Cole Tabb’s three rushing touchdowns paved the path for Cincinnati to beat visiting Kansas State 31-26 in a battle of 3-0 Big 12 teams on Saturday night.
Gi’Bran Payne and Tabb led the way as the Bearcats (4-0, 1-0 Big 12) ran for 271 yards, rushing for 126 and 124, respectively.
Cincinnati reversed a 17-10 halftime deficit with a 14-0 third quarter to take the lead. Kansas State trimmed it to a four-point deficit with a Luis Rodriguez field goal in the early fourth, but the Bearcats retook control with the third of Tabb’s three rushing touchdowns with 3:28 remaining.
The Wildcats were able to trim the deficit to five after a 1-yard Rodney Fields Jr. touchdown run with 1:15 left, but their last-ditch lateral attempt on the final play of the game proved unsuccessful.
The loss was Collin Klein’s first as head coach at Kansas State (3-1, 1-1). Avery Johnson tossed for 292 yards with one touchdown on 30-of-50 passing.
The Wildcats took a 10-0 lead after a 22-yard Rodriguez field goal on its first drive of the game and Fields’ 19-yard rushing touchdown with 9:09 left in the second quarter.
Cincinnati tied the game with a 10-0 run of its own.
Quarterback JC French IV connected with Malachi Henry for a 39-yard touchdown pass with 6:36 to go in the half. On Cincinnati’s next drive, Stephen Rusnak’s 45-yard field goal tied the game with 3:44 left in the half.
Kansas State struck again right before the break, with Johnson hitting Derrick Salley Jr. on a slant for a 4-yard touchdown pass with 15 seconds left in the first half.
Salley fumbled on the first play of the third quarter and MJ Cannon recovered for Cincinnati. The Bearcats turned the turnover into game-tying points on Tabb’s first touchdown – a 5-yard rush – with 10:55 remaining in the period.
Tabb gave Cincinnati its first lead of the game three minutes later on a 30-yard score.