The 2002 Kansas State Wildcats football team represented Kansas State University in the 2002 NCAA Division I-A football season . The team's head coach was Bill Snyder . The Wildcats play their home games in KSU Stadium . 2002 saw the Wildcats finish with a record of 11–2, and a 6–2 record in Big 12 Conference play. The season culminated with a win over Arizona State in the 2002 Holiday Bowl . Prior to the 2002 season, the artificial turf was updated to a more cushioned FieldTurf surface at a cost of $800,000.
The Wildcats finished the 2002 season leading NCAA Division I-A in scoring defense (11.8 points per game) and also tied a school record by posting three shut outs. The team shut out Louisiana–Monroe , Kansas , and Missouri . The Wildcats also recorded a shut out on the road for the first time since the 1973 season. They recorded two shut outs on the road, beating Kansas and Missouri.[ 1] The Wildcats scored 582 points in the season, good for second most all-time at Kansas State.[ 2]
Date Time Opponent Rank Site TV Result Attendance August 31 6:10 p.m. No. 18 (I-AA ) Western Kentucky * W 48–345,844
September 7 6:10 p.m. Louisiana–Monroe * W 68–043,104
September 14 1:10 p.m. No. 8 (I-AA) Eastern Illinois * W 63–1345,642
September 21 6:00 p.m. No. 11 USC * No. 25 TBS W 27–2049,276
October 5 2:30 p.m. at Colorado No. 13 ABC L 31–3552,584
October 12 1:10 p.m. Oklahoma State No. 19 W 44–948,404
October 19 6:00 p.m. No. 8 Texas No. 17 FSN L 14–1750,659
October 26 2:00 p.m. at Baylor No. 20 W 44–1020,247
November 2 1:00 p.m. at Kansas No. 14 W 64–043,000
November 9 6:00 p.m. No. 21 Iowa State No. 12 TBS W 58–749,504
November 16 11:30 a.m. Nebraska No. 11 FSN W 49–1352,221
November 23 2:30 p.m. at Missouri No. 10 ABC W 38–047,507
December 27 7:00 p.m. vs. Arizona State * No. 6 ESPN W 34–2758,717
*Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Central time
[ 3]
2002 Kansas State Wildcats football team roster
Players
Coaches
Offense
Defense
Special teams
Pos.
#
Name
Class
K/P
6
Jared Brite
Jr
K
15
Joe Rheem
So
K/P
19
Jeff Snodgrass
Fr
LS
52
Russ Vanover
So
LS
72
Mike Wilson
Jr
Head coach
Coordinators/assistant coaches
Ron Hudson – Offensive coordinator & quarterbacks
Michel Smith – Running backs
Greg Peterson – Wide receivers, passing game coordinator, & recruiting coordinator
Matt Miller – Tight ends
Paul Dunn – Offensive line
Bret Bielema – Co-Defensive coordinator
Bob Elliot – Co-Defensive coordinator & secondary
Mo Lattimore – interior Defensive line
Del Miller – Defensive ends
Legend
(C) Team captain
(S) Suspended
(I) Ineligible
Injured
Redshirt
Ranking movementsLegend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking — = Not ranked Week Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 Final AP — — — — 25 15 13 19 17 20 14 12 11 10 8 6 6 7 Coaches — — — — 23 17 16 23 19 21 14 12 11 10 8 6 6 6 BCS Not released — 15 15 12 11 10 8 8 Not released
No. 18 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Kansas State Wildcats – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
No. 18 Hilltoppers
0
0
0 3 3
Wildcats
3
31
7 7 48
at KSU Stadium , Manhattan, Kansas
Date : August 31Game time : 6:10 p.m. CDT Game weather : Clear, 89 °F (32 °C)Game attendance : 45,844Referee : John LaurieBox score , Recap
Game information
First quarter
KSU – Joe Rheem 36-yard field goal, 10:26. Wildcats 3–0. Drive: 11 plays, 61 yards, 4:34.
Second quarter
KSU – Ayo Saba 2-yard run (Joe Rheem kick), 12:57. Wildcats 10–0. Drive: 14 plays, 80 yards, 5:57.
KSU – Bobby Walker 73-yard interception return (Joe Rheem kick), 8:56. Wildcats 17–0.
