KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas coach Bill Self made sure to educate his team about its history against Wichita State.

Or at least about the last time the schools played.

Even though they first faced off in 1908, and are separated by a mere 161 miles, the schools have played only 16 times over the years. But that includes a pair of NCAA Tournament games, and their most recent matchup in 2015, when the Shockers surprised the Jayhawks in the Midwest Regional in Omaha, Nebraska.

There was no such upset Saturday. Hunter Dickinson had 22 points and 13 rebounds, Kevin McCullar Jr. went 10 for 10 from the foul line and added 20 points, and the second-ranked Jayhawks rolled to an 86-67 win over the Shockers.

“Coach told us the history of us playing against Wichita State, and how the last time we played them it was really unfortunate,” said Dickinson, who also had four assists. “We knew they were going to come in and give us their best shot.”

Elmarko Jackson added a career-best 12 points for the Jayhawks (12-1), who have won 25 straight games in December and will take an eight-game winning streak into Big 12 play when they take on TCU next Saturday.

Dalen Ridgnal scored 13 points for the Shockers (8-5), who also lost to Kansas State at T-Mobile Center last week. Xavier Bell added 11 points and Quincy Ballard finished with 10.

“We needed to play well to beat a team of this caliber," Shockers coach Paul Mills said. “Give them a lot of credit. They had a lot to do with our inability to really get into a flow."

The game was tied 14-all when Jackson scored three straight baskets, including a fast-break dunk, to give the Jayhawks the lead. Dickinson added back-to-back baskets off his own misses. By the time Parker Braun scored an easy layup off a slick assist from K.J. Adams Jr., the Jayhawks had taken a 43-27 lead heading to the locker room.

Dickinson opened the second half by drilling a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Jackson added his own 3 from the wing. And when Dickinson picked the pocket of Harlond Beverly and McCullar scored in traffic at the other end, the Kansas lead had grown to 51-27 and Mills was forced to call timeout.

The Jayhawks led by as much as 28 in the second half before cruising to the finish.

“It's the last game of 2023,” Self said. “I just tried to spin it like it's a circled game for Wichita State and we have to respect that, and play with the intensity we know they will come out with. I think we did.”

Wichita State was just 4 of 20 from beyond the 3-point arc and shot 50% from the foul line, and that won't fly against one of the nation's best teams. The Shockers also had 13 assists to 15 turnovers.

Kansas freshman Johnny Furphy was back after missing a game to return home to Australia. He only had seven points, but his ability to hit shots from long range was important in creating better spacing and opening up the floor.

Wichita State opens American Athletic Conference play against North Texas on Thursday night.

Kansas welcomes the Horned Frogs to Allen Fieldhouse next Saturday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703987896941.jpeg" alt="Kansas center Hunter Dickinson (1) shoots during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wichita State Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (Kansas Athletics photo)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas center Hunter Dickinson (1) shoots during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wichita State Saturday, Dec. 30, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. (Kansas Athletics photo)</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas coach Bill Self made sure to educate his team about its history against Wichita State.Or at least about the last time the schools played.Even though they first faced off in 1908, and are separated by a mere 161 miles, the schools have played only 16 times over the years. But that includes a pair of NCAA Tournament games, and their most recent matchup in 2015, when the Shockers surprised the Jayhawks in the Midwest Regional in Omaha, Nebraska.There was no such upset Saturday. Hunter Dickinson had 22 points and 13 rebounds, Kevin McCullar Jr. went 10 for 10 from the foul line and added 20 points, and the second-ranked Jayhawks rolled to an 86-67 win over the Shockers.“Coach told us the history of us playing against Wichita State, and how the last time we played them it was really unfortunate,” said Dickinson, who also had four assists. “We knew they were going to come in and give us their best shot.”Elmarko Jackson added a career-best 12 points for the Jayhawks (12-1), who have won 25 straight games in December and will take an eight-game winning streak into Big 12 play when they take on TCU next Saturday.Dalen Ridgnal scored 13 points for the Shockers (8-5), who also lost to Kansas State at T-Mobile Center last week. Xavier Bell added 11 points and Quincy Ballard finished with 10.“We needed to play well to beat a team of this caliber," Shockers coach Paul Mills said. “Give them a lot of credit. They had a lot to do with our inability to really get into a flow."The game was tied 14-all when Jackson scored three straight baskets, including a fast-break dunk, to give the Jayhawks the lead. Dickinson added back-to-back baskets off his own misses. By the time Parker Braun scored an easy layup off a slick assist from K.J. Adams Jr., the Jayhawks had taken a 43-27 lead heading to the locker room.Dickinson opened the second half by drilling a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Jackson added his own 3 from the wing. And when Dickinson picked the pocket of Harlond Beverly and McCullar scored in traffic at the other end, the Kansas lead had grown to 51-27 and Mills was forced to call timeout.The Jayhawks led by as much as 28 in the second half before cruising to the finish.“It's the last game of 2023,” Self said. “I just tried to spin it like it's a circled game for Wichita State and we have to respect that, and play with the intensity we know they will come out with. I think we did.”BIG PICTUREWichita State was just 4 of 20 from beyond the 3-point arc and shot 50% from the foul line, and that won't fly against one of the nation's best teams. The Shockers also had 13 assists to 15 turnovers.Kansas freshman Johnny Furphy was back after missing a game to return home to Australia. He only had seven points, but his ability to hit shots from long range was important in creating better spacing and opening up the floor.UP NEXTWichita State opens American Athletic Conference play against North Texas on Thursday night.Kansas welcomes the Horned Frogs to Allen Fieldhouse next Saturday.

Dickinson's double-double lifts Kansas to win over Wichita State

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“As far as the guys that will be out, Kadarius (Toney) and Donovan (Smith) will be out. Clyde (Edwards-Helaire) didn’t practice – Clyde has been sick here the last couple of days but making progress in the right direction and then L’Jarius Sneed is still working through that calf, so they’ll be listed as questionable. (We) look forward to the challenge of playing the Bengals, good football team, well coached and I look forward to playing here at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, no better atmosphere then right there in that stadium. With that, time’s yours.”

