Kansas State Football: 3 takeaways from the Wildcats’ loss at Vanderbilt

2. The Wildcat defense is better than expected

There was much speculation as to how this Kansas State defense would take shape this season after finishing in the top 25 in opponent points per game last season, and it appears as if they haven’t missed a step.

While Vanderbilt isn’t exactly a powerhouse offense, they have managed to hold their own against the mediocre competition they have faced thus far. Regardless of Vanderbilt’s offensive prowess, limiting a team to 14 points in a game usually serves as a testament to a good defensive outing.

It’s hard to imagine the Kansas State defense not being frustrated with their offense’s inability to capitalize on numerous defensive stops. Multiple turnovers are usually involved when a team limits an opposing offense to only 14 points, but their lone turnover points to the ability to limit a team without forcing them to turn the ball over.

The defense hasn’t really been tested up to this point, but a strong outing against an SEC opponent has to count for something. Their offense’s inability to get much going kept them on the field for a while, even further proving just how well this defense performed tonight.

If an outing such as this is not enough for some skeptics, they will have the chance to earn even more respect when they take on TCU and Oklahoma in a span of two weeks. Until then, they have gained as much confidence as they possibly could heading into their next matchup with Baylor.