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Freeman, Kansas State upset Texas in wild contest

Nov 12, 2006 - 6:53 AM MANHATTAN, Kansas (Ticker) -- Josh Freeman continued a horrific week for some of college football's top teams.

Freeman threw three touchdown passes - two to Yamon Figurs - and ran for a score as Kansas State posted a 45-42 Big 12 Conference victory over fourth-ranked Texas, snapping the Longhorns' 21-game league winning streak and dealing them a serious blow in their quest for a second straight national title.

With No. 3 Louisville losing Thursday and No. 5 Auburn and No. 8 California falling Saturday, the Longhorns had an opportunity to solidify their spot in the Bowl Championship Series standings. However, before Texas (9-2, 6-1 Big 12 South) can think about repeating as national champion, it has to win its own conference.

"At Texas, there's never a good time to lose - Ohio State wasn't good timing either," Longhorns coach Mack Brown said. "What you do is play the best that you can play, do the best you can do and (Saturday) we just didn't win.

"Half the teams in America feel the same way. I told these kids they should not have their heads down with as many games as they've won in their careers."

The game tied, 21-21, before the Wildcats scored 21 straight points in a span of barely three minutes in the third quarter. Freeman threw a 30-yard TD pass to Figurs with 6:53 remaining in the period and ran for another score two minutes later to cap the spurt and make it 42-21. Kansas State (7-4, 4-3 North) used two fumble recoveries and a blocked punt to spark the outburst.

A true freshman, Freeman completed 17-for-21 passes for 253 yards with just one interception. Figurs had six catches for 106 yards.

"With coach (Ron) Prince and his assistants, any week we're capable of winning," Freeman said. "Pretty much our plan from when we were 4-4 was to win out and make a statement."

Trailing by 21 points, Texas scored two straight touchdowns bridging the third and fourth quarters, capped by a 34-yard catch by Limas Sweed that made it 42-35 with 12:52 left in the game.

However, Wildcats kicker Jeff Snodgrass nailed a 51-yard field goal with 3:19 left to make it a two-possession game.

"He has always had a lot of faith in me and I thank him for that," said Snodgrass, who hit his fifth field goal of 50 yards or more this season. "We always joke around and he always talks about how we are going to go for it when we cross midfield. It is one of those things that I am glad he has enough confidence."

Chris Ogbonnaya scored on a one-yard run to pull Texas within 45-42 with 1:36 to play, but Kansas State recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock.

"I didn't feel good about this one until the very end," Prince said. "We were coaching our brains out down there at the very end to make this thing go the way we wanted it to go."

Longhorns redshirt freshman quarterback Colt McCoy scored a one-yard touchdown to start the scoring with 8:07 remaining in the first quarter. The Heisman Trophy candidate was injured on the play and left the game after a head-on collision with numerous Kansas State defenders at the goal line.

True freshman quarterback Jevan Snead took over and was 13-for-26 for 186 yards and a touchdown for Texas, which could have won its division with a win.

"It's a great night for (Kansas State) and a tough night for (Texas), but our guys get to go home and get ready to prepare for a Big 12 South championship and the right to go to Kansas City," Brown said. "That's what we'll be working on next week."