Q: Does that mean that Isiah Pacheco has cleared concussion protocol and will be ready on Sunday?

REID:&nbsp;“He (Isiah Pacheco) practiced today, which is a part of that protocol. We have to see how he did after today but just from talking to him out there, he did well during the practice but there’s more to it than that.”

Q: Is there a chance Clyde Edwards-Helaire could play on Sunday?

REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think so. We just have to get him (Clyde Edwards-Helaire) through this, I mean he’s not feeling very good but he’s getting better.”

Q: What are you seeing from L’Jarius Sneed this season?

REID:&nbsp;“He’s (L’Jarius Sneed) playing real good football, All-Pro level, I mean that’s what he is. He’s doing a nice job.”

Q: Will Mecole Hardman be ready on Sunday?

REID:&nbsp;“We’ll see. I mean he’s (Mecole Hardman) been repping in there, but we have to do the old number count and see how that goes.”

Q: If you have to play without L’Jarius Sneed, how much trust do you have in the secondary without him?

REID:&nbsp;“It’s good that they’ve all played, that’s the positive thing, they’ve all got game experience. If he (L’Jarius Sneed) doesn’t play then we’ll go with the other group. It’s a great challenge no matter if he plays or doesn’t play, it’s a great challenge to go against some real good receivers.’

Q: What’s it like playing against Bengals Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo’s defense?

REID:&nbsp;“That’s an enjoyable part from the coaching standpoint, he’s (Bengals Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo) a really good defensive coordinator, he has a great scheme and he’s a good adjuster. You have to work within that and stay on top of that part.”

Q: Is there any more hype this game playing the Bengals?

REID:&nbsp;“(It’s) two good football teams playing each other – there’s a history, we’ve played each other here now however many times over the last couple of years so there is that history.”

Q:&nbsp;Did you talk to the team this week at all about avoiding the trash talk?

REID:&nbsp;“I don’t get into all of that, I don’t know. I’ve got small ears and let’s go play.”

Q:&nbsp;Any words for the University of Missouri tonight in the Cotton Bowl?

REID:&nbsp;“Go Tigers baby, love the Tigers.”

Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from the practice squad running backs if you need to use them Sunday?

REID:&nbsp;“They’d be fine. I don’t think we’re going to have to do that, but they’d be fine.”

Q:&nbsp;So you are expecting at least Clyde Edwards-Helaire to play and maybe Isiah Pacheco?

REID:&nbsp;“We’ll see, I mean we’ll see. If we have to go with the other guys we’re good there too.”

HEAD COACH ANDY REIDOPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“As far as the guys that will be out, Kadarius (Toney) and Donovan (Smith) will be out. Clyde (Edwards-Helaire) didn’t practice – Clyde has been sick here the last couple of days but making progress in the right direction and then L’Jarius Sneed is still working through that calf, so they’ll be listed as questionable. (We) look forward to the challenge of playing the Bengals, good football team, well coached and I look forward to playing here at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, no better atmosphere then right there in that stadium. With that, time’s yours.”Q: Does that mean that Isiah Pacheco has cleared concussion protocol and will be ready on Sunday?REID:&nbsp;“He (Isiah Pacheco) practiced today, which is a part of that protocol. We have to see how he did after today but just from talking to him out there, he did well during the practice but there’s more to it than that.”Q: Is there a chance Clyde Edwards-Helaire could play on Sunday?REID:&nbsp;“Yeah, I think so. We just have to get him (Clyde Edwards-Helaire) through this, I mean he’s not feeling very good but he’s getting better.”Q: What are you seeing from L’Jarius Sneed this season?REID:&nbsp;“He’s (L’Jarius Sneed) playing real good football, All-Pro level, I mean that’s what he is. He’s doing a nice job.”Q: Will Mecole Hardman be ready on Sunday?REID:&nbsp;“We’ll see. I mean he’s (Mecole Hardman) been repping in there, but we have to do the old number count and see how that goes.”Q: If you have to play without L’Jarius Sneed, how much trust do you have in the secondary without him?REID:&nbsp;“It’s good that they’ve all played, that’s the positive thing, they’ve all got game experience. If he (L’Jarius Sneed) doesn’t play then we’ll go with the other group. It’s a great challenge no matter if he plays or doesn’t play, it’s a great challenge to go against some real good receivers.’Q: What’s it like playing against Bengals Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo’s defense?REID:&nbsp;“That’s an enjoyable part from the coaching standpoint, he’s (Bengals Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo) a really good defensive coordinator, he has a great scheme and he’s a good adjuster. You have to work within that and stay on top of that part.”Q: Is there any more hype this game playing the Bengals?REID:&nbsp;“(It’s) two good football teams playing each other – there’s a history, we’ve played each other here now however many times over the last couple of years so there is that history.”Q:&nbsp;Did you talk to the team this week at all about avoiding the trash talk?REID:&nbsp;“I don’t get into all of that, I don’t know. I’ve got small ears and let’s go play.”Q:&nbsp;Any words for the University of Missouri tonight in the Cotton Bowl?REID:&nbsp;“Go Tigers baby, love the Tigers.”Q:&nbsp;What have you seen from the practice squad running backs if you need to use them Sunday?REID:&nbsp;“They’d be fine. I don’t think we’re going to have to do that, but they’d be fine.”Q:&nbsp;So you are expecting at least Clyde Edwards-Helaire to play and maybe Isiah Pacheco?REID:&nbsp;“We’ll see, I mean we’ll see. If we have to go with the other guys we’re good there too.”

