What's at stake in the Rate Bowl between Kansas State and Rutgers?

Kansas State may only be the reigning Pop-Tarts Bowl champions for a few more days, but the Wildcats can still end the season on a high note in the Rate Bowl against Rutgers at Chase Field in Phoenix on Thursday.

Fortunately for college fans, the Scarlet Knights enter with similar stakes as K-State, which should lead to a pretty exciting game at the home of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Wildcats have a chance to win back-to-back bowl games for the first time since 2016-2017 and bring head coach Chris Klieman’s postseason record to 3-2 since taking over for Bill Snyder in 2019. Rutgers, meanwhile, could win bowl games in back-to-back seasons for the first time since a run of four consecutive postseason victories from 2006-2009. That was during Greg Schiano’s first stint as the Scarlet Knights’ head coach.

While Kansas State was considered a preseason contender to win the Big 12 and capture a College Football Playoff berth, a 1-3 record to close out the regular season held the Wildcats back. Now their best hope is to make it three straight seasons with at least nine wins under Klieman.

Rutgers, picked to finish 10th in the Big Ten, instead nabbed ninth place and can become the school’s first team to win at least eight games since 2014.