out. George Springer walked and Bichette tied it with a first-pitch single.

Guerrero followed with a two-run double. He has 16 RBIs in 24 career games against Kansas City.

Pinch-hitter Ernie Clement capped the four-run rally with a two-out RBI single off left-hander Tucker Davidson.

Bobby Witt Jr. cut it to 5-3 in the eighth when he doubled and scored on a fielder’s choice grounder by pinch-hitter Olivares.

Royals outfielder Dairon Blanco hit a two-out solo homer off Kikuchi in the third, his second.

It was the second homer off Kikuchi in 10 starts since the All-Star break. Kikuchi allowed one run and three hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out eight.

Toronto tied it against right-hander Alec Marsh in the sixth when Kiermaier led off with a triple and scored on Bichette’s one-out double.

Kansas City reclaimed the lead with a two-out rally against right-hander Trevor Richards in the seventh. Freddy Fermin singled and scored on Loftin’s first career triple. Richards left after walking Kyle Isbel and Green came on to strike out Blanco.

Right-hander Collin Snider opened for the Royals and allowed one hit in two scoreless innings.

Royals: Kansas City activated 1B Nick Pratto (left groin) off the IL and optioned INF Matt Beaty to Triple-A Omaha.

Blue Jays: John Schneider said C Danny Jansen will miss the rest of the regular season after having surgery Thursday on his fractured right middle finger. Jansen’s status for the playoffs will be evaluated if Toronto advances to the postseason. … 3B Matt Chapman resumed hitting and fielding drills Friday after having a splint removed from his sprained right middle finger.

To make room for Bichette, Toronto optioned INF Mason McCoy to Triple-A Buffalo.

Toronto has won eight of its past nine home meetings with Kansas City.

The Royals are a major league-worst 18-52 on the road.

RHP Kevin Gausman (10-8, 3.39 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Blue Jays on Saturday. Kansas City hasn’t announced a starter.