Chiefs Quotes: 12-29-23

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Avery Johnson threw for two touchdowns and ran for one, DJ Giddens rushed for 151 yards and scored twice, and Kansas State beat No. 19 North Carolina State 28-19 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Thursday night.

Johnson, a freshman making his first start after Will Howard entered the transfer portal, threw for 178 yards, rushed for 71 and directed a 15-play, 72-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that put the game away and closed out a solid season for coach Chris Klieman's Wildcats (9-4).

Quarterback Brennan Armstrong rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown and threw for 164 yards in his final game for the Wolfpack (9-4), who fell short of winning 10 games for the second time in program history.

Giddens had a 37-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter, his only catch of the game, and ran for a 4-yard TD early in the second that made it 14-0.

Kansas State led 21-7 late in the second quarter and 21-10 at halftime, but N.C. State rallied in the third quarter, thanks in part to some trickery. Trent Pennix ran for a 60-yard touchdown on a fake punt with 1:50 left in the period. But the 2-point try failed, allowing the Wildcats to maintain a 21-19 lead.

Johnson and Giddens took over from there. Giddens had six rushes for 25 yards on a drive that took 7:24 off the clock and concluded with Johnson's 8-yard touchdown pass to Jayce Brown with 2:48 remaining.

Jacob Parrish intercepted Armstrong on N.C. State's next play from scrimmage.

Kansas State punter Jack Blumer called his own number in the second quarter for a 30-yard gain that set up Giddens' rushing TD.

N.C. State had its biggest play on a direct snap to Pennix, a tight end, from the punt formation that he took all the way to the end zone.

N.C. State’s lone 10-win season came in 2002, when it went 11-2 with Phillip Rivers at quarterback.

N.C. State will have to replace Armstrong, a fifth-year senior who transferred from Virginia for his final season, and graduating Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year Payton Wilson.

Kansas State can look forward to having both Johnson and Giddens back in 2024.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703818024803.jpeg" alt="Kansas State running back and former Junction City Blue Jay, DJ Giddens (31) runs for a touchdown on a fourth-and-1 pass play against North Carolina State during the first half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl NCAA college football game Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas State running back and former Junction City Blue Jay, DJ Giddens (31) runs for a touchdown on a fourth-and-1 pass play against North Carolina State during the first half of the Pop-Tarts Bowl NCAA college football game Thursday, Dec. 28, 2023, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)</figcaption>
 </figure>ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Avery Johnson threw for two touchdowns and ran for one, DJ Giddens rushed for 151 yards and scored twice, and Kansas State beat No. 19 North Carolina State 28-19 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Thursday night.Johnson, a freshman making his first start after Will Howard entered the transfer portal, threw for 178 yards, rushed for 71 and directed a 15-play, 72-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that put the game away and closed out a solid season for coach Chris Klieman's Wildcats (9-4).Quarterback Brennan Armstrong rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown and threw for 164 yards in his final game for the Wolfpack (9-4), who fell short of winning 10 games for the second time in program history.Giddens had a 37-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter, his only catch of the game, and ran for a 4-yard TD early in the second that made it 14-0.Kansas State led 21-7 late in the second quarter and 21-10 at halftime, but N.C. State rallied in the third quarter, thanks in part to some trickery. Trent Pennix ran for a 60-yard touchdown on a fake punt with 1:50 left in the period. But the 2-point try failed, allowing the Wildcats to maintain a 21-19 lead.Johnson and Giddens took over from there. Giddens had six rushes for 25 yards on a drive that took 7:24 off the clock and concluded with Johnson's 8-yard touchdown pass to Jayce Brown with 2:48 remaining.Jacob Parrish intercepted Armstrong on N.C. State's next play from scrimmage.FAKE IT TIL YOU MAKE ITBoth teams ran successful fake punts.Kansas State punter Jack Blumer called his own number in the second quarter for a 30-yard gain that set up Giddens' rushing TD.N.C. State had its biggest play on a direct snap to Pennix, a tight end, from the punt formation that he took all the way to the end zone.ELUSIVE DOUBLE DIGITSN.C. State’s lone 10-win season came in 2002, when it went 11-2 with Phillip Rivers at quarterback.UP NEXTN.C. State will have to replace Armstrong, a fifth-year senior who transferred from Virginia for his final season, and graduating Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year Payton Wilson.Kansas State can look forward to having both Johnson and Giddens back in 2024.

QB Avery Johnson leads Kansas State past N.C. State in Pop-Tarts Bowl

Courtesy of the Kansas Shrine Bowl

KANSAS-&nbsp;The Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors is pleased to announce Brice Kesler as its new Executive Director effective January 1, 2024.&nbsp; Kesler will replace B.J. Harris, whose resignation was accepted in November to step down at the end of 2023 to pursue additional career opportunities.

“Hiring Brice to take on the role of Executive Director is another step in the right direction for the Kansas Shrine Bowl,” said Drew Couch, 2024 President of the Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors. “We put on a grand event with our football game to raise money for Shrine Kids. With the addition of our wrestling event and hopefully others in the future, Brice is the guy that will help lead the Kansas Shrine Bowl organization into the future.”

Brice has served as the Business &amp; Office Manager for the Kansas Shrine Bowl since March of 2021. Prior to joining the Kansas Shrine Bowl staff, Brice’s career began as a Business Development Executive and Sports Director for Rocking M Media in Goodland, Kansas. Brice then moved to North Platte, Nebraska to become the Sports Director at Eagle Radio before returning to Kansas and becoming part of the Kansas Shrine Bowl staff.

“I’m honored and thankful to the Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors for awarding me this opportunity to lead such a wonderful organization,” said Brice Kesler. “Seeing the impact that this organization has on children and families from all across the state and beyond is a powerful motivator. I’m excited to be in a position to lead that effort forward and continue to promote the tremendous work done by Shriners in Kansas through the lens of our premier all-star events.”

