Rutgers was leading 34-17 in the third quarter and it was looking bleak for Kansas State to come back from a 17-point deficit, but a few crucial plays spun the momentum into the Wildcats’ favor and they didn’t look back.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Kansas State never gave up
Coming back to win the 2024 Rate Bowl 44-41, K-State was resilient in showing no quit when down by as much as it was. Piling the pressure on Rutgers, running back Dylan Edwards slipped through multiple Rutgers defenders for a 65-yard rushing touchdown and safety Daniel Cobbs caught an interception.
Building off of the momentum, Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson found tight end Garrett Oakley and running back Joe Jackson for two passing touchdowns before Edwards’ eventual game-winning, 36-yard touchdown run.
Dec 26, 2024; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson (2) runs the ball against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the second half of the Rate Bowl at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Trying to sum up what a win like this was for himself and his group, Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman was extremely proud of how no one put their head down and kept working.
“Great win, great result by our guys. When you are in a bowl game and you are down 34-17, it’s easy to throw in the towel, but not this group,” Klieman said postgame. “It was really important to finish out strong, get these seniors a win, get a ninth win as well as catapulting us into 2025. I am just so proud of the guys of having that resolve and continuing to fight.
“We’re just so thrilled with finding a way to get stops on defense, which we struggled at. Capitalizing on some big-time plays offensively, and getting the big stop at the end. Putting the ball in Avery [Johnson’s] hands and saying, ‘You got to get three carries and get a first down.’ It was big for us.”
Video Credit: Kansas State Wildcats on K-StateOnline
What didn’t look like a significant play at the moment, Kansas State linebacker Austin Romaine tackled Rutgers running back Antwan Raymond for a loss of six yards and K-State’s sideline was fired up.
When speaking about that instance and the spark that it provided his group, Romaine had a feeling something like that would get the team to lock in from there on out.
“I honestly kinda felt the momentum shift right there and I think the guys were believing, but once we started to play faster and started to send out more pressure, guys really believed and bought in,” Romaine said. “That’s when we felt the momentum start to switch.”
Echoing Romaine’s sentiment, Klieman broke down that Kansas State was a couple of plays away from taking over and that’s what happened.
“I don’t think we played our best defensively in the first half for sure, and then we didn’t get off to a good start in the second half on either side of the ball,” KIieman said. “We make a big play, Dylan [Edwards] breaks a long run, we get an interception and get a big play after that. We just needed the momentum to flip and once it did, you can tell our sideline had all of the energy and they [Rutgers] were starting to struggle a little bit.”
Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards (3) celebrates the go-ahead touchdown against Rutgers during the second half of the Rate Bowl at Chase Field on Dec. 26, 2024, in Phoenix.
With the win, two Big 12 schools have won the Rate Bowl in consecutive years.
Kansas State’s in-state rival Kansas won 49-36 over UNLV in the highest-scoring game of last bowl season. This year exactly matched last year’s combined points of 85, proving that the Rate Bowl is a thrilling game to watch inside a unique venue like Chase Field, a Major League Baseball stadium.
Leaving Phoenix on a high note, the Wildcats achieved their ninth win of the year and will take the trophy back home to Manhattan before preparing for the 2025 season.
Takeaways from Kansas State’s miraculous 44-41 comeback win over Rutgers in Rate Bowl
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers the Phoenix Suns, ASU Athletics and more for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
