When Kansas State’s coaching search spun unexpectedly backward, as in bringing back card-carrying AARP member Bill Snyder — the man whose name adorns the stadium — eyebrows raised and critics railed about the school’s lack of foresight.

Even among Wildcats fans who witnessed Snyder’s Manhattan Miracle, reviews were mixed.

Snyder would be coming out of retirement to head up a rebuilding job at the age of 70. Would he still have the energy to recruit? Could he still relate? Could he still coach in a league now overrun by new-age spread offenses?

In hindsight, what seemed like reasonable questions at the time clearly sold Snyder short. The sage is commanding the stage in the Big 12 North.

Call it the Manhattan Marvel.

Snyder’s first reconstruction plan required five years, when he took over what most considered the nation’s worst program in 1988 and turned it into a national title contender.

This has been more of a makeover, with Snyder spinning fortunes in mere months.

The Wildcats are 6-4 overall, 4-2 atop the North and in position to make the Big 12 championship game for the first time since 2003 — a period that saw K-State manage just one winning season.

“He’s the master,” Texas coach Mack Brown said of Snyder. “He’s a wizard at what he does.

“I was happy for college football and Kansas State when he came back. I wasn’t happy for the rest of us, because I knew he was going to get it fixed fast.”

With a recruiting class ranked last in the Big 12 and a team that ranked in that neighborhood, Snyder has rallied his squad from a struggling start to win three of four, including Saturday’s 17-10 win over archrival Kansas, ending a three-game losing streak in the Sunflower State Showdown.

The Cats have two games remaining — home against Missouri and at Nebraska — in their chase for the North title and a bowl bid.

Snyder is in no hurry for the Cats to get ahead of themselves.

“It’s like the old adage,” Snyder said, “we’ll try to improve ourselves today and look at tomorrow when it comes.”

At K-State, what’s old is new again.

And good again.

Scoreboard

Texas 35, UCF 3
Kansas State 17, Kansas 10
Colorado 35, Texas A&M 34
Baylor 40, Missouri 32
Oklahoma State 34, Iowa State 8
Nebraska 10, Oklahoma 3

(Defensive) Battle Of The Big Reds

Nebraska’s grinding win over Oklahoma can be summed up in one strange thought: The Huskers should have been happy to punt.

Once Nebraska went ahead with an early touchdown, every opportunity to punt was a positive play. The defense was stoning the Sooners, holding them without a TD for the first time in the Bob Stoops era.

And if the Huskers were kicking it away, that meant they weren’t turning it over. Instead, the Sooners were, with quarterback Landry Jones chunking a school-record five interceptions.

In the end, Nebraska had more punts (11) than points (10) or first downs (7).

Player of the Week: Nick Florence, QB, Baylor

A freshman thrown into action by the injury to Robert Griffin, Florence flipped the fun switch on an otherwise dreary season for the Bears. He passed for a school-record 427 yards and three touchdowns in Baylor’s stunning win at Missouri — the program’s first league road win in 13 games.

Week 10: In the Spotlight

Game of the Week: Texas Tech at Oklahoma State. The winner takes a major step toward the Cotton Bowl, with the Cowboys retaining an outside shot at the Fiesta Bowl. Two teams with “pistol” hand signals have combined for some wild shootouts in recent years. Expect another.

Player to Watch: Keith Toston, RB, Oklahoma State. For all that’s gone wrong personnel wise for the Cowboys, Toston’s rise to star status has helped keep the Pokes on track. The career backup’s 206-yard game against Iowa State has him closing in on 1,000 yards.

Coach to Watch: Bob Stoops, Oklahoma. Faced with the most adversity of his tenure, Stoops still doesn’t have his team bowl eligible. He’s lost two more starters — guard Brody Eldridge and defensive end Auston English — for the season with injuries. And while the Sooners’ defense remains stout, the offense’s issues could bleed over by affecting team chemistry.

Programs to Watch: Missouri and Kansas. Remember when these were the North favorites? Now their season-ending showdown might be to escape the cellar.

Upset Alert: Texas A&M over Oklahoma. The Aggies have defensive issues and the loss at Colorado was a step back, but this is a team that can score points. Sooners QB Landry Jones is coming off a dreadful day. Players keep tapping out. And the fire is out in Norman, where the fans have what to look forward to, the Sun Bowl?

Stock Rising: Colt McCoy’s Heisman hopes. McCoy got the statement win over OU and since has been piling up stats. And that’s only going to continue against Baylor, Kansas and A&M.

Stock Falling: League status. After putting five teams in the preseason polls, only two — Texas and Oklahoma State — remain in the rankings. Nobody’s arguing Big 12 superiority with the SEC this year. The ACC, maybe.

By The Numbers

3 — Interceptions by Nebraska senior safety Matt O’Hanlon against OU, tying a school record.

12 — Number of Big 12 teams that remain mathematically in bowl contention.

8,065 — Career passing yards for Oklahoma State’s Zac Robinson, breaking Mike Gundy’s school record.

This Week’s Games (All Times Central)

Texas at Baylor, 11 a.m.
Missouri at Kansas State, 11:30 a.m.
Colorado at Iowa State, 1 p.m.
Nebraska at Kansas, 2:30 p.m.
Texas A&M at Oklahoma, 6 p.m.
Texas Tech at Oklahoma State, 7 p.m.