Alongside new Executive Director Brice Kesler, Whitney Kesler will continue her role as Events &amp; Business Manager for the Kansas Shrine Bowl. Whitney joined the Kansas Shrine Bowl staff in May of 2023 after eight years as the Assistant Director/Sports Coordinator at Baldwin City Recreation Commission. Brice and Whitney will continue to lead the corporate partnership development of the Kansas Shrine Bowl, while exploring new ways to expand the statewide footprint and awareness of the organization and Shriners Children’s.

“Serving in this position has been the most rewarding role of my career,” said B.J. Harris, who served in the role of Executive Director since 2017. “I'm forever grateful to the Board of Directors and staff, and look forward to seeing the continued growth of the Kansas Shrine Bowl and the organization's increased impact on the patients of Shriners Children's."

The Kansas Shrine Bowl is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that produces annual events and related activities, with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Children’s. Since its inception in 1974, the Kansas Shrine &nbsp;Bowl has been promoting Kansas talent and the incredible network of Shriners Children’s Hospitals by &nbsp;donating more than $3.8 million. To learn more about the organization and its cause visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasshrinebowl.com/" target="_blank">www.KansasShrineBowl.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703782918495.png" alt="Photo Courtesy Kansas Shrine Bowl." />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy Kansas Shrine Bowl.</figcaption>
 </figure>Courtesy of the Kansas Shrine BowlKANSAS-&nbsp;The Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors is pleased to announce Brice Kesler as its new Executive Director effective January 1, 2024.&nbsp; Kesler will replace B.J. Harris, whose resignation was accepted in November to step down at the end of 2023 to pursue additional career opportunities.“Hiring Brice to take on the role of Executive Director is another step in the right direction for the Kansas Shrine Bowl,” said Drew Couch, 2024 President of the Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors. “We put on a grand event with our football game to raise money for Shrine Kids. With the addition of our wrestling event and hopefully others in the future, Brice is the guy that will help lead the Kansas Shrine Bowl organization into the future.”Brice has served as the Business &amp; Office Manager for the Kansas Shrine Bowl since March of 2021. Prior to joining the Kansas Shrine Bowl staff, Brice’s career began as a Business Development Executive and Sports Director for Rocking M Media in Goodland, Kansas. Brice then moved to North Platte, Nebraska to become the Sports Director at Eagle Radio before returning to Kansas and becoming part of the Kansas Shrine Bowl staff.“I’m honored and thankful to the Kansas Shrine Bowl Board of Directors for awarding me this opportunity to lead such a wonderful organization,” said Brice Kesler. “Seeing the impact that this organization has on children and families from all across the state and beyond is a powerful motivator. I’m excited to be in a position to lead that effort forward and continue to promote the tremendous work done by Shriners in Kansas through the lens of our premier all-star events.”Alongside new Executive Director Brice Kesler, Whitney Kesler will continue her role as Events &amp; Business Manager for the Kansas Shrine Bowl. Whitney joined the Kansas Shrine Bowl staff in May of 2023 after eight years as the Assistant Director/Sports Coordinator at Baldwin City Recreation Commission. Brice and Whitney will continue to lead the corporate partnership development of the Kansas Shrine Bowl, while exploring new ways to expand the statewide footprint and awareness of the organization and Shriners Children’s.“Serving in this position has been the most rewarding role of my career,” said B.J. Harris, who served in the role of Executive Director since 2017. “I'm forever grateful to the Board of Directors and staff, and look forward to seeing the continued growth of the Kansas Shrine Bowl and the organization's increased impact on the patients of Shriners Children's."The Kansas Shrine Bowl is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that produces annual events and related activities, with net proceeds benefiting Shriners Children’s. Since its inception in 1974, the Kansas Shrine &nbsp;Bowl has been promoting Kansas talent and the incredible network of Shriners Children’s Hospitals by &nbsp;donating more than $3.8 million. To learn more about the organization and its cause visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasshrinebowl.com/" target="_blank">www.KansasShrineBowl.com</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

🏈 Kansas Shrine Bowl names new executive director

Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid Quotes

OPENING STATEMENT:&nbsp;“As far as the injuries go, L’Jarius Sneed won’t go today; he’s got a calf strain. Jaylen Watson is sick. (Isiah) Pacheco is in (concussion) protocol. Donovan Smith still has some tingling with the stingers there, and Kadarius Toney with the hip strain. (We) look forward to the challenge of playing the Bengals, heck of a football team, well coached. I mean (Bengals Head Coach) Zac (Taylor) does a great job with them and works with the offense, likewise. And (Bengals Defensive Coordinator) Lou (Anarumo) does a nice job with the defense. We’ve got a good week of preparation, and that’s where we’re headed. With that, time’s yours.”

Q: There seems to be a lot of frustration on the sidelines. Do you feel like there’s an unusual amount? Does it need to be calmed down?

REID:&nbsp;“When you’ve won a lot of games, your tolerance level for not doing as well as we should goes down so things happen, but that’s the great part about this is the game of football, it’s an emotional game. That’s expected, I mean you see those things happen. We just have to make sure we generate it in the right direction, and we go that way and fix the problems. That’s the first thing. I’ve got a big piece of that, very responsible for the things going on, on the offensive side of the ball, so I always look here first (points to self) and then we try to address the other issues we might have.”

Q:&nbsp;Is there a particular way to address the frustration and make sure the responsibility is dealt with in the right way?

REID: “We talk about everything; we make sure we cover everything.”

Q: How do you turn all of the frustration into something positive?

REID: “That’s what you do. You work to get yourself better to make it positive. That’s the only way of going about it. You write a bad article, then you come back, and you’re going to do better with the next one.”

Q: On trying to clean things up, are things just not catching this time around that have in the past?

REID: “You keep working, you keep working. Stay positive and move forward. Learn, teach, practice the right way, do the fundamental things, that’s what you do. Control what you can control.”

Q: There seemed to be some pre-snap confusion in the game. Can you explain what happened there?

