The Wildcats failed to capitalize several times in the red zone. Two drives inside the Colorado 10-yard line stalled and resulted in field goals. In addition, the Wildcats lost a fumble on an errant pitch at the Buffalo 4-yard line in the fourth quarter.
"We got good field position a lot and we didn't capitalize," said starting quarterback Grant Gregory. "We didn't do the things we need to do and we've got to get better.
"(Snyder) was angry because we didn't progress today offensively — we did not improve today offensively and that's what he was disappointed with."
It was a step back for the K-State unit, one that lit up the scoreboard for 62 points just a week ago.
When Snyder was asked what a 3-1 start in conference play meant, he responded with what many would consider a surprising answer.
"It means we didn't play very well on offense," Snyder said. "Outside of that, the name of this game for us is trying to get better and we got better on defense, besides that, we didn't get better on offense.
"It's not about being 3-1," he added. "It's about whether this football team gets better. That hasn't changed and we didn't — that's why I'm upset."
In reality, his answer wasn't that surprising. After all, Snyder is a perfectionest. He watched his offense fail to score in the second half and waste countless opportunities. That's unacceptable for the coach.
But one thing Snyder can be pleased with is his defense, which has now allowed just 20 points over the last two games. The Wildcats held the Buffaloes scoreless the final 50 minutes of the contest while limiting them to just 244 yards of offense. Colorado averaged less than two yards per carry, and over the last two weeks, the K-State defense has held its opponents to a total of 47 yards rushing on 54 carries.
"I thought our defense played extremely well, I thought our coaches did a great job," he said. "Our offense put them in ridiculous situations."
It was the play of the offense that Snyder couldn't get over. When he was asked about the play of Gregory, he replied "stinks, bad."
At one point the K-State coach pounded his fist on the podium, growing particularly frustrated when responding to a question of the Wildcats being forced to punt from inside the Colorado 35-yard line twice in the second half.
"What we're looking for in each instance is a three or four-yard gain to get into field goal position," he said. "We got penalized on one and took a lost-yardage play on the other and now we're out of field goal range. If you think I was going to put our offense on the field on fourth-and-fourteen and try to get the 14 yards after what we'd done — no."
A lot of this is general coach-speak. Snyder has done this before. When his teams are having success, he tends to talk it down, and when things are going poorly for his teams, he typically remains calm and comes to his its aide.
Saturday marked something more significant for this football team. By Snyder being critical of his team, it's a sign he believes it is capable of accomplishing something much more than what the pundits predicted. This is the Snyder of old. Winning doesn't just simply satisfy him. He smells blood. An opportunity to win the North has presented itself. That's why he's mad, he knows there's potential now to accomplish something more.
But he must keep his team level-headed.
"I know what can really do something positive for them, that's go to the practice field, prepare well and be a better player and better coaches," Snyder said. "That's what will help our football team.
"Look, I'm just angry — I'm proud of them, I'm proud of the fact that collectively as a team that we won a ball game. I'm proud of wherever we are in the conference.
"If that was the only deal, then I'd be a happy camper in here, we'd be all smiles and I'd be saying all kinds of nice things but that's not what we're about, that's not what we're trying to be about, and I don't want us to feel good about playing poorly."