KSU – Danny Morris 7-yard run (Joe Rheem kick), 4:51. Wildcats 24–0. Drive: 3 plays, 62 yards, 1:01.
KSU – Darren Sproles 9-yard run (Joe Rheem kick), 3:45. Wildcats 31–0. Drive: 1 play, 9 yards, 0:06.
KSU – Joe Rheem 38-yard field goal, 0:00. Wildcats 34–0. Drive: 7 plays, 27 yards, 0:00.
Third quarter
KSU – Ell Roberson 18-yard run (Joe Rheem kick), 3:47. Wildcats 41–0. Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards, 4:31.
Fourth quarter
WKU – Peter Martinez 30-yard field goal, 7:18. Wildcats 41–3. Drive: 13 plays, 60 yards, 6:09.
KSU – Ayo Saba 2-yard run (Jared Brite kick), 1:27. Wildcats 48–3. Drive: 14 plays, 89 yards, 5:51.
Statistics
WKU
KSU
First downs
12
23
Total yards
183
412
Rushing yards
110
240
Passing yards
73
172
Turnovers
2
0
Time of possession
31:55
27:14
Team
Category
Player
Statistics
Western Kentucky
Passing
Jason Michael
7/11, 73 yards, INT
Rushing
Maurice Bradley
19 rushes, 64 yards
Receiving
Casey Rooney
2 receptions, 28 yards
Kansas State
Passing
Ell Roberson
4/8, 108 yards
Rushing
Darren Sproles
19 rushes, 135 yards, TD
Receiving
Derrick Evans
3 receptions, 74 yards
1
2
3
4
Total
Panthers
13
0
0
0
13
Wildcats
15
28
13
7
63
Tony Romo was 13-14 for 120 yards and a TD in the first quarter, but Kansas State grabbed control and cruised to the 50-point win.[ 4]
USC at Kansas State
1
2 3 4 Total
No. 11 Trojans
0
6 0 14
20
• No. 25 Wildcats
0
12 7 8
27
Scoring summary 2 5:43 KSU Jared Brite 35-yard field goal KSU 3-0
2 3:46 KSU Ell Roberson 1-yard fun (Brite kick) KSU 10-0
2 0:32 USC Mike Patterson 3-yard fumble return (kick blocked) KSU 10-6
2 0:32 KSU Terence Newman 98-yard PAT return KSU 12-6
3 3:55 KSU Darren Sproles 10-yard fun (Brite kick) KSU 19-6
4 14:55 KSU James Terry 10-yard pass from Ell Roberson (Roberson run) KSU 27-6
4 10:21 USC Keary Colbert 9-yard pass from Carson Palmer (Ryan Killeen kick) KSU 27-13
4 6:31 USC Sultan McCullough 25-yard run (Killeen kick) KSU 27-20
Junior quarterback Ell Roberson came off the bench early in the 2nd quarter to give the Wildcats a spark. Kansas State built a 27–6 lead before USC scored two 4th quarter touchdowns to make it a one-possession game. Eventual Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer completed only 18 of 47 passes for 186 yards.[ 5]
Statistics
USC
KSU
First downs
16
19
Total yards
276
347
Rushing yards
90
188
Passing yards
186
159
Turnovers
1
5
Time of possession
29:37
30:23
No. 13 Kansas State at Colorado
1
2 3 4 Total
No. 13 Wildcats
0
14 14 3
31
• Buffaloes
14
14 7 0
35
1
2
3
4
Total
Cowboys
0
9
0
0
9
Wildcats
12
13
6
13
44
[ 6]
Texas at Kansas State
1
2 3 4 Total
• No. 8 Longhorns
0
7 7 3
17
No. 17 Wildcats
0
6 0 8
14
Date: October 19Location: KSU Stadium Game attendance: 50,659
[ 7]
1
2
3
4
Total
Wildcats
30
13
21
0
64
Jayhawks
0
0
0
0
0
[ 8]
Iowa State at Kansas State
1
2 3 4 Total
No. 21 Cyclones
7
0 0 0
7
• No. 12 Wildcats
13
17 28 0
58
[ 9]
Nebraska at Kansas State
1
2 3 4 Total
Cornhuskers
0
6 7 0
13
• No. 11 Wildcats
14
7 7 21
49
[ 10]
Statistics
NEB
KSU
First downs
15
24
Total yards
231
507
Rushing yards