REID: “That was my fault on that, so I have to make sure that’s right. When I stand up here and tell you that I’ve got a piece of that pie, that’s directly pointed right at me, so I have to make sure that guys can do that and make sure we’re right there.”

Q: What do you tell guys when they do keep working but things still aren’t going your way?

REID: “It’s like any other profession, you’ve got things you can work on to get better, focus on that. Focus on those things to get better, and that’s what you do. You take care of that business first. That’s what we’re working on.”

Q: Looking back at the film of the Raiders game on Monday, is there an overarching theme on why Patrick Mahomes struggled?

REID: “I mean there are a variety of things. Again, I’ve got to help him (Patrick Mahomes) with some of that, and then he’s aware of what he has to work on. I’m aware of what I’ve got to work on and (Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy) Nags feels the same way, so we just make sure we’re right all the way around. It takes everybody. It’s a team so it takes everybody.”

Q: What effect has all of this stuff going on around him had on Patrick Mahomes’ level of play?

REID: “Listen, he’s (Patrick Mahomes) a very positive thinker, so he’s very focused. He understands that he’s got to do his part and the other guys have to do their part. He works with them to do that and works on himself; he does all of that, so he’s a joy to coach that way.”

Q: Other than Rashee Rice, it seems like the wide receiver playtime has fluctuated throughout the season. How much do you feel like you are still trying to find the right combination?

REID: “Well, we’ve given everybody opportunities for different things, and so we’ll keep working on that. Again, there are other things that are involved with it, so we just keep working.”

Q: When Patrick gets hesitant to make throws downfield and is looking guys off, what do you tell him?

REID: “We talk. I mean we just talk during games – without saying that you’re right on the thing (question) but we talk on that.”

Q: With Travis Kelce in particular, have you felt the need to talk with him more after the exchange on the sidelines between you two?

REID: “Trav (Kelce) and I have talked, yeah.”

Q: Anything in particular that you want to share?

REID: “With you? No. We talked.”

Q: The Bengals defense has done decent on your offense here and there, what is it about their defense that makes it tough?

REID: “Multiple looks, they’re great with that. They’re good players. They’ve got real good players, and their defensive coordinator (Lou Anarumo) is real good. He’s got them well taught, and they do a nice job with all their different schemes.”

Q: Any thought that Kadarius Toney can be good to go by Sunday?

REID: “I think it’s probably day by day.”

Q: What about Mecole Hardman, could he be active Sunday?

REID: “We’ll see. We’re going to give him (Mecole Hardman) another chance to get out there and practice, and we’ll see how that goes.”

Q: On the Bengals with Jake Browning at quarterback.

REID: “They’ve done well. I don’t think they’ve changed a lot that way and the kid (Bengals QB Jake Browning) has done a great job for them.”

Q: How serious are Donovan Smith’s neck stingers?

REID: “I think the rest is helping, so it’s getting better, it just takes a little bit of time.”

Q: What was your discussion like with the offensive linemen after the game?

REID: “Look, I talk to everybody, so that’s between me and the players. That’s all part of this thing. I mean, it’s the same way with (Travis) Kelce. Kelce and I have a great relationship, so I mean I go to him, I go to the offensive line, I talk to these guys and I think that’s important. These guys are emotional. They want to do well. That’s what you see. There’s a sense of frustration, ‘What can I do better?’ That urgency is going to help us get better.”

Q: You’re big on not getting too high or low, how much do you think that reminder is important at this part of the season?

REID: “Listen, the guys – they know me and how I present things. I talk to them; I talk to the team everyday, so I get my points across.”

Q:&nbsp;What is the biggest take away from Monday’s game?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think (we) just have to be better as a unit. I have to play better, read the field better. You have to learn from your mistakes and be better next week because we have a great game against a great team coming up.”

Q:&nbsp;What has led to you showing more frustration on the sideline?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I just don’t think I like losing. Anybody can be frustrated when they lose, it’s just about how you respond.”

Q:&nbsp;Is it hard to know how to harness the frustration and how to motivate the team?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think you motivate in a lot of different ways. I try to do my best to be positive and keep the guys going in the right direction. You catch me sometimes on the sideline (and) I look frustrated, I think a lot of guys are frustrated that we’re losing. At the same time, you have to have the right message to know that the guys know that I believe in them – and I do – so now it’s just about how can we utilize our situation and make it a positive going into this next week.”

Q:&nbsp;How does the team channel the frustration into something positive?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think people see frustration and they think it causes controversy. I see it as a way of showing that people care – they care about their profession, they care about trying to do whatever they can do to win games. When I see stuff like that happen, obviously, we want to be in the positive light and all of that. I see someone that cares about the game and someone who wants to be better, not better for themselves but better for the team.”

Q:&nbsp;What is it about you that allows you to reset and respond when you do have a bad game?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“You have to be critical with yourself. You have to be true to what’s on the film and what’s happening. I think a lot of people will make excuses, and that’s why they don’t take that next step or become better because of it. You have to see the film – you look at the film, we made a lot of mistakes that you can’t make in this league if you want to have success. You have to learn from them and get better from them. If you look at it and try to make an excuse for why something happened or (say) it’s not your fault because this thing happened – that’s when that kind of stuff snowballs. If you look at the film and say, ‘Hey, I’ve got to be better here, I have to (have) better footwork, I have to work the pocket better, get the ball out of my hands when I need to.’ And (you) learn like that, then you can be better that next week. We’re just going to take that; this is a great defense (the Bengals) that we are playing.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you have an example of something you don’t notice you need to improve on in the moment but saw it later in the film?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think there are just little things with the foot work. Anytime you see me drifting backwards in the pocket, that’s never good for the team. That’s something that goes back to my Texas Tech days where I get in these old habits of trying to make a big play happen whenever the play is there. Towards the end of the game, you saw that – I was drifting maybe looking at the D-line, that stuff that’s gotten me in trouble before. You just learn from that stuff and try to get back to my footwork and fundamentals. If I can just do that and let the offense work for me then I can go out there and have success.”

