After three months of the most emotionally turbulent football in years for Kansas State, the Wildcats’ resilience was rewarded Sunday as K-State accepted an invitation from the AutoZone Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn.
It took three straight wins down the stretch for K-State (6-6) to reach traditional bowl eligibility, which the Wildcats were determined to achieve, rather than be one of three 5-7 teams to receive a bid.
“We wanted to do this the right way,” senior defensive lineman Travis Britz said. “We don’t make excuses for ourselves. We wanted to earn a bowl.”
Saturday night’s 24-23 victory over West Virginia all but assured the Liberty Bowl on Jan. 2 as K-State’s landing spot. The SEC chose Arkansas (7-5) to be the opponent.
“The AutoZone Liberty Bowl is a first-class bowl organization with a rich history,” K-State coach Bill Snyder said in a statement. “We appreciate (executive director) Steve Ehrhart and the entire bowl staff for their efforts and support of our program.”
The bowl, which is the seventh-oldest in the nation, has been played every year since 1959. But the Wildcats have never spent the holiday season in the Birthplace of Rock ‘n Roll.
On KMAN’s The Game last Friday, Ehrhart said hosting K-State and its fans have been a priority for years.
“With what Coach Snyder has achieved over the years, one of the things we try to do is get hall of fame coaches. We have a ton of respect for Coach Snyder and the way K-State plays football.
“We’ve certainly been watching K-State for several years, and with the respect we have for the program, we’d love to add them as a program that has never been here.”
Powercat Gameday will be making the trip to Memphis. More information will be released in the coming days.
