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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
BOULDER, Colo. (AP) -- For all of Kansas State's offensive might,
two key interceptions by safety Jon McGraw loomed just as large
Saturday.
|  | | Kansas State running back Josh Scobey celebrated one of his two touchdowns Saturday against Colorado. |
McGraw thwarted a Colorado scoring drive with a diving
interception late in the first half, enabling the Wildcats to hold
onto a 14-point lead. Then, late in the third quarter, he returned
an interception 71 yards for a touchdown, putting Kansas State
ahead 41-13.
Jonathan Beasley threw three first-half touchdown passes as the
No. 5 Wildcats opened their Big 12 campaign by overwhelming
Colorado 44-21.
"If they score a touchdown on that series," Kansas State coach
Bill Snyder said of McGraw's first interception, "who knows where
we are in the ballgame?"
Snyder said McGraw's second theft "made a big difference
considering the way they've come back on us the last two years."
McGraw said his first interception "got us going."
On the second, he tipped and intercepted a pass thrown by wide
receiver Cedric Cormier in the left flat.
"I kind of smelled it out," he said. "I had a pretty good
idea I'd go all the way, but I was pretty tired at the end."
Josh Scobey ran for two touchdowns for the Wildcats (5-0), who
scored three straight TDs after Colorado (0-4) reduced the deficit
to seven midway through in the second quarter.
After going 0-11-1 against Colorado from 1985-96, Kansas State
has won four straight meetings. It also marked the first time in
series history that KSU has won two straight games in Boulder.
The 44 points were the most Kansas State has scored in the
56-game series, eclipsing the 38 points it scored in beating
Colorado 38-6 in 1984. And, it was the Wildcats' 30th straight
victory in the month of September, a streak that dates to 1991.
Colorado got a glimpse of its future when highly recruited
freshman quarterback Craig Ochs made his first collegiate
appearance. Ochs, who did not want to redshirt, replaced Bobby
Pesavento early in the second quarter and played the remainder of
the game.
Ochs promptly led Colorado to a touchdown on his first series,
scoring on a 17-yard scramble. He completed 7 of 7 passes on a
fourth-quarter scoring drive culminating in his 2-yard TD pass to
John Minardi.
Ochs scrambled and completed a 50-yard pass to Javon Green in
the closing minutes on a drive that fizzled at the Kansas State 25.
Ochs completed 15 of 24 passes for 208 yards with one TD and one
interception. Beasley was 15-for-25 for 293 yards.
Colorado coach Gary Barnett called Beasley a "stallion. He gets
hit play after play and still throws the ball well. I thought they
were more physical than we were. We got handled up front. We were
not good enough today, that's the bottom line."
But Barnett said Ochs stood out and will start next week against
Texas A&M.
"There are some positives you can take out of this game, and he
was the brightest spot," Barnett said. "He gave us a boost and
that's why we stuck with him."
Colorado offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, who experienced
chest pains in the second quarter, was taken to Boulder Community
Hospital for a precautionary checkup after the game. Watson was
examined on the sideline and at halftime and coached in the second
half.
Tailback Marcus Houston, Colorado's leading rusher, did not play
because of a hip flexor.
Beasley's three TD passes gave the Wildcats a 34-13 lead at
intermission.
The Wildcats, striking quickly, had a trio of three-play scoring
drives in the first half, including their first two possessions
which produced a 13-0 lead.
Two minutes into the game, Aaron Lockett returned a punt 49
yards to the Colorado 25. Three plays later, Beasley hit tight end
Shad Meier on a 10-yard scoring pass.
Lockett's 50-yard reception set up Scobey's 3-yard run for
another quick score.
Pesavento, making his second straight start, passed 40 yards to
Minardi to set up Jeremy Flores' 41-yard field goal.
After the Wildcats' Quincy Morgan fumbled the ensuing kickoff,
Flores kicked a 48-yarder, making it 13-6.
Beasley drove the Wildcats 59 yards in nine plays early in the
second quarter, carrying three times for 32 yards and passing 10
yards to Morgan to beat a blitz for a 20-6 lead.
Ochs then entered the game and drove Colorado 80 yards for its
first touchdown. He passed 41 yards to tight end Daniel Graham
before scrambling the final 17 yards.
But Kansas State countered with another three-play scoring
drive. Running back Chris Claybon got open along the left sideline
and turned a short pass into a 74-yard gain to the 3, and Scobey
made it 27-13.
Following Flores' shanked punt that traveled only 8 yards, the
Wildcats, despite having no timeouts, went 43 yards in the closing
seconds for another score -- Beasley's 8-yard pass to Lockett.
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ALSO SEE
College Football Scoreboard
Kansas State Clubhouse
Colorado Clubhouse
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Jonathan Beasley hits Aaron Lockett for the TD.
avi: 1341 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Jonathan Beasley hits Chris Claybon for 74 yards to set up a score.
avi: 1312 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Craig Ochs puts Colorado in the end zone with a 17-yard TD run.
avi: 1001 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
Aaron Lockett gives K-State good field position with a 50-yard kick return.
avi: 1553 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
John McGraw returns an interception 71 yards for a K-State touchdown.
avi: 1044 k
RealVideo: 56.6 | ISDN | T1
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