MANHATTAN, Kan. – #16 Kansas State (1-0) used a 28-point second quarter to power by #11 Southeast Missouri (0-1), 45-0, Saturday night in the season-opener for both teams.
 
K-State's defense held SEMO, the Ohio Valley Conference's top rushing team a year ago, to only six yards on the ground.   
 
SEMO went three-and-out on its first drive of the 2023 season and K-State quickly got on the board.
 
Will Howard completed a 33-yard touchdown pass down the middle of the field to Jadon Jackson putting the Wildcats ahead, 7-0, with 9:33 remaining in the first quarter.
 
The Redhawks got their first takeaway of the season when Antonio Taylor intercepted Howard for the first pick of his career. Taylor ran 20 yards to the K-State 46-yard line, but nothing came of the turnover as SEMO punted three plays later.
 
A 40-yard completion from Howard to Ben Sinnott helped put the Wildcats in position for their next score. After Treshaun Ward ran 15 yards to the SEMO 1-yard line, Howard capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to push K-State's lead to 14-0 with just under 12 minutes to play in the second quarter.
 
The Wildcats scored three more times in the second quarter when Howard tossed a 37-yard touchdown pass to RJ Garcia II and Ward crossed the goal line on a 3-yard run. A 43-yard run by DJ Giddens set up the final points of the first half which came on a gadget pass from Ward to quarterback Howard. Howard's touchdown gave K-State a 35-0 lead at the intermission.
 
K-State pinned SEMO to -12 rushing yards and six first downs in the opening 30 minutes of play.
 
The Wildcats tacked on 10 more points in the second half to polish off their shutout.
 
K-State, which scored on seven of its ninedrives, piled up 567 yards. 
 
Howard completed 18-of-26 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score. Giddens finished with 128 yards on 15 carries and both Garcia II (119) and Sinnott (100) had 100 receiving yards to key K-State's offense.
 
Ryan Flournoy, who is on the Reese's Senior Bowl Watch List, caught 10 passes for 96 yards and Damoriea Vick followed with seven receptions for 52 yards.
 
Paxton DeLaurent threw for 213 yards on 24-of-36 passes and SEMO did not turn the ball over in the game.
 
Defensively, Christian Fuhrman and Joedrick Lewis paced the Redhawks with seven tackles each.
 
The Redhawks return home to host Lindenwood in their Big South-OVC opener on Sept. 9. 
 
SEMO will officially open phase one of its Houck Project which includes new field turf, south grandstand and sideline, restrooms, concession areas and HVAC/systems work.