Oklahoma State and Kansas State survive upsets as Big 12 top contenders overcome Week 2 difficulties

No. 16 Oklahoma State and No. 17 Kansas State both survived rocky starts to defend their position in the Big 12. Kansas State needed a red zone stop to survive a 34-27 road loss to Tulane. Oklahoma State went to overtime against Arkansas, but a missed field goal by the Razorbacks allowed a 34-31 win over their SEC opponent.

Oklahoma State was completely outplayed by Arkansas in a bizarre non-conference performance, trailing 21-7 at halftime and scoring just one defensive touchdown. The Cowboys outgained it 648 yards to 385 and managed just 1.9 yards per carry. Star running back Ollie Gordon II managed just 37 yards in the running game, while first-year quarterback Taylen Green managed nearly 500 yards on offense for Arkansas.

However, a few truly bizarre twists helped Oklahoma State pull off an improbable win. The pick-six gave the Cowboys some life in the first half, even though they finished with fewer than 100 offensive yards. A fumbled punt turned into an Oklahoma State touchdown that tied the game. A missed field goal meant Arkansas was too afraid to score late in the game, allowing a touchdown to give Oklahoma State the lead.

Kansas State needed plenty of magic to survive an upset attempt by Tulane. The Wildcats went into halftime trailing 20-10, and star quarterback Avery Johnson was thoroughly outplayed by Tulane freshman Darian Mensah. The decisive play came midway through the fourth quarter when Mensah made a crucial mistake by running backwards under pressure and eventually dropping the ball. Kansas State's Austin Romaine picked up the ball, carried it 55 yards and scored a point.

Mensah was sensational in his second career start, passing for 342 yards and two touchdowns. He had what appeared to be a game-winning touchdown pass with seconds left, but Tulane was penalized for controversial offensive pass interference. Plays later, he threw an interception on a play that won the game for Kansas State.

Oklahoma State and Kansas State were ranked No. 2 and No. 3, respectively, in the Big 12 preseason media poll and are widely viewed as the conference's top contenders. In the expanded College Football Playoff, building reputations and credibility will become even more important for conferences.

Losing two of the top three teams in the Big 12's preseason rankings would be a huge blow to the conference trying to secure a postseason spot. Even though the games weren't good, a 1-0 win in those matchups means the early struggles on Selection Sunday should be mostly forgotten. Staying alive to fight another day is more important than ever.