Avery Johnson scored three touchdowns and ran for two as No. 23 Kansas State defeated No. 20 Oklahoma State 42-20 on Saturday.

Johnson passed for 259 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 60 yards and two scores.

DJ Giddens ran for 187 yards and a touchdown and had a catch for 22 yards for Kansas State for the Wildcats (4-1, 1-1 Big 12), who fell behind early before scoring 35 straight points to win to take control.

Alan Bowman passed for 361 yards and a touchdown for Oklahoma State (3-2, 0-2), but he threw two costly interceptions and lost a fumble. De’Zhaun Stribling had seven catches for 157 yards, including a 77-yard touchdown catch from Bowman on a flea flicker.

Giddens’ 66-yard touchdown run on K-State’s second offensive play of the second half gave Kansas State a 28-13 lead. Johnson then found Will Anciaux with a 2-yard pass for his first career touchdown and a 35-13 lead. Johnson capped the game with a clever 13-yard scramble for a touchdown.

The Cowboys, one of the preseason favorites for the Big 12 Championship Game, will have an uphill battle to get there. The Cowboys had running back Ollie Gordon II rush for 72 yards early in the first quarter, but he finished with 76 yards.

The Wildcats dominated the offense, gaining 559 yards. On defense, they still have to limit big plays in the passing game – they had five different Oklahoma State players gain at least 10 yards on a reception and gave up 364 yards through the air.

Reporting by The Associated Press.