NASHVILLE, Tenn. — There were numerous what-ifs for Kansas State to ponder on what was likely a sleepless flight home late Saturday night.
Mistakes are magnified in a close game, and the Wildcats walked away from a 14-7 loss at Vanderbilt shaking their heads in dismay.
A K-State offense that put up 55 points each of the first two games against lower-level opponents ran up against a Vanderbilt defense that belongs in the SEC and was ground to a halt. Quarterback Jesse Ertz ran for 126 yards but that was the extent of the production.
Dropped passes by receivers, some inaccurate throws by Ertz along with two fourth-quarter interceptions and debilitating penalties all contributed to the setback.