Q:&nbsp;When you see receivers down field where you don’t expect them to be what is your mentality?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“In order for offenses to work in this league it takes everybody – it starts with me, and it goes throughout everyone else and everyone has to be on the same page. This last week we weren’t on the same page in some critical moments and that hurt us. I believe in these guys; we work our tail off and I know we say it every week but we go out there and put whatever we can on tape. Everyone is putting everything they have in this game during the week and during the game and I trust these guys are going to continue to work. We have two games left to prove it. At the end of the day, we can talk about it all we want, we have two games left to show that this work we’re putting in every single week is going to pay off. I know we’re not going to be the one seed and everything like that, but we can still win the AFC West, we can get into the playoffs and once you get to the playoffs it’s open for everyone to go out there and win it. I think that starts with today’s practice, how we practice. We know Cincinnati, we know them well, they’re going to play hard, they have a great football team, a great defense and it will be a great challenge as an offense for us to go up against.”

Q:&nbsp;You mentioned just making the throws that are there. How would you assess how that went Monday and how to get better?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think just it goes back to me; I’ve got to be critical of myself. There were times where there were throws there and I didn’t make them, there were times where I went through my reads and maybe didn’t get to my last one. That’s just stuff I have to get better at and if I get better at it that will make the whole offense better. That’s just stuff you go back on the film and learn from. Obviously, that wasn’t our best performance – it wasn’t my best performance, but you’ve got to be critical of yourself and be better for it the next time.”

Q:&nbsp;How would you asses the operation of how quickly you get the play call and then getting that to everyone?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“We talked about it, we just want to make sure that we’re playing fast and we’re playing the right way. I felt like in that two-minute drill we got confused on a few things here and there. At the same time, we’ve been so high octane in those two-minute drills that I know we’ll get it back right the right way. That’s just going to take us going back to the fundamentals, just like I am, getting the play in to the receivers so they can play fast. We’ve got a lot of different guys playing, but I think the guys understand it and know it so now let’s just get back to who we are.”

Q:&nbsp;As you reviewed the game did you think you were bailing from the pocket too early?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Yeah, that’s what I was talking about. There were times when the pocket was clean, and I was drifting back and that invites the rush to be even better. I honestly thought that the offensive line stepped up to the challenge as the game went on. Obviously the first few drives you saw me talking to them, I just challenged those guys to be better, and they were. Then it’s on me, if I’m going to challenge them to be better, I have to be better within the pocket. I was proud of how those guys responded throughout the middle parts of that game and towards the end of it. I have to trust those guys as much as I talk. That’s on me to be better and better as games go on and don’t drift and try to do too much.”

Q:&nbsp;What is your plan this week to do anything different in your preparation and are you seeing what you want to see from your teammates in that way?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I think guys are working hard. I’ve said every week, guys are working hard to get better. At the end of the day, we have to go out there and prove it. I know everyone hears us saying it, but unless we go out and prove it, I don’t think anyone is going to believe it. For us, we’re going to go in with that mentality that we’re going to work our tail off to make sure we can put our best effort forward this week. We’ve got to find a way to get a win in order to get into the playoffs. That’s our attitude going into practice today.”

Q:&nbsp;How much do you think Marquez Valdes-Scantling needs to get more action in the offense and how can you build that connection back?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“That’s on me. I’ve got to find ways to get him the ball. There are times where he’s open on the football field, I can see it on tape and I have to find ways to get him the football. If you look at the two games we played against the Bengals last year, he was a big part of those games. I think the best part about him is he’s being professional, he’s going to work and even though I’m not getting him the football in some of those moments, he’s blocking his tail off. He’s doing whatever he can to help the football team and you want those guys on the field and playing.”

Q:&nbsp;Do you feel like there is a level of tough love you need to have with the guys?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“I don’t. There is a difference between when you want to have tough love on someone because they’re not putting in the work and when someone is putting in the work and the results haven’t come. All you can do is go to practice every single day and put your best foot forward and continue to get better and better. You go to the game and you give everything you have to do whatever you can to help the team and the results kind of handle themselves. The ball is not always going to bounce your way, you’re not always going to win 14, 13 games every single season. Can you stay with the process every single day and put your team in the best position to succeed then let’s see what happens. We’re still first place in the AFC West, we have to win one more game to win the division. We understand that it’s not going to be easy, but if we continue to work and put everything we have out there on the football field and we win this game and get into the playoffs, I think we can go out there and do what we wanted to do at the beginning of the season and that’s find a way to win the Super Bowl. That’s going to take a great day at practice today and a great week of football this week.”

Q:&nbsp;This is the first time in several years that this team hasn’t picked it up when we hit December. Do you have a takeaway as to why?

MAHOMES:&nbsp;“Not necessarily. I think the guys are still putting in the same amount of work. We’ve had the same schedule that we’ve always had, we’ve practiced hard, just haven’t come out with the wins. At the end of the day, all we can do is continue to get better and better. We still have belief in this locker room, I’ll continue to say it. We’ve got to go out there and prove it, I think the guys are willing to accept that challenge and do it.”

Q: It’s been a tough month for you guys, what are you seeing from your guys?

JONES: “I think their energy is positive. I think that’s important for this week to make sure everybody is in positive spirits, uplifting one another and being together. I think attention to detail especially on individual performances.”

Q: What’s the key to making sure there’s no finger pointing and that you guys stay together?

JONES: “I’ve been in this league, what eight years, and (have) never been a part of a team that has been successful that has pointed fingers. I think it’s more so about taking accountability, seeing what you can do better, seeing what extra 10% you can give to your game, what you can add; whether that’s rest, sleep, whether it’s film, whether it’s extra curriculum after practice, improving yourself. Then, I think that can contribute to the team being better.”

