HOUSTON (AP) — Kansas State coach Chris Klieman knows how thin the margin of error is in college football.
His Wildcats have been in three one-possession games this season and won all of them, including last week’s 29-27 win over rival Kansas.
No. 17 Kansas State (7-1, 4-1 Big 12) still has hopes of a league title game berth and perhaps a playoff bid ahead of Saturday's game at Houston (3-5, 2-3).
“We’ve been down in most games that we have had,” Klieman said. “Our guys haven’t panicked. Our guys stayed the course and stayed in the fight. It’s something that we’ve been preaching, the older guys have been preaching that kind of one play at a time (mentality). You can’t do anything about what has happened, now let’s move forward.”
The Wildcats have won four in a row and look to finish the second phase of their season on a strong note. Klieman said Kansas State broke the season into three parts – a five-game stretch before its first bye week, the current four-game stretch before a second bye and the final three-game stretch.
After finishing the first stretch 4-1, the Wildcats want to finish the second stretch 4-0, including close wins at Colorado and Kansas.
“I know that the ownership that the guys took, especially from the adversity that we faced in Colorado,” Klieman said. “Having the lead, losing the lead and being down in that kind of environment in the fourth quarter and just watching those guys help each other on both sides of the ball. ... The adversity that we have faced and the guys have faced during this four-game stretch - well, three of the four so far, I think has made us really grow as a football team.”
The Cougars have won two of three, including last week's 17-14 win at home over Utah, one of the preseason favorites for the Big 12 title.
Klieman said balance on offense is one thing the Wildcats have strived for. Quarterback Avery Johnson has thrown for 1,654 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushed for 373 yards and four scores, while running back DJ Giddens has rushed for 945 yards and four TDs this season.
“To be able to throw the ball effectively on any down and distance,” Klieman said. “That has been improving. The balance is where we are getting better.”
The Cougars have struggled to score this season. Houston is last nationally with 14.1 points per game and a 53.3% red zone success rate. Out of 15 trips into the red zone, the Cougars have scored four touchdowns and four field goals. That was on display against Utah last week when Houston failed to score four times from the 1-yard line twice in the second and third quarters each.
“Scoring touchdowns would have been good,” Houston first-year coach Willie Fritz said. “We stalled on those drives. Not just in the red zone, but on the 1-yard line. A barometer of winning is what we call four-point plays: scoring touchdowns instead of field goals when you get down in there.”
Both Klieman and Fritz pointed to winning the turnover game as a key. The Wildcats are plus-three in turnover margin this season, including plus-eight over their last four games, while Houston is minus-five overall.
“I think they come in bunches some times,” Klieman said. “I think when you’re struggling, you’re pressing so much. Then one happens and you get another one. Make no mistake, our success is we’re in the plus category.”