Winners and losers: Will Howard lights it up once again for Kansas State

WINNERS:

1) CHRIS KLIEMAN: Chris Klieman has removed the monkey from his back by defeating Baylor and Kansas State did it in dominating fashion. The win was the fourth time this season that K-State has kept the opponent out of the end zone. The Wildcats have responded well with their backs against the wall this season, and that is a major reflection of the Kansas State head coach.

2) GENE TAYLOR: What a week it was for K-State sports. Jerome Tang and Kansas State won two, Jeff Mittie and the lady Wildcats won two and K-State received wins from Klieman’s club and the volleyball squad as well. It was good to be Gene Taylor this week.

3) WILL HOWARD: Will Howard keeps answering the bell when his number is called. The junior quarterback for Kansas State threw for 196 yards and three touchdowns in the victory over Baylor. The game has slowed down for him and he is in total control of the Wildcat offense.

4) KEYONTAE JOHNSON: Keyontae Johnson could be a winner this week just for playing a basketball game again, but he is also playing very well for K-State. He leads the Wildcats in points and rebounds through two games and he was ready to score late in the game when they needed him the most versus Cal.

5) TCU: TCU became the first team to clinch a spot in the Big 12 Championship Game with the win over Texas on Saturday night. The win also helps Kansas State who now controls their own destiny to reach Arlington.

LOSERS:

1) NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE: The non-conference basketball schedule for K-State has taken a beating in the first week of the season. Cal lost to UC-Davis before playing the Wildcats, Wichita State fell to Alcorn State , UMKC lost to a Division II school and Rhode Island has been knocked off by Quinnipiac and Texas State.

2) TEXAS A&M: Jimbo Fisher and Texas A&M are officially not bowl eligible and are the highest-ranked team in the preseason to not make a bowl game since Texas in 2010.

3) PAC 12: It was not a good weekend for the Pac-12. Again. Oregon lost to Washington and UCLA laid a dud versus Arizona. Their only shot at making the playoff comes from USC who faces off with the Bruins this coming weekend.

4) BIG TEN WEST: Someone has to win the Big Ten West. At least I think. But I’m not sure if any of the teams deserve it. Illinois, Iowa, Purdue and Minnesota are all tied at the top of the division at 4-3 in Big Ten action. Meanwhile in the Big Ten East, Penn State is in third place with a 5-2 league record.

5) IOWA STATE: Iowa State losing to Oklahoma State is a really bad look considering all of the injuries the Cowboys are dealing with at the moment. Matt Campbell and the Cyclones now sit alone at the bottom of the Big 12 with a 1-6 record and are in danger of not making a bowl game.