Q:&nbsp;When things are not going right, who holds you guys accountable?

JONES: “I think we have to hold ourselves (accountable). I think the coaches can only do so much, the coaches can only call plays and we have to go out and execute at a high ability as players. So, I think more so taking accountability for yourself and players holding each other accountable.”

Q:&nbsp;If you win the division, you are guaranteed a home playoff game. What would that mean to you?

JONES:&nbsp;“I think that’s what we strive for every year, to win the division and whatever after that falls in place. Most importantly is winning the division, I think that’s our test, that’s what we’re looking forward to. In front of that, we have two games ahead of us and two great teams. The Cincinnati Bengals are playing lights out ever since (Bengals injured QB) Joe (Burrow) went out, I think they are 3-1 since Joe Burrow has been out. Their quarterback (Bengals QB Jake Browning) has been playing lights out so we’re looking forward to the Cincinnati Bengals, we know it’s going to be a tough game and they have a heck of a team.”

Chiefs Quotes: 12-27-23

PHOENIX (AP) — Kansas was one of Power Five football's worst teams not that long ago, going through two full seasons with one combined win.

The Jayhawks began rebuilding in coach Lance Leipold's first season, went to a bowl game a year ago and now have a large trophy to take back home with them to Lawrence.

Jason Bean threw for 449 yards and all six of his touchdown passes to two receivers, and penalty-plagued Kansas outlasted UNLV 49-36 in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl on Tuesday night.

“I said it one time and I kind of chuckle, that we can be in the conversation for a conference championship," Leipold said. “I never would have thought I would have said that that quick at Kansas.”

The Jayhawks (9-4) tried to make things hard on themselves Tuesday.

Ranked 14th nationally for fewest penalties with 55 during the regular season, Kansas was flagged 18 times for 210 yards, including four personal fouls.

The Jayhawks made up for it with an explosive offense that produced 591 total yards at Chase Field, home of baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks.

Luke Grimm had four catches for 160 yards and three touchdowns. Lawrence Arnold added six catches for 132 yards and three more scores, giving Kansas two receivers with three touchdowns in a game for the first time in program history.

Bean finished 19 of 28 and overcame two interceptions in the third quarter to lead Kansas to its first postseason win since the 2008 Insight Bowl, also in Phoenix.

“That's an example of this whole season,” said Bean, who took over as Kansas' starter when Jalon Daniels went out with a back injury three games into the season. “We've had our ups and downs and that's just a credit to our attitude to stay kind of even keel.”

Jayden Maiava threw two touchdown passes in the third quarter to rally UNLV (9-5) nearly all the way back from a 21-point deficit early in the second. He added a 50-yard touchdown pass to Senika McKie and finished 24 of 35 for 291 yards with two interceptions.

The Rebels just couldn't stop Kansas and came up short in their first bowl game since 2014.

A tough ending to coach Barry Odom's first season, but UNLV finished with its most wins since the Randall Cunningham team went 11-2 in 1984.

“I thought the progress that the program made was substantial from where we started back when we got the job and started working together,” Odom said.

UNLV got off to a fast start, moving quickly down the field for Maiava’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Vincent Davis.

Bean took over from there, hitting Grimm on touchdowns of 6 and 60 yards, and a 15-yarder to Arnold. Devin Neal's 1-yard run put Kansas up 28-10 at halftime.

Maiava rallied UNLV to 28-24 with a pair of TD passes, but Kansas kept scoring.

Bean hit Arnold on touchdown passes of 40 and 56 yards, then put the Jayhawks up 49-30 with a 43-yard TD to Grimm.

“We tried a little bit of everything,” Odom said. “Any good defense, the number of explosive plays, the lower the number is the better you're going to be as a defense. It sounds easy, but it's hard to do.”

Kansas: The Jayhawks picked a bad time to become undisciplined, but got away with it because of their explosive offense.

UNLV: The Rebels managed to climb most of the way out of the big early hole, but never could catch the Jayhawks and remained winless in bowl games since 2000.

UNLV: Odom has some success to build on for his second season and should have plenty of key players back, including Maiava. The Rebels had the nation's 71st-ranked recruiting class in the early signing period, according to the 247 Sports composite.

