PHOENIX — Kansas State’s regular season did not conclude as they had hoped, falling short of their goals.
With aspirations for the Big 12 title and a potential College Football Playoff berth in early November, the Wildcats faced a disappointing finish, recording three losses in their last four outings.
Fortunately, their strong performance earlier in the season allowed them the opportunity to rebound with a positive finish in Thursday’s Rate Bowl against Rutgers.
“I absolutely despise losing,” said Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson. “We’ve earned our shot to play one more game, and now we just want to demonstrate some of the capabilities we didn’t get to showcase during the season.”
The Wildcats kicked off their season impressively, with their only defeat in the first seven games against BYU on September 21. However, they struggled down the stretch as defenses figured out how to contain their power-running approach.
With opponents crowding the line to limit running back DJ Giddens, the Wildcats’ offensive output decreased significantly, scoring an average of nine fewer points and generating nearly 50 fewer yards in their last four games compared to the first eight.
“Our response to a loss can vary: either we dwell on it or use it as motivation for improvement,” noted Kansas State center Hadley Panzer.
Rutgers (7-5) experienced its share of difficulties midway through the season, suffering four consecutive defeats. Nevertheless, the Scarlet Knights bounced back by defeating Michigan State in their final regular-season game after a narrow loss to No. 21 Illinois.
This year marked a resurgence for Rutgers offensively, as they averaged 27.9 points per game, their highest figure since 2009. Additionally, they rank among the top teams in the nation in turnover protection, committing only eight turnovers, which puts them eighth nationally.
This is the first time since 2011-2014 that Rutgers has made bowl appearances in consecutive seasons.
“Throughout this season, we encountered significant adversity, especially with injuries that I haven’t witnessed in my 37 years in the field. Yet, this team was able to reinvent itself mid-season,” said Rutgers coach Greg Schiano.
However, both teams will be missing their leading running backs as Giddens and Rutgers’ Kyle Monangai have opted out to prepare for the NFL draft.
Giddens was the standout for Kansas State with 1,343 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Dylan Edwards, a transfer from Colorado, is expected to take on a larger role, having averaged 3.6 yards per carry as Giddens’ backup.
Conversely, Monangai led Rutgers with 1,279 yards and 13 touchdowns, while Antwan Raymond contributed 344 rushing yards as the team’s second-leading rusher.
As for the details surrounding the game: it will take place at Chase Field, the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Kansas State is making its fifth appearance in the Rate Bowl, previously known as the Cactus Bowl, where they secured a 35-17 victory against UCLA in 2017.
Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis has thrown for 2,459 yards and 17 touchdowns this season, attempting every pass for the Scarlet Knights.
Defensively, Kansas State led the Big 12 and ranked 22nd nationally against the run, allowing only 114.9 yards per game.
Rutgers has also achieved success in nonconference games, winning their last 10 and 14 out of the past 15.
Kansas State’s Avery Johnson joins Alabama’s Jalen Milroe as the only Power 4 quarterbacks to surpass 2,500 passing yards and 525 rushing yards this season.
