Kansas State University

PHOENIX, Ariz. – There was no stopping these cats.


Kansas State saw Rutgers score its most points in a first half this season at the Rate Bowl on Thursday. The Scarlet Knights led by double digits for most of the game and momentum appeared devastatingly on their side. In the third quarter, ESPN Analytics gave Rutgers a 95% chance of victory.


Then the Wildcats flipped the script.


K-State rallied from a 34-17 deficit midway through the third quarter and capitalized on a bowl-record night from the running back Dylan Edwards to pull off the biggest bowl comeback victory in school history in a 44-41 victory, using proverbial home-run hitters in Chase Field to slam away any doubt and clinch a nine-game streak behind a group of coaches and players , who simply would not give up on their last meeting together.


“I’m just so proud of the guys and their determination and continuing to fight,” the K-State head coach said Chris Kliemanwhose team finished with a 9-4 record. “We’re so excited to find a way to get stops on defense and then capitalize on some big plays offensively.”


The nine wins prove important for K-State, which joins Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oregon as the only eight FBS schools to finish with at least nine wins in each of the last three seasons.


K-State started the season atop the national rankings and slipped in November, but it stayed the course and came away with a big win heading into the 2025 season.


“I know there’s some disappointment,” Klieman said. “Guys, there’s a lot of teams that don’t win nine games, man. We just won nine silly games and we’re going to talk about a letdown? It’s hard to win. You look at what our guys did to win the ninth game?


“Man, I’m nothing but proud of these guys.”


K-State, which allowed Rutgers 319 total yards in the first half, held the Scarlet Knights to just 82 yards of total offense in the final two quarters. A Rutgers offense that scored on each of its final five possessions in the first half scored on its opening drive in the third quarter — then mustered just 20 total yards and one touchdown the rest of the way.


“As they say in life, things get rocky,” said Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano, whose team finished with a 7-6 record. “They played better. We had some issues. I tip my hat to Kansas State. They did a heck of a job and controlled the game in the second half on offense and defense.”


K-State rode Edwards’ legs to one final victory for the 2024 season.


Edwards had 18 carries for a K-State bowl record 196 yards and two touchdowns, and he added two catches for 27 yards and a score. His 26-yard touchdown catch made it 17-17 with 6 minutes, 44 seconds left in the first half, his 65-yard run with 5:45 left in the third quarter brought the Wildcats within 34-23, and his 36-yard -run with 4:14 left in the game put the Wildcats ahead for good.


Edwards, a sophomore transfer, was named the Rate Bowl Offensive MVP.


“I was just trying to do my job to the best of my ability,” said Edwards, who played behind the NFL linebacker DJ Giddens this regular season and whose previous game high was 60 rushing yards. “We’ve been working on these plays for the last two weeks, so I just tried to do my job and that’s what I did today.


“I was just trying to do my part for this team.”


Sophomore quarterback Avery Johnson saved one of his best performances of the season for last, throwing for 195 yards and three touchdowns and an interception and rushing for 57 yards and one score, becoming the all-time single-season leader in touchdown passes in a season (25) and finished with the fifth most passing yards in a single season.


Along with the Pop-Tarts Bowl victory a year ago, Johnson became the first K-State quarterback to lead the Wildcats to consecutive bowl victories in his first two years on campus.


“I’m just excited to win,” Johnson said. “So proud of how everyone battled. Obviously it didn’t happen the way we expected it to, but fight to the end man, never give up.


“That’s the power of faith.”


Trailing 27-17 at halftime, K-State is searching for answers. After a Rutgers touchdown, Edwards put the Wildcats on his back and ran through the middle of the offensive line, outrunning a pair of defenders for his 65-yard touchdown to cut it to 34–23.


“It just shows how explosive that kid is,” said Johnson, a close childhood friend. “He’s dynamite with the ball in his hands and the offensive line opened up a perfect hole for that kid. The guy is special in space. The offensive line did a great job getting him in space today. It’s history from there.”


K-State got another shot of momentum when defensive back Daniel Cobb intercepted Athan Kaliakmanis and returned the ball 11 yards. From there, Johnson rushed up the middle 27 yards to the Rutgers 13. Then Johnson found Garrett Oakley on a short slant, and the tight end rumbled into the end zone for a 13-yard score, cutting the gap to 34-29.


Moments later, with K-State unable to move the ball, Christian Dremel returned a punt 67 yards to the K-State 18 to set up an Antwan Raymond 1-yard touchdown as the Scarlet Knights took a 41-29 lead.


Smaller teams can fold.


There was no stopping these cats.


Johnson punted back on a 14-yard drive that took the Wildcats 85 yards in 6:53 to make it 41-36. Dante Cephas caught a 35-yard pass on fourth down to keep alive a drive that ended with Johnson hitting the running back Joe Jackson for a 9-yard touchdown. It marked Johnson’s 25th^th season touchdown pass, a new school record, and vaulted him to the fifth-most passing yards in a single season.


K-State wasn’t done. It saved its best for last. Edwards went around the left side, caught a block to the inside, then swung outside and raced past a pair of defenders for a 36-yard touchdown with 4:15 left in the game. Johnson hit Oakley in the end zone for the two-point conversion, and Oakley made snow angels to celebrate the 44-41 advantage.


“We definitely didn’t play our best defensively in the first half and then we didn’t get off to a good start in the second half on both sides of the ball, but maybe that turned around,” Klieman said. “We make a big play there, then Dylan breaks a long run, we get an interception, we get a big play after that. We just needed the momentum to turn and once it did, our sideline had all the energy. “


And now K-State is bringing back some hardware — a trophy.


“This means the world to me,” the sixth-year senior linebacker said Austin Moorewho was named the Rate Bowl Defensive MVP after recording six tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in his final game. “It wasn’t how I envisioned the year going, but I believe we’re building and I’m just glad I could be a part of a win. The future is bright, and I’m so thankful that I came back and so thankful for Kansas State.”


Asked if the win was a statement for his team to build on, Klieman replied, “I’m a week into the season guy and we had some things that didn’t go our way, but how do you react? You’re going to have adversity in life. How will you respond?


This was the fifth time K-State played in what is now known as the Rate Bowl, having also played in the game in 1993 (known as the Copper Bowl), 2001 (Insight.com Bowl), 2013 (Buffalo Wild Wings) and 2017 (Cactus Bowl).


K-State complemented its usual home attire with a white helmet and matching white pants to go along with its traditional purple jersey. The lower right portion of the helmet bore the initials “DD” in purple lettering — a tribute to recently passed former K-State assistant coach Dana Dimel.


On the final play from scrimmage, the K-State offense appeared to line up in one of Dimel’s signature formations, called the “Tush Push”.


The final seconds ticked off the clock and the celebration was on.


“This was a great building game for next year,” Edwards said. “We will be diligent and work hard.”


There was no stopping these cats.


Now the beginning of a new exciting chapter awaits.