OHIO STATE FOOTBALL Kansas State's win is attention-getter

The Buckeyes were impressed with their bowl opponent's latest victory.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- Some watched it with teammates, others caught a glimpse in the middle of their already busy lives. Everyone has seen highlights or video since.
When Kansas State beat up on No. 1 Oklahoma 35-7 in the Big 12 championship game on Dec. 6, the Wildcats got the attention of the Ohio State Buckeyes -- their opponent in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 2.
"What was really impressive to me is it came out the first five minutes of the game and it went as everyone talked about: Oklahoma scored, it's 7-0," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said.
"Boom! From that moment on they [the Wildcats] took over. That's impressive," Tressel said. "When you're behind 7-0 to the team that's supposed to beat you, yet from that moment on it was all Kansas State."
Eye opener
The Wildcats (11-3) were just a blip on the Buckeyes' radar screen until that game. They were just another good team in a nation filled with schools that had two or three missteps while navigating a long season.
Then quarterback Ell Robinson tossed four touchdown passes, Darren Sproles rushed for 235 yards and K-State's defense stoned Oklahoma's acclaimed offense. All of a sudden, the Wildcats were a BCS team in the Fiesta Bowl.
"I don't think there was anybody in the country going into that game -- Kansas State fans aside -- who thought Oklahoma would lose," Ohio State quarterback Craig Krenzel said. "They went into that game with a great game plan, were pretty close to healthy, and they showed the world why they were predicted so high at the beginning of the year.
"That's the team we're going to see on Jan. 2. That's going to be a tremendous challenge. We're going to be playing a team that its last game was an upset against the No. 1 team in the country -- and not just an upset but a blowout."
Impressed Buckeye
Buckeyes tight end Ben Hartsock said the Wildcats flirted with perfection.
"Every part of their scheme went right," Hartsock said. "They were able to stop Oklahoma's run and once they got Oklahoma back on their heels, Oklahoma really started shooting themselves in the foot and weren't able to put the pressure back on Kansas State."