MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Count Baylor coach Art Briles among those who is sometimes happy just to survive.

"We feel like our team is a team of survivors," Briles said after his No. 6-ranked Bears escaped with a 31-24 victory over Kansas State on Thursday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.

"Say what you want, but when you look up in November, we're still around."

Baylor was held to barely half its 61.1-points-per-game average in the first game after the College Football Playoff committee introduced its first 2015 rankings, which had the Bears (8-0, 5-0 Big 12) in sixth, despite the two major polls putting them second.

"We needed a tough win, they're all tough, but we needed a tough road one," Briles said. "Yeah, of course (it's a little too close for comfort). They are really tough, really tough, right here."

Kansas State coach Bill Snyder, who saw his team lose its fifth straight Big 12 Conference game, was in no mood to celebrate a strong defensive effort.

"No," was his one-word response when asked if he took solace in the fact that his defense held Baylor to 103 yards rushing, 230 yards beneath its season average.

Kansas State (3-5, 0-5) outscored Baylor 14-3 in the fourth quarter to get back into the game.

But Baylor used an uncharacteristic time-consuming drive to run off all but 51 seconds of the final 4:07 before a 41-yard field goal attempt by kicker Chris Callahan. Following Callahan's miss, the Wildcats took over on their own 24-yard line, but receiver Kody Cook's pass (off a lateral) was intercepted.

"I just made a bad decision," Cook said of the interception. "I tried to throw it away and I didn't get all of it. I tried to get it out of bounds but I left it in."

Baylor freshman quarterback Jarrett Stidham, making his first start, threw for 419 yards and three touchdowns. Stidham did not throw an interception, the third consecutive game that Kansas State's defense did not intercept a pass. Bears wide receiver Corey Coleman had 11 receptions for 216 yards and two touchdowns.

"I felt like, leading up to the game, throughout the day, I was getting a little amped up," Stidham said. "Really once that first play hit, I was good from there on out. I'm glad to get this first one under my belt."

The Wildcats' defense kept Baylor off balance much of the game. The Bears had to punt four times, and they attempted three fourth-down plays, converting all three.

Snyder was pleased with the effort of his team overall.

"I think this football team, with the exception of one ballgame (a 55-0 loss to Oklahoma) has always been competitive," he said. "I don't think tonight is any different from that.

"I'm pleased about their effort and the fact that they didn't give in."

Kansas State managed only 172 yards passing for the night. Quarterback Joe Hubener was just 12 of 21 for 151 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while Cook was 1-for-2 for 21 yards. The Wildcats managed 258 yards rushing, including 153 yards and two touchdowns by Hubener on 29 carries.

Baylor wasted little time proving that the change at quarterback would not slow down the offense. Stidham hit Coleman with a 36-yard completion on the first play from scrimmage. The Bears took the lead later on that opening drive, scoring on Stidham's 1-yard run to cap a seven-play, 81-yard march that took just 1:46.

Kansas State used a different approach, taking 17 plays and 9:47 to answer with an 88-yard drive. Hubener threw just three passes, completing all three, and ran 10 times on the drive that led to a tying touchdown.

On the ensuing Baylor drive, Stidham hit wide receiver KD Cannon with a 55-yard strike over the middle for the go-ahead score. This four-play drive took just 56 seconds.

Kansas State continued to control the clock, but turnovers ended drives. The second turnover, a Hubener interception on the Baylor 19, led to an 81-touchdown pass to Coleman on a streak pattern up the left sideline.

Kansas State, despite a 21:49-8:11 edge in time of possession, trailed 21-7 at the half.

NOTES: This was the second home game this season for Kansas State against a team ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press poll. The Wildcats lost to TCU 52-45 on Oct. 10. ... Baylor was the only team in the country to average better than 8 yards per play (8.43) coming into the game. The Bears averaged 7.8 yards per play Thursday. ... The Bears' 428 points through the first seven games were the second most in college football since 1937. Only the 2013 version of the Bears had more (447).