97
415
Passing yards
134
92
Turnovers
0
3
Time of possession
27:30
32:30
1
2
3
4
Total
Wildcats
10
7
14
7
38
Tigers
0
0
0
0
0
[ 11]
Vs. Arizona State (Holiday Bowl)
edit
Kansas State vs. Arizona State
1
2 3 4 Total
• No. 6 Wildcats
0
14 0 20
34
Sun Devils
0
20 0 7
27
1
2
3
4
Total
Kansas State
128
191
148
115
582
Opponents
34
65
28
27
154
KSU
Opp
Scoring
582
154
Points per Game
44.8
11.8
First Downs
273
175
Rushing
168
58
Passing
85
97
Penalty
20
20
Total Offense
5,499
3237
Avg per Play
6.3
3.7
Avg per Game
423.0
249.0
Fumbles-Lost
37–18
23–13
Penalties-Yards
100–759
95–723
Avg per Game
58.4
58.4
KSU
Opp
Punts-Yards
55–2,186
105–3974
Avg per Punt
39.7
37.8
Time of Possession/Game
31:13
28:47
3rd Down Conversions
76/166
58/205
4th Down Conversions
12/17
6/18
Touchdowns Scored
79
19
Field Goals-Attempts
11–16
7–12
PAT-Attempts
65–74
17–18
Attendance
384,654
163,338
Games/Avg per Game
8/48,082
4/40,834
Name
GP
Att
Gain
Loss
Net
Avg
TD
Long
Avg/G
Darren Sproles
13
237
1,517
52
1,465
6.2
17
80
112.7
Ell Roberson
12
202
1,276
244
1,032
5.1
16
91
86.0
Terrence Newman
13
2
29
3
26
13.0
0
29
2.0
Total
13
655
3,823
390
3,433
5.2
53
91
264.1
Opponents
13
446
1,405
501
904
2.0
7
85
69.5
Name
GP-GS
Effic
Att-Cmp-Int
Yds
TD
Lng
Avg/G
Pct.
Ell Roberson
12
136.47
175–91–4
1580
7
56
131.7
52.0
Marc Dunn
10
199.92
35–22–2
383
6
58
38.3
62.9
Total
13
146.97
223–120–6
2,066
14
58
158.9
53.8
Opponents
13
91.69
418–191–20
2,333
11
94
179.5
45.7
Name
GP
No.
Yds
Avg
TD
Long
Avg/G
Taco Wallace
13
39
704
18.1
5
58
54.2
James Terry
12
28
561
20.0
5
56
46.8
Total
13
120
2,066
17.2
14
58
158.9
Opponents
13
191
2,333
12.2
11
94
179.5
^ "Shutout info" . Archived from the original on August 30, 2008. Retrieved November 17, 2008 .
^ Points scored fact Archived July 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
^ DeLassus, David. "Kansas State University coaching records by game (2002)" . College Football Data Warehouse . Archived from the original on October 20, 2012. Retrieved January 11, 2011 .
^ "Kansas State Rout Is a Dunn Deal" . Los Angeles Times . September 15, 2002. Retrieved September 9, 2019 .
^ "Roberson comes off bench to pilot Wildcats" . ESPN . September 22, 2002. Retrieved September 8, 2019 .[dead link ]
^ "When not throwing for TDs, Roberson runs for them" . ESPN . October 12, 2002. Retrieved September 10, 2019 .[dead link ]
^ "Kansas St. 44, Baylor 10" . UPI . October 26, 2002. Retrieved September 10, 2019 .
^ "K-State enjoys biggest romp ever over Jayhawks" . ESPN . November 3, 2002. Retrieved September 9, 2019 .[dead link ]
^ "Cyclones' dismantling features six turnovers, many penalties" . ESPN . November 9, 2002. Retrieved September 9, 2019 .[dead link ]
^ "Wildcats Run By Nebraska" . Kansas State University Athletic Dept. November 16, 2002. Retrieved September 9, 2019 .
^ "Wildcats Walk Over Missouri" . Kansas State University Athletic Dept. November 23, 2002. Retrieved September 10, 2019 .
^ "2003 NFL Draft" . pro-football-reference.com . Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved September 10, 2019 .