BIG 12 CONFERENCE Snyder wins last game at Kansas St.
Brad Smith gained more than 300 yards for Missouri in a 36-28 loss.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) -- Kansas State coach Bill Snyder stood at the podium with a smile and a confession.
"If there was any good coaching today," he said, "it wasn't by me. The assistants did a great job. ... I was just there."
Snyder joked and choked up by turns, at one point stopping to say, "OK, now I'm just rambling," after his Wildcats' 36-28 victory over Missouri on Saturday, his last game as the Kansas State coach.
He announced his retirement Tuesday, after 17 seasons in Manhattan.
"I'm spent," said Snyder, who took over the nation's only 500-loss team in 1989 and led the Wildcats to a 136-68-1 record and a place among the nation's top programs before their fortunes fell off in his final two seasons. "It's been a far different week than I had anticipated. It's been a hard week and a very emotional time."
Wildcats rally to win
Saturday's game fit right in then, with the Wildcats trailing by two touchdowns midway through the third quarter before rallying to win.
And afterward, following Snyder's emotional speech to the crowd of 46,039, his players hoisted him to their shoulders and carried him to the locker room.
Kansas State (5-6, 2-6 Big 12) broke a five-game losing streak. It has not lost to the Tigers since 1992.
Thomas Clayton ran for 102 yards for the Wildcats, and Allen Webb came off the bench to run for 91 yards and throw for 93 more and a go-ahead touchdown to Jordy Nelson midway through the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats also scored touchdowns on defense (Brandon Archer's 45-yard interception return) and special teams (Marcus Perry's 32-yard return of a blocked punt).
Chances slip away
Missouri (6-5, 4-4) saw its slim chance to win the Big 12 North slip away at the newly renamed Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The name was changed Wednesday, a day after Snyder announced his retirement.
"This one leaves a nasty taste in my mouth. I'm still in shock," said Missouri wide receiver Brad Ekwerekwu, whose 19-yard touchdown catch from Brad Smith (Chaney High) put the Tigers up 28-14 with just over 10 minutes left in the third quarter. "I don't know what to think of it. We were out there playing, and one event led to another event."
Smith threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 71 yards and another score for the Tigers, but negated his big game with a costly mistake that helped Kansas State clinch the victory.
With just more than 1 1/2 minutes to go, and the Wildcats clinging to a 29-28 lead, Smith threw directly to Kansas State linebacker Brandon Archer, who returned the ball 45 yards for a touchdown.
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