MANHATTAN, Kan. — Washington State safety Jaylen Thomas gave the Cougars a jolt when they desperately needed one Saturday against Kansas State.
With the first half winding down and WSU trying to keep the game within reach, Thomas stepped in front of a pass from Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson and raced 47 yards for a touchdown as time expired. The pick-six cut Kansas State’s halftime lead to 17-7 and sent the Cougars into the locker room with renewed energy.
It was Thomas’ second interception of the half — and a breakout performance for a defender who repeatedly found himself around the football.
“I just remember it being fourth down,” Thomas said of his first interception. “They were getting close to our end zone. We needed to make a play on defense. And I ended up doing my job, which led to an opportunity.”
Thomas turned that opportunity into a momentum-changing stop, jumping a route and returning the ball into Kansas State territory. Although Washington State was unable to capitalize on that takeaway offensively, Thomas later produced the biggest play of the half.
On the final sequence before halftime, he read the play, broke on the ball and finished the return in the end zone.
“Our defense needed to play again. Our team needed the momentum switch,” Thomas said. “I did my job and the opportunity came my way. The rest is history.”
The score offered a lift after a difficult opening half for the Cougars. Kansas State controlled the ball for more than 20 minutes before the break and converted eight of its first 10 third-down opportunities. Johnson had time to work in the pocket, while the Wildcats consistently moved the chains in key situations.
But Thomas’ touchdown altered the feel of the game, at least temporarily.
“I felt like that switched the whole momentum of the game,” he said. “We were going into halftime hype like we were up. … That was a very positive play for our team, and I’m glad that I was a part of it.”
Thomas said the most memorable part of his first interception was not just the takeaway itself, but the effort that followed it. He spotted teammates sprinting downfield to find a block, a detail that stood out to him as a reflection of the team’s approach.
“That made me really excited,” Thomas said. “Really encouraged for the type of camaraderie we have on our defense and on our team as a whole.”
The game did not finish the way Washington State wanted, but Thomas said the Cougars are not interested in dwelling on the result. His message was direct: move on, work and prepare for the next opponent.
“The one thing that we can control is what’s going to happen in the future,” Thomas said. “What we can control is going to work and putting our heads down. We’re a really good team, and we know what we can do.”
A weather delay added an unusual wrinkle to the afternoon, but Thomas said it did not shake Washington State’s focus.
“I don’t think it really messed with our mental as much as someone would think,” said Thomas, a California native. “I feel like we’re very resilient, and anytime we’re getting on the field, we’re excited to do so.”
Thomas also emphasized that the defense’s mentality does not change based on how the offense is performing.
“Our defense plays the same all four quarters, all season long,” he said. “We keep the same intensity, the same mentality of, ‘Go take the ball away,’ or just do your job.”
Against Kansas State, Thomas did both. Two interceptions, including a halftime pick-six, gave Washington State a reminder of what its defense can look like when a playmaker recognizes the moment and delivers.
COPYRIGHT 2026 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.
