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Kansas State stuns Texas for second straight season

Sep 30, 2007 - 2:39 AM AUSTIN, Texas (Ticker) -- For the second straight year, Kansas State may have derailed Texas' national championship hopes.

James Johnson and Jordy Nelson scored special teams touchdowns on long returns as the Wildcats upset the seventh-ranked Longhorns, 41-21, on Saturday in a Big 12 Conference contest.

Last season, Kansas State ended Texas' title hopes with a 45-42 victory and it may have done the same on Saturday, taking advantage of the mistake-prone Longhorns.

Texas suffered its worst home loss under coach Mack Brown and allowed its most points at home since a 66-3 drubbing to UCLA in 1997.

"We're not used to losing around here, especially like that," Brown said. "We have to regroup."

Johnson returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown late in the second quarter and Nelson took back a punt 89 yards for a score late in the third period.

"I think we surprised Texas today," said Johnson, who also scored on a two-yard run. "They have a great defense, but I think they were looking past us because they have Oklahoma coming up. Our defense did a great job giving us good field position.

"When you give us good field position and we can take our time, we can do anything. Texas has the fastest man in the Big 12 (Jamaal Charles), but I think overall we have better speed than Texas."

Kansas State (3-1, 1-0 Big 12 North) also converted a career-high four interceptions by Colt McCoy into 20 points, including a 41-yard return for a touchdown by Ian Campbell that gave the Wildcats a 14-7 lead.

"We haven't played them well since we've been here," Brown said. "It's been a tough series."

After struggling to beat Central Florida two weeks ago, the Longhorns appeared to get untracked in last week's 58-14 win over Rice. But they took a step back Saturday.

McCoy, who has now thrown nine interceptions this season, completed only 19-of-39 passes for 200 yards against the Wildcats.

Josh Freeman connected on 22-of-38 passes for 117 yards for Kansas State. His favorite target was Nelson, who had 12 receptions for 116 yards and a TD.

Campbell's return started a stretch in which the teams combined for 24 points in the final four minutes of the first half.

McCoy shook off his first interception to throw a 26-yard TD pass to Quan Cosby with 2:34 remaining in the second quarter.

But Kansas State quickly regained the lead on Johnson's kickoff return and McCoy was picked off again by linebacker Justin Roland on the Longhorns' next play.

The Wildcats cashed that turnover into a 33-yard field by Brook Rossman and a 10-point halftime lead.

The Longhorns (4-1, 0-1 Big 12 South) closed to 24-21 on Charles' six-yard TD run early in the third quarter and appeared to have momentum on their side.

But after Rossman missed a 51-yard field goal, defensive back Justin McKinney picked off McCoy at the Texas 39, leading to a 44-yard field goal by Rossman.

Kansas State forced a three-and-out and Nelson's return gave the Wildcats a 34-21 lead with 1:55 left in the third quarter.

The Longhorns continued to unravel as McCoy threw another interception, this one to safety to Courtney Herndon at the Texas 30.

Two of the Wildcats four interceptions came on tipped balls.

"Getting our hands up was something we stressed all week," Herndon said. "He (McCoy) tends to throw with a low trajectory and we knew we could get some tipped balls."

The Wildcats needed eight plays to take a 41-21 lead on Johnson's two-yard TD run, which put the contest out of reach.