The outcome on the scoreboard read 34-14 in favor of Kansas State, but for the Spartans and head coach Dick Tomey, tonight's effort in the hostile environment of Manhattan, Kan., was something to build upon.
"It hurts to say it because we lost, but we competed better tonight," Tomey said. "And that for me is something to build on as we continue on this season."
Brooks Rossman kicked a 26-yard field goal and Josh Freeman teamed up with Deon Murphy for a 15-yard touchdown pass giving the Wildcats a 10-0 first quarter lead.
The San Jose State defense set up the Spartans’ first touchdown of the season on a Dwight Lowery interception at the Kansas State 31-yard line. Adam Tafralis completed six passes in a 10-play drive capped by a 20-yard toss to Jalal Beauchman with 5:46 to go in the second quarter.
The Wildcats answered the Spartans’ touchdown with a 10-play, 74-yard drive. A 1-yard quarterback dive by Freeman with 1:26 remaining gave Kansas State a 17-7 halftime lead. The 6-foot-6 sophomore was 6-for-6 on the drive and 26-of-35 for 272 yards and one touchdown in the game.
San Jose State (0-2) had more chances to score in the first half, but dropped passes and minor penalties led to punting situations. The Spartans were on Kansas State’s side of the field on each of their first four possessions.
"We just made too many mistakes and we can't make them," Tafralis said about the Spartans who were penalized 10 times compared to three at Arizona State. "We were in the game and hurt ourselves."
The Spartans added some trickery on offense to start the second half. The Spartans had quarterbacks Myles Eden and Tafralis in the game at the same time. Eden completed his first three passes, all to Tafralis. On the third completion, Tafralis, who was 16-of-20 passing for 134 yards and a touchdown, suffered a shoulder injury when he was tackled near the San Jose State sideline and did not play the remainder of the game.
"My shoulder is fine. I was ready to go back in but Coach (Tomey) didn't want to risk it," Tafralis said. "I'll be ready for Stanford."
Before the Spartans closed out the scoring with a 21-yard pass from Jordan La Secla to Jacob French, Kansas State (1-1) got touchdown runs of 4 yards by tailback James Johnson and 21 yards on a wide receiver reverse by Murphy, and Rossman’s second field goal of the game, a 43-yarder.
San Jose State returns to action September 15 when it travels to Stanford for a 7:00 p.m. non-conference game. Fox Sports Bay Area offers live television coverage. KLIV (1590 AM, San Jose) will carry the game on the radio.