Avery Johnson Leads No. 14 Kansas State to 31-7 Victory Over No. 20 Arizona in Nonconference Clash of Big 12 Rivals

 MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State gave Arizona a tough introduction to the Big 12 on Friday night, even though the game won’t impact the conference standings.

Avery Johnson threw two touchdown passes, and Dylan Edwards returned a punt 71 yards for another score as No. 14 Kansas State blanked No. 20 Arizona in the second half for a 31-7 win. This victory came in a rare nonconference clash between the new Big 12 rivals.

The defeat ended Arizona’s nine-game winning streak, which was the longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

“We’re not trying to prove anything to anyone else; we’re trying to prove to ourselves that we can maintain this level of play,” said Kansas State coach Chris Klieman. “We had a great week of preparation, and now we need to keep it going.”

The game was scheduled before Arizona’s move from the Pac-12 to the Big 12. With neither team able to find a replacement opponent, the matchup was retained but doesn’t count towards the league title race.

“Everyone was eager to get back on the field,” said Jayce Brown, who caught three passes for 60 yards. “We wanted to show what we’re capable of.”

Noah Fifita passed for 268 yards for Arizona (2-1) but threw an interception. Tetairoa McMillan caught 11 passes for 138 yards, but the potential first-round NFL draft pick couldn’t turn any of those receptions into a significant gain or a touchdown.

“Those guys play really good football,” said Arizona coach Brent Brennan. “They tackle well and cover effectively. I have a lot of respect for their coaching staff. They run a well-coached team, and their players give maximum effort. They’re very impressive.”