TORONTO (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a tiebreaking double in the seventh inning, Bo Bichette had two hits and two RBIs in his return from injury and the Toronto Blue Jays held on to beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 on Friday night.Guerrero’s two-run double off right-hander Carlos Hernández (1-10) helped the Blue Jays (78-63) hold onto the final AL wild-card berth with their fourth win in five games.Toronto matched a season best by moving 15 games above .500. The Blue Jays are 23-19 in one-run games. Kansas City, at 44-98, fell behind Oakland for the worst record in major leagues.Bichette went 2 for 5 and scored once after being activated off the 10-day injured list before the game.“When he has runners on base, he does anything to bring them in,” Guerrero said of his fellow All-Star through a translator. “It’s great to have him back.”Bichette, the two-time AL hits leader, returned after missing nine games because of a strained right quadriceps.“Just having him back in the lineup is definitely huge,” Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi said through a translator. “It puts a lot of pressure on the other teams. He’s a big presence in our lineup and also a leader. It’s really good to have a leader like him back.”Blue Jays manager John Schneider called Bichette “an instant shot of energy to our offense.”“He hasn’t seen live pitching in 10 or 12 days and he’s taking tough pitches,” Schneider said. “It’s impressive what he can do in the box.”Royals manager Matt Quatraro wasn’t as pleased to see Bichette back.“I would have been a lot happier if he had a few more days off,” Quatraro joked.Blue Jays rookie Davis Schneider reached base four times. He doubled in the second and fourth, and walked in the sixth and seventh.Chad Green (2-0) got two outs for the win and left-hander Tim Mayza got one out in the eighth. Closer Jordan Romano recorded the final four outs for his 33rd save in 36 chances despite giving up an RBI single to Salvador Perez in the ninth. Edward Olivares flied out to end it, stranding runners at first and second.Kansas City left-hander Austin Cox had to be helped off the field in the seventh after injuring his left knee while covering first base.“He’s in some pain,” Quatraro said. “We’re going to get more diagnostic testing and see exactly what it is.”Cox struck out pinch hitter Santiago Espinal to begin the inning, but went down while trying to get to the base on Alejandro Kirk’s infield single.“It’s really tough,” Royals infielder Nick Loftin said. “Saying a lot of prayers for him.”Hernández came on to replace Cox.Tyler Heineman pinch ran for Kirk and advanced on a wild pitch before Kevin Kiermaier flied out. George Springer walked and Bichette tied it with a first-pitch single.Guerrero followed with a two-run double. He has 16 RBIs in 24 career games against Kansas City.Pinch-hitter Ernie Clement capped the four-run rally with a two-out RBI single off left-hander Tucker Davidson.Bobby Witt Jr. cut it to 5-3 in the eighth when he doubled and scored on a fielder’s choice grounder by pinch-hitter Olivares.Royals outfielder Dairon Blanco hit a two-out solo homer off Kikuchi in the third, his second.It was the second homer off Kikuchi in 10 starts since the All-Star break. Kikuchi allowed one run and three hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out eight.Toronto tied it against right-hander Alec Marsh in the sixth when Kiermaier led off with a triple and scored on Bichette’s one-out double.Kansas City reclaimed the lead with a two-out rally against right-hander Trevor Richards in the seventh. Freddy Fermin singled and scored on Loftin’s first career triple. Richards left after walking Kyle Isbel and Green came on to strike out Blanco.Right-hander Collin Snider opened for the Royals and allowed one hit in two scoreless innings.TRAINER’S ROOMRoyals: Kansas City activated 1B Nick Pratto (left groin) off the IL and optioned INF Matt Beaty to Triple-A Omaha.Blue Jays: John Schneider said C Danny Jansen will miss the rest of the regular season after having surgery Thursday on his fractured right middle finger. Jansen’s status for the playoffs will be evaluated if Toronto advances to the postseason. … 3B Matt Chapman resumed hitting and fielding drills Friday after having a splint removed from his sprained right middle finger.ROSTER MOVESTo make room for Bichette, Toronto optioned INF Mason McCoy to Triple-A Buffalo.ROYAL PAINToronto has won eight of its past nine home meetings with Kansas City.ROCKY ROADThe Royals are a major league-worst 18-52 on the road.UP NEXTRHP Kevin Gausman (10-8, 3.39 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Blue Jays on Saturday. Kansas City hasn’t announced a starter.

Guerrero drives in 2, Bichette has 2 hits in return from injury, Blue Jays beat Royals 5-4

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MANHATTAN (AP) — No. 16 Kansas State gets a visit from Troy on Saturday as it tries to build some momentum for a trip to old Big 12 rival Missouri the following week. The Trojans are coming off a win over Stephen F. Austin in their opener. The Wildcats are led by quarterback Will Howard, who threw two touchdown passes while running for a score and catching a TD pass in a Week 1 romp over Missouri State. Troy running back Kimani Vidal ran for a school-record 248 yards on just 25 carries in its opener.

Troy (1-0) at No. 16 Kansas State (1-0), Saturday, 12 p.m. ET (FS1)

Line: Kansas State by 16 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Series record: Kansas State leads 1-0.

Kansas State is trying to build some momentum heading into next week's trip to Missouri for a matchup of old Big 12 rivals. The Wildcats shut out Southeast Missouri State last week, piling up 588 yards of total offense along the way. The Trojans are coming off a 48-30 win over Stephen F. Austin in their opener.

Kansas State RB D.J. Giddens, who ran for a career-best 128 yards last week, against the Trojan defensive front. Giddens shared duties with Florida State transfer Treshaun Ward in the opener. The Trojans allowed 104 yards rushing and 240 yards of total offense to Stephen F. Austin.

Troy: RB Kimani Vidal ran for a school-record 248 yards on just 25 carries a week ago. He has eclipsed 200 yards in three of his past five games, and Vidal needs 845 yards the rest of the way to break the school's career rushing mark.

Kansas State: QB Will Howard became the sixth quarterback in Big 12 history with touchdowns throwing, running and receiving in last week's win over SEMO. He finished with 297 yards and two touchdowns before giving way to backup quarterback Avery Johnson.

Troy has won 12 straight games, the second-longest active streak behind Georgia's 18-game run. ... The Trojans opened their win over Stephen F. Austin with offensive and defensive touchdowns on back-to-back drives. ... Ethan Conner became the first Troy tight end since at least 1990 to have multiple touchdown receptions last week. ... Kansas State WR RJ Garcia had 119 yards receiving and TE Ben Sinnott had 100 in its win over Missouri State. ... Howard is the second Big 12 quarterback to have TDs throwing, running and receiving in the same quarter after Nebraska's Eric Crouch did it against California in 1999. ... The Wildcats have scored at least 45 points in its last three regular-season games. The last time they did it four straight was in 1998, when they accomplished the feat twice. ... Kansas State was one of five teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision to open the season with a shutout. Big 12 rivals BYU and Oklahoma also did it.

MANHATTAN (AP) — No. 16 Kansas State gets a visit from Troy on Saturday as it tries to build some momentum for a trip to old Big 12 rival Missouri the following week. The Trojans are coming off a win over Stephen F. Austin in their opener. The Wildcats are led by quarterback Will Howard, who threw two touchdown passes while running for a score and catching a TD pass in a Week 1 romp over Missouri State. Troy running back Kimani Vidal ran for a school-record 248 yards on just 25 carries in its opener.Troy (1-0) at No. 16 Kansas State (1-0), Saturday, 12 p.m. ET (FS1)Line: Kansas State by 16 1/2, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.Series record: Kansas State leads 1-0.WHAT’S AT STAKE?Kansas State is trying to build some momentum heading into next week's trip to Missouri for a matchup of old Big 12 rivals. The Wildcats shut out Southeast Missouri State last week, piling up 588 yards of total offense along the way. The Trojans are coming off a 48-30 win over Stephen F. Austin in their opener.KEY MATCHUPKansas State RB D.J. Giddens, who ran for a career-best 128 yards last week, against the Trojan defensive front. Giddens shared duties with Florida State transfer Treshaun Ward in the opener. The Trojans allowed 104 yards rushing and 240 yards of total offense to Stephen F. Austin.PLAYERS TO WATCHTroy: RB Kimani Vidal ran for a school-record 248 yards on just 25 carries a week ago. He has eclipsed 200 yards in three of his past five games, and Vidal needs 845 yards the rest of the way to break the school's career rushing mark.Kansas State: QB Will Howard became the sixth quarterback in Big 12 history with touchdowns throwing, running and receiving in last week's win over SEMO. He finished with 297 yards and two touchdowns before giving way to backup quarterback Avery Johnson.FACTS &amp; FIGURESTroy has won 12 straight games, the second-longest active streak behind Georgia's 18-game run. ... The Trojans opened their win over Stephen F. Austin with offensive and defensive touchdowns on back-to-back drives. ... Ethan Conner became the first Troy tight end since at least 1990 to have multiple touchdown receptions last week. ... Kansas State WR RJ Garcia had 119 yards receiving and TE Ben Sinnott had 100 in its win over Missouri State. ... Howard is the second Big 12 quarterback to have TDs throwing, running and receiving in the same quarter after Nebraska's Eric Crouch did it against California in 1999. ... The Wildcats have scored at least 45 points in its last three regular-season games. The last time they did it four straight was in 1998, when they accomplished the feat twice. ... Kansas State was one of five teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision to open the season with a shutout. Big 12 rivals BYU and Oklahoma also did it.

No. 16 K-State gets visit from Troy after opening the season with a shutout win

- Sunflower Sports Solutions Connor Nichol. The S3 owner and founder will run down all the Friday night matchups including Great Bend at Hays. He'll also have the week that was in high school volleyball.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693997740304.jpeg" alt="Friday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, Aaron Clark, and Mike Hesher" />
 <figcaption>Friday show lineup with hosts Steve Webster, Mike Courson, Aaron Clark, and Mike Hesher</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/StHKGxVtE2Y?si=1rWBN-mbKomqWdpY" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>- Sunflower Sports Solutions Connor Nichol. The S3 owner and founder will run down all the Friday night matchups including Great Bend at Hays. He'll also have the week that was in high school volleyball.- Hays High Football coach Tony Crough- Friday Sports Headlines- Sounds of the past 24-hours

Friday on Sports Day (Watch)

HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State Football held a 14-13 lead over No. 3/3 ranked Pittsburg State at halftime on Thursday evening (Sept. 7) in its home opener at Lewis Field Stadium. But, the Tigers struggled to move the ball in the second half and Pittsburg State ran away with a 40-14 result to improve to 2-0 on the season. FHSU moved to 1-1.

Fort Hays State took the early advantage when Jack Dawson found Bryson Smith from 13 yards out for a touchdown, putting the Tigers up 7-0 about six and a half minutes into the contest. The Gorillas bounced back for the next 10 points with a field goal at the 6:33 mark of the first quarter and then a 9-yard touchdown pass with 4:56 remaining in the second. The back-and-forth continued when FHSU scored on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Dawson to Jayden Horace with 1:15 to go prior to halftime to take a 14-10 lead. The Gorillas tacked on a late field goal inside 10 seconds to cut the FHSU lead to one at the break.

The Tigers produced 162 yards of total offense in the first half compared to 187 for the Gorillas. However, the second half turned into a lopsided affair when the Tigers were only able to add 50 yards to their total. The Gorillas went on to tack on 289 yards of total offense after the break and wear the Tigers down with four unanswered touchdowns.

Dawson finished with 165 passing yards, completing 15-of-32 attempts with two touchdowns and one interception. Cale Cormaney led the Tigers in receiving yards with 52, while Trevor Watts had a team-high four catches. Travis Dixon led FHSU in rushing with 37 yards. FHSU generated only 47 rushing yards as a team. Makel Williams led the Tiger defense with 13 tackles, while Mason Perez was near double figures with nine and Kobe Rome recorded the Tigers' lone interception.

The Gorillas rushed for 193 yards spread among eight players, led by Ty Pennington with 43. Chad Dodson threw for 239 of the Gorillas' 283 yards through the air, also with two touchdowns and one interception. Devon Garrison led PSU in receiving yards with 90, while Kolbe Katsis had a team-high 14 receptions. Alex Gaskill led the PSU defense with six tackles.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694170068736.jpeg" alt="FHSU Athletics" />
 <figcaption>FHSU Athletics</figcaption>
 </figure>HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State Football held a 14-13 lead over No. 3/3 ranked Pittsburg State at halftime on Thursday evening (Sept. 7) in its home opener at Lewis Field Stadium. But, the Tigers struggled to move the ball in the second half and Pittsburg State ran away with a 40-14 result to improve to 2-0 on the season. FHSU moved to 1-1.Fort Hays State took the early advantage when Jack Dawson found Bryson Smith from 13 yards out for a touchdown, putting the Tigers up 7-0 about six and a half minutes into the contest. The Gorillas bounced back for the next 10 points with a field goal at the 6:33 mark of the first quarter and then a 9-yard touchdown pass with 4:56 remaining in the second. The back-and-forth continued when FHSU scored on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Dawson to Jayden Horace with 1:15 to go prior to halftime to take a 14-10 lead. The Gorillas tacked on a late field goal inside 10 seconds to cut the FHSU lead to one at the break.The Tigers produced 162 yards of total offense in the first half compared to 187 for the Gorillas. However, the second half turned into a lopsided affair when the Tigers were only able to add 50 yards to their total. The Gorillas went on to tack on 289 yards of total offense after the break and wear the Tigers down with four unanswered touchdowns.Dawson finished with 165 passing yards, completing 15-of-32 attempts with two touchdowns and one interception. Cale Cormaney led the Tigers in receiving yards with 52, while Trevor Watts had a team-high four catches. Travis Dixon led FHSU in rushing with 37 yards. FHSU generated only 47 rushing yards as a team. Makel Williams led the Tiger defense with 13 tackles, while Mason Perez was near double figures with nine and Kobe Rome recorded the Tigers' lone interception.The Gorillas rushed for 193 yards spread among eight players, led by Ty Pennington with 43. Chad Dodson threw for 239 of the Gorillas' 283 yards through the air, also with two touchdowns and one interception. Devon Garrison led PSU in receiving yards with 90, while Kolbe Katsis had a team-high 14 receptions. Alex Gaskill led the PSU defense with six tackles.

