As much as the game has changed since Chris Klieman took over as Kansas State’s football coach six years ago, his main objectives come bowl season never have and likely never will.
The fact that both of them — sending the seniors out on a high note and launching the rest of the team into next season — required that the Wildcats come out on top was what made their historic 44-41 comeback victory over Rutgers in Thursday’s Rate Bowl at Chase Field in Phoenix all the more special.
“We needed to send this group out with a win and needed to catapult the 2025 team,” Klieman said in a postgame radio interview after the Wildcats rallied from a 34-17 third-quarter deficit for K-State’s biggest comeback victory in its 26-game bowl history. “We’ve got a lot of really good players coming back, and it was really important to have momentum.”
The Wildcats certainly built momentum in the second behind a blitzing defense and a breakout performance by sophomore running back Dylan Edwards. After Rutgers put together a 64-yard scoring drive on its first possession of the third quarter to build on a 27-17 halftime advantage, the Wildcats allowed just 18 total yards the rest of the way.
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Kansas State linebacker Austin Moore, left, and running back Dylan Edwards celebrate with the Rate Bowl trophy after the Wildcats’ 44-41 come-from-behind victory over Rutgers on Thursday night at Chase Field in Phoenix.
Edwards, who took on an added role when rushing leader DJ Giddens opted out to enter the NFL Draft, started the comeback with a 65-yard touchdown run at the 5:45 mark of the third quarter. He then capped it off with 4:15 left on a 36-yarder to give the Wildcats their only lead since an opening field goal to start the game.
“I’m just overwhelmed with happiness, and I’m glad we got out here and had a great experience in Arizona and came out with the win,” said Edwards, who rushed for a K-State bowl-record 196 yards and two touchdowns, plus caught two passes for 27 yards and another score on the way to offensive most valuable player honors. “We all just rallied around each other, and that’s how we came out with the win.”
Super-senior linebacker and team captain Austin Moore helped lead a defense that gave up 319 yards total offense in the first half and then just 82 after intermission. His message to teammates during the break and on the sideline was simple.
“I just said, ‘Play fast and believe,’ and I think we started doing that and things turned around for us,” said Moore, who was named defensive MVP with six tackles, including 1.5 for loss. “All these young guys just told me (after the game) that this is for me, and I just saw all the effort and the love that they have for me. It meant the world.”
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Like Moore, defensive end Brendan Mott goes out on a winning note after returning for a sixth, super-senior season.
“There’s a lot of emotions the last game, but man, I’m just so happy and proud of this team,” said Mott, the Big 12 sack leader and conference defensive lineman of the year. “I think that this win is going to propel this team next year into the 2025 season, and they have a super bright future ahead of them.”
The Wildcats began the season with dreams of a Big 12 championship and were on track after a 7-1 start, only to stumble and lose three of four games in November. But by rallying to beat Rutgers to finish at 9-4, they reached nine victories for a third straight year under Klieman.
“When you’re in a bowl game and you’re down 17 in the third quarter it’s easy to say, ‘Well, it’s been a good season. We’ll end up 8-5.’ ” Klieman said. “Those kids were not going to end up 8-5.”
With quarterback Avery Johnson, running backs Edwards and Joe Jackson, plus a receiving corps led by sophomore Jayce Brown and a strong group of tight ends, the Wildcats have key pieces in place on offense for next year. Defensively, nose tackle Damian Ilalio and linebackers Austin Romaine and Desmond Purnell lead a core group that also features a talented group of young ends and defensive backs.
“We’re trying to get to the Big 12 championship, and nothing’s going to be in our way but us,” Edwards said. “So long as we stay dialed in and locked in with each other, we should be just fine.”
As for falling short of that goal this year, Klieman chose to highlight the team’s accomplishments instead.
“I know there’s some disappointment,” he said. “There’s a lot of teams that don’t win nine games, man. You look at what our guys did to win that ninth game. I’m nothing but proud of these guys.”