Kansas: Neal announced before the game that he will return for another season, and the Jayhawks' defensive front is loaded with underclassmen on the two-deep roster. Kansas had the No. 44 recruiting class in the early signing period.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703657208069.jpeg" alt="Kansas wide receiver Luke Grimm scores a touchdown against UNLV during the first half of the Guaranteed Rate Bowl NCAA college football game Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas wide receiver Luke Grimm scores a touchdown against UNLV during the first half of the Guaranteed Rate Bowl NCAA college football game Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)</figcaption>
 </figure>PHOENIX (AP) — Kansas was one of Power Five football's worst teams not that long ago, going through two full seasons with one combined win.The Jayhawks began rebuilding in coach Lance Leipold's first season, went to a bowl game a year ago and now have a large trophy to take back home with them to Lawrence.Jason Bean threw for 449 yards and all six of his touchdown passes to two receivers, and penalty-plagued Kansas outlasted UNLV 49-36 in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl on Tuesday night.“I said it one time and I kind of chuckle, that we can be in the conversation for a conference championship," Leipold said. “I never would have thought I would have said that that quick at Kansas.”The Jayhawks (9-4) tried to make things hard on themselves Tuesday.Ranked 14th nationally for fewest penalties with 55 during the regular season, Kansas was flagged 18 times for 210 yards, including four personal fouls.The Jayhawks made up for it with an explosive offense that produced 591 total yards at Chase Field, home of baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks.Luke Grimm had four catches for 160 yards and three touchdowns. Lawrence Arnold added six catches for 132 yards and three more scores, giving Kansas two receivers with three touchdowns in a game for the first time in program history.Bean finished 19 of 28 and overcame two interceptions in the third quarter to lead Kansas to its first postseason win since the 2008 Insight Bowl, also in Phoenix.“That's an example of this whole season,” said Bean, who took over as Kansas' starter when Jalon Daniels went out with a back injury three games into the season. “We've had our ups and downs and that's just a credit to our attitude to stay kind of even keel.”Jayden Maiava threw two touchdown passes in the third quarter to rally UNLV (9-5) nearly all the way back from a 21-point deficit early in the second. He added a 50-yard touchdown pass to Senika McKie and finished 24 of 35 for 291 yards with two interceptions.The Rebels just couldn't stop Kansas and came up short in their first bowl game since 2014.A tough ending to coach Barry Odom's first season, but UNLV finished with its most wins since the Randall Cunningham team went 11-2 in 1984.“I thought the progress that the program made was substantial from where we started back when we got the job and started working together,” Odom said.UNLV got off to a fast start, moving quickly down the field for Maiava’s 3-yard touchdown pass to Vincent Davis.Bean took over from there, hitting Grimm on touchdowns of 6 and 60 yards, and a 15-yarder to Arnold. Devin Neal's 1-yard run put Kansas up 28-10 at halftime.Maiava rallied UNLV to 28-24 with a pair of TD passes, but Kansas kept scoring.Bean hit Arnold on touchdown passes of 40 and 56 yards, then put the Jayhawks up 49-30 with a 43-yard TD to Grimm.“We tried a little bit of everything,” Odom said. “Any good defense, the number of explosive plays, the lower the number is the better you're going to be as a defense. It sounds easy, but it's hard to do.”THE TAKEAWAYKansas: The Jayhawks picked a bad time to become undisciplined, but got away with it because of their explosive offense.UNLV: The Rebels managed to climb most of the way out of the big early hole, but never could catch the Jayhawks and remained winless in bowl games since 2000.UP NEXTUNLV: Odom has some success to build on for his second season and should have plenty of key players back, including Maiava. The Rebels had the nation's 71st-ranked recruiting class in the early signing period, according to the 247 Sports composite.Kansas: Neal announced before the game that he will return for another season, and the Jayhawks' defensive front is loaded with underclassmen on the two-deep roster. Kansas had the No. 44 recruiting class in the early signing period.___

Bean throws for 6 TDs, Kansas beats UNLV in Guaranteed Rate Bowl

Courtesy of Kansas State Athletics

(Complete Bowl Guide&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/documents/2023/12/17/2023_K-State_Pop-Tarts_Bowl_Guide.pdf" target="_blank">Available Here</a>)

2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl25/rv/rv&nbsp;K-State vs.&nbsp;18/19/18&nbsp;NC State Date: Thursday, December 28, 2023 Kickoff: 5:45 p.m. (ET) Location: Orlando, Fla. Stadium: Camping World Stadium (65,000) Series: First Meeting TV: ESPN (<a href="https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/1f65357b-1a77-49cb-ab1e-e28efac81ed1" target="_blank">watch</a>) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Anish Shroff (Play-by-Play) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Andre Ware (Analyst) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Paul Carcaterra (Sidelines)

Radio: K-State Sports Network (<a href="https://www.kstatesports.com/watch/?Live=5639&amp;type=Live" target="_blank">Listen</a>) – SXM Channel 84 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Wyatt Thompson (Play-by-Play)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Stan Weber (Analyst) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Matt Walters (Sidelines)

National Radio: ESPN Radio (SXM Channel 80) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Sean Kelley (Play-by-Play)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Rene Ingoglia (Analyst)

BOWL PREVIEW Following an 8-4 regular season and another final College Football Playoff Top 25 ranking, No. 25 Kansas State will be in search of its second-straight season with at least nine victories as it faces 18th-ranked NC State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Thursday, December 28 inside Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The game, which kicks off at 5:45 p.m. (ET), will be shown to a national audience on ESPN.

The Pop-Tarts Bowl marks the 25th bowl game all-time for the Wildcats, who are advancing to a bowl for a fourth time in five years under head coach Chris Klieman. This will be Kansas State’s first-ever bowl game in the state of Florida and just the seventh game all-time in The Sunshine State.

K-State is looking for its fourth bowl victory in its last six tries for just the second time in school history and in search of ending the season with a winning note for the first time since a 42-20 win over LSU in the Texas Bowl after the 2021 season.

The Wildcats have never played a bowl game against an ACC opponent at the time of the game, but did face Syracuse three times and Boston College once when those schools were members of the Big EAST.

A LOOK AT THE WILDCATS K-State is the only Big 12 team to collect at least eight wins in each of the last three seasons and has reached the mark in three-straight years for the first time since doing so four-consecutive years from 2011 through 2014. The Wildcats’ four losses this season were by a combined 21 points, and three of those four defeats were at the hands of teams that finished in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 in No. 3 Texas, No. 9 Missouri and No. 20 Oklahoma State.

The Wildcats started the season with two resounding wins over SEMO (45-0) and eventual Sun Belt Conference Champion Troy (42-13), the latter being a program that has won 11 games prior to its Birmingham Bowl against Duke on December 23.

The Wildcats opened conference play with a dominating 44-31 victory over new Big 12 member UCF – which is playing in the Gasparilla Bowl against Georgia Tech on December 22 – before suffering a 29-21 loss at Oklahoma State on a Friday night.

K-State rebounded from that defeat by reeling off three-straight convincing victories – a 38-21 win at Texas Tech, a 41-3 blowout of TCU and a 41-0 shutout of another new conference member, Houston.

The Wildcats then went to Austin, Texas, looking to take down the top-10 Longhorns. Trailing 27-7 late in the third quarter, the Wildcats outscored UT, 23-6, over the final 15-plus minutes to send the game into overtime. K-State held Texas to a field goal on its first overtime possession, and the Wildcats drove