Avery Johnson was recruited by Collin Klein in high school, and having him back at K-State as his coach had K-State fans excited entering the season opener against Nicholls on Saturday. It didn't take Johnson long to deliver a historic play, as he found Jaron Tibbs from seven yards out in the first quarter to break the school record with his 49th career passing touchdown in the 71-3 win against Nicholls.
HISTORY: Avery Johnson now holds the Kansas State record for most career touchdown passes 📊👏 pic.twitter.com/Winjj6bUPU
— K-State on KCSN (@kstate_kcsn) September 5, 2026Johnson in control of the offense the entire night
Yes, Nicholls isn't the best team that K-State is going to play this season. However, there were question marks when it came to the offensive line, as that group is dealing with a ton of injuries. Johnson had a lot of added responsibility in making sure they knew their assignments and did their job. Johnson finished 15-of-21 for 199 yards and three touchdowns, while also adding another score on the ground.
The statistics are one thing, but maybe the most important stat on Saturday night was that Johnson wasn't sacked once. For a new offensive line, the group did a great job of protecting their quarterback. However, Johnson was fantastic at managing the pocket and making the right play. Multiple times throughout the game, he was pressured, but he remained calm and made the simple play of throwing it away to live another day.
He looked extremely comfortable in Klein's system, and the trust and relationship between coach and quarterback was a big reason why the Wildcats had one of the biggest wins in program history.
68-point differential tied for fourth biggest in school history
Week 1 in college football is always a crapshoot. Teams are often learning playbooks, and a lot of times, the favorite finds itself in a really competitive game. That wasn't the case on Saturday night, as K-State set the tone early and never let Nicholls in the game. The 68-point differential is tied for the fourth biggest in school history, tying a 68-0 victory against UL Monroe in 2002.
To get that type of win, all three parts of the team have to deliver. The offense was obviously dominant, but the defense and special teams were equally impressive. The defense got off the field all game, allowing the Colonels to convert only 4-of-16 3rd downs and giving up only 122 total yards of offense.
Even the special teams delivered for the Wildcats. Simon McClannan averaged 48 yards per punt, and Brandon White took a punt back 65 yards for a touchdown. It was only Week 1, but the Wildcats put together a complete team performance.
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