K-State to Face Alabama in 89th Annual Allstate Sugar Bowl

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Fresh off a 31-28 extra time victory in the 2022 Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship, ninth-ranked Kansas State earned a bid into the 89^th annual Allstate Sugar Bowl and can face No. 5 Alabama on Saturday, December 31, inside Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana because the College Football Playoff Selection committee introduced the New Year’s Six Bowl matchups on Sunday. The sport will kick off at 11 a.m., and be proven on ESPN.

Ok-State’s No. 9 rating in the ultimate College Football Playoff Top 25 of the season is its highest for a ultimate rating because the CFP started in 2014.

 

“We are excited to represent the Big 12 Conference in the Allstate Sugar Bowl,” mentioned Ok-State head coach Chris Klieman, who led the Wildcats to a Big 12 Championship in his fourth 12 months with this system. “I am really proud of our team, especially our seniors, and our staff for their resolve this season. A lot of people doubted this team throughout the year, and they just continued to put their heads down and go to work every day. We look forward to heading to New Orleans for the first time in school history and preparing for a great team in Alabama.” 

 

The Wildcats (10-3) are among the many nation’s leaders in bowl appearances since 1993 as they’re tied for 16^th nationally and rank fourth in the Big 12 with 23. Ok-State can even be one in every of simply 19 Power 5 groups to play in a bowl sport a minimum of 11 instances in the final 13 years. The Wildcats are in search of a second-consecutive bowl win and 4 victories in the final 5 appearances after successful the Texas Bowl over LSU, 42-20, in early 2022. It could be the primary time the Wildcats gained 4 bowl video games in 5 tries in college historical past.

 

“We are excited to head to New Orleans as Big 12 Champions,” mentioned Athletics Director Gene Taylor. “Congratulations to Coach Klieman and our team for a phenomenal season, and now we look forward to showcasing our football program and Kansas State University in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. We had an amazing crowd yesterday in Arlington, and I know our fans will continue to uphold their national reputation for traveling to bowl games when we head to New Orleans later this month.”

 

The Wildcats and Crimson Tide will play for the primary time ever. It will mark the sixth time Ok-State will face an SEC crew in bowl play, together with the second-straight season. The Wildcats are 3-2 in their earlier 5 video games towards SEC opponents in bowl motion, together with two-straight victories over LSU (2021) and Texas A&M (2016) in the Texas Bowl.

 

Kansas State’s championship season started with a 2-1 mark in non-conference play earlier than the Wildcats gained their first three Big 12 contests – together with a 41-34 victory at then-No. 6 Oklahoma. Ok-State suffered a loss at No. 8 TCU, nevertheless it responded with a powerful 48-0 blanking of then-No. 9 Oklahoma State. Following a setback the following week towards Texas, the Wildcats rattled off three-straight wins to shut out the common season – a 31-3 victory at Baylor, a 48-31 triumph at West Virginia and a 47-27 victory over Kansas to earn their 14^th-straight Governor’s Cup win.

 

The Wildcats held a 28-17 lead in the fourth quarter of the 2022 Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship, however TCU – which is able to play in the College Football Playoff National Semifinal on the Fiesta Bowl proper after the Allstate Sugar Bowl – got here again to tie the sport and ship it to extra time.

 

The Horned Frogs began extra time with the ball however got here up empty twice from the one-yard line to finish their possession with none factors. The Wildcats gained 12 yards on their extra time possession – together with a rush to heart the ball – and Ty Zentner linked on a 31-yard discipline aim to ship Ok-State to its fourth ever convention championship and first since 2012.

 

Alabama completed simply outdoors the highest 4 following its 10-2 season, which included slender losses at Tennessee (52-49) and at LSU (32-31), the latter coming in extra time. The Crimson Tide can be enjoying a Big 12 opponent for a second time this season as they gained at Texas, 20-19, on September 10. It would be the first time Alabama will play a Big 12 crew in a bowl sport since taking down Oklahoma, 45-34, in the 2018 College Football Playoff Semifinal on the Orange Bowl.

 

Tickets in the official Ok-State sections can be found now on-line at www.kstatesports.com/bowlgame and by way of cellphone starting at 8:30 a.m. Monday. Remaining tickets in the official Ok-State sections are priced by the bowl at $175 and $105. Tickets in the $265 sections have been bought out by way of pre-orders.

 

All Ahearn Fund members and followers who pre-ordered tickets will obtain communication with information relating to their requests by the tip of the day. Ok-State college students will obtain information relating to discounted pupil tickets by way of e mail right this moment.

 

The Ok-State Alumni Association can even present official journey packages to the bowl sport. Visit the Alumni Association’s official bowl journey web page – www.k-statesportstours.com – for journey package deal information.