Pittsburg State grinds down Tigers 40-14

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Lions walked into roaring Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night, where the Kansas City Chiefs are nearly unbeatable and were trying to open their latest Super Bowl title defense with a win, and proved what Detroit coach Dan Campbell has come to know in turning around the long downtrodden franchise.

“This is a resilient team,” Campbell said. “We're built to handle some stuff.”

Under the bright spotlight of the NFL's season opener, Jared Goff threw for 253 yards and a touchdown, new Lions running back David Montgomery ran for the go-ahead score late in the game and Detroit held on for a 21-20 victory over the Chiefs.

“We expected to win this game,” said Campbell, who won just three games his first season but led the Lions to eight wins over their final 10 games a year ago, when they went 9-8 and narrowly missed the playoffs. “We came in here, knew what we needed to do, knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and we did that. We won.”

Amon-Ra St. Brown had six catches for 71 yards and a score, and Lions rookie Brian Branch returned Patrick Mahomes' first pick in an opener 50 yards for another touchdown, helping Detroit snap the Chiefs' eight-game Week 1 winning streak.

The Lions also snapped their own five-game skid in season openers.

“A lot of work has been put in this offseason,” Goff said, “and you want to start off winning the first one, and we did that today. We didn't play the best on offense, I thought the defense kept us in the game, but we found a way.”

The Lions were trying to run out the clock when Goff's fourth-down pass near midfield was batted down with 2:30 left, giving the Chiefs a chance. But they made a mess of it: Kadarius Toney dropped a potential 20-yard gain, a deep completion was called back for holding, Skyy Moore dropped a pass and a false start left Mahomes heaving a fourth-and-25 throw downfield.

When it fell incomplete and Detroit took over, Montgomery ran for a first down and the Lions ran out the clock.

Mahomes finished with 226 yards passing and two touchdowns, despite his receivers dropping a slew of passes. He also was the leading rusher for the Chiefs, whose self-inflicted wounds proved too much to overcome.

There had been equal parts anticipation and anxiety leading up to the game in Kansas City, where the Chiefs had celebrated their previous Lombardi Trophy in the midst of a pandemic, and only about 18,000 fans were able to join in the revelry.

Hundreds began tailgating outside the Arrowhead Stadium parking lots 14 hours before kickoff Thursday, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell along with about 80,000 more people joined them to see the Chiefs raise their latest championship banner.

That was the anticipation. The anxiety came from the absence of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and fellow All-Pro Chris Jones, who is in the midst of a contract holdout. The defensive tackle was expected to miss the opener, but Kelce had only been questionable since Tuesday, when he hyperextended his knee in the final full practice before game day.

“It wasn't feeling right,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “I wasn't going to put him out there with that, and he was honest with me.”

Detroit scored first in a showdown of two of the league’s top offenses a year ago. Goff took advantage of a clean pocket, thanks in part to Jones sitting in a stadium suite, to march down field and find St. Brown with a 9-yard touchdown pass.

The Chiefs answered with Mahomes finding five different wide receivers on a long drive, the last of them rookie Rashee Rice, who atoned for an earlier drop by snaring a short touchdown pass to knot the game at 7-apiece.

It remained that way until Campbell made a questionable decision late in the half.

The Chiefs were facing fourth-and-2 near midfield but had been called for holding, and rather than decline it, Campbell chose to push them back. Mahomes responded to third-and-17 by hitting Marquez Valdes-Scantling with a 24-yard strike. He added a 26-yard pass to Justin Watson, then hit Blake Bell with a short TD throw to give the Chiefs a 14-7 halftime lead.

With the Lions' offense still going nowhere in the second half, the defense stepped up. Branch caught a pass that bounced off Toney’s hands and found nothing but 50 yards of grass separating him from the end zone and a 14-all tie.

Up to that point, Mahomes had thrown 20 touchdown passes without an interception in five-plus season openers.

The Chiefs tacked on two field goals, but the missed chances to get into the end zone proved costly. The Lions followed up Harrison Butker’s second kick by driving 75 yards, twice converting on third down, with Montgomery capping the march with a 9-yard touchdown run that gave Detroit the the lead for good.

“The Lions did a heck of a job. They capitalized on a couple of things and we've got to fix it,” Reid said. “I liked the aggressiveness on the defensive side. There were some good things on offense. We just have to be more consistent.”

The Lions’ Marvin Jones fumbled away a good scoring chance in the second quarter, when Trent McDuffie knocked the ball out deep in Kansas City territory. It was the veteran wide receiver’s first fumble in his 12-year career and came on his 563rd touch, the longest active streak in the NFL.

Kelce had a bone bruise and some swelling in his knee, though tests taken after the injury in practice showed no ligament damage. He went through a workout early Thursday to see whether he could move well enough to play, but Reid and Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder decided to give Kelce time to recover with their next game 10 days away.

Lions: Branch, the first player with a pick-6 in his Lions debut since 1967, departed with cramps on the final play of the third quarter. ... DT Levi Onwuzurike limped off with trainers with about 12 minutes left in the game.

Lions: Play their home opener on Sept. 17 against Seattle.

Chiefs: Visit Jacksonville on Sept. 17 for a divisional playoff rematch.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694147333746.jpeg" alt="Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) is congratulated by wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown after scoring during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)" />
 <figcaption>Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) is congratulated by wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown after scoring during the second half of an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs Thursday, Sept. 7, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Lions walked into roaring Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night, where the Kansas City Chiefs are nearly unbeatable and were trying to open their latest Super Bowl title defense with a win, and proved what Detroit coach Dan Campbell has come to know in turning around the long downtrodden franchise.“This is a resilient team,” Campbell said. “We're built to handle some stuff.”Now, everyone else knows it too.Under the bright spotlight of the NFL's season opener, Jared Goff threw for 253 yards and a touchdown, new Lions running back David Montgomery ran for the go-ahead score late in the game and Detroit held on for a 21-20 victory over the Chiefs.“We expected to win this game,” said Campbell, who won just three games his first season but led the Lions to eight wins over their final 10 games a year ago, when they went 9-8 and narrowly missed the playoffs. “We came in here, knew what we needed to do, knew it wasn’t going to be easy, and we did that. We won.”Amon-Ra St. Brown had six catches for 71 yards and a score, and Lions rookie Brian Branch returned Patrick Mahomes' first pick in an opener 50 yards for another touchdown, helping Detroit snap the Chiefs' eight-game Week 1 winning streak.The Lions also snapped their own five-game skid in season openers.“A lot of work has been put in this offseason,” Goff said, “and you want to start off winning the first one, and we did that today. We didn't play the best on offense, I thought the defense kept us in the game, but we found a way.”The Lions were trying to run out the clock when Goff's fourth-down pass near midfield was batted down with 2:30 left, giving the Chiefs a chance. But they made a mess of it: Kadarius Toney dropped a potential 20-yard gain, a deep completion was called back for holding, Skyy Moore dropped a pass and a false start left Mahomes heaving a fourth-and-25 throw downfield.When it fell incomplete and Detroit took over, Montgomery ran for a first down and the Lions ran out the clock.Mahomes finished with 226 yards passing and two touchdowns, despite his receivers dropping a slew of passes. He also was the leading rusher for the Chiefs, whose self-inflicted wounds proved too much to overcome.“Got to be better,” Mahomes said.There had been equal parts anticipation and anxiety leading up to the game in Kansas City, where the Chiefs had celebrated their previous Lombardi Trophy in the midst of a pandemic, and only about 18,000 fans were able to join in the revelry.Hundreds began tailgating outside the Arrowhead Stadium parking lots 14 hours before kickoff Thursday, and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell along with about 80,000 more people joined them to see the Chiefs raise their latest championship banner.That was the anticipation. The anxiety came from the absence of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and fellow All-Pro Chris Jones, who is in the midst of a contract holdout. The defensive tackle was expected to miss the opener, but Kelce had only been questionable since Tuesday, when he hyperextended his knee in the final full practice before game day.“It wasn't feeling right,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “I wasn't going to put him out there with that, and he was honest with me.”Detroit scored first in a showdown of two of the league’s top offenses a year ago. Goff took advantage of a clean pocket, thanks in part to Jones sitting in a stadium suite, to march down field and find St. Brown with a 9-yard touchdown pass.The Chiefs answered with Mahomes finding five different wide receivers on a long drive, the last of them rookie Rashee Rice, who atoned for an earlier drop by snaring a short touchdown pass to knot the game at 7-apiece.It remained that way until Campbell made a questionable decision late in the half.The Chiefs were facing fourth-and-2 near midfield but had been called for holding, and rather than decline it, Campbell chose to push them back. Mahomes responded to third-and-17 by hitting Marquez Valdes-Scantling with a 24-yard strike. He added a 26-yard pass to Justin Watson, then hit Blake Bell with a short TD throw to give the Chiefs a 14-7 halftime lead.With the Lions' offense still going nowhere in the second half, the defense stepped up. Branch caught a pass that bounced off Toney’s hands and found nothing but 50 yards of grass separating him from the end zone and a 14-all tie.Up to that point, Mahomes had thrown 20 touchdown passes without an interception in five-plus season openers.The Chiefs tacked on two field goals, but the missed chances to get into the end zone proved costly. The Lions followed up Harrison Butker’s second kick by driving 75 yards, twice converting on third down, with Montgomery capping the march with a 9-yard touchdown run that gave Detroit the the lead for good.“The Lions did a heck of a job. They capitalized on a couple of things and we've got to fix it,” Reid said. “I liked the aggressiveness on the defensive side. There were some good things on offense. We just have to be more consistent.”STREAK ENDSThe Lions’ Marvin Jones fumbled away a good scoring chance in the second quarter, when Trent McDuffie knocked the ball out deep in Kansas City territory. It was the veteran wide receiver’s first fumble in his 12-year career and came on his 563rd touch, the longest active streak in the NFL.LATEST ON KELCEKelce had a bone bruise and some swelling in his knee, though tests taken after the injury in practice showed no ligament damage. He went through a workout early Thursday to see whether he could move well enough to play, but Reid and Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder decided to give Kelce time to recover with their next game 10 days away.INJURIESLions: Branch, the first player with a pick-6 in his Lions debut since 1967, departed with cramps on the final play of the third quarter. ... DT Levi Onwuzurike limped off with trainers with about 12 minutes left in the game.UP NEXTLions: Play their home opener on Sept. 17 against Seattle.Chiefs: Visit Jacksonville on Sept. 17 for a divisional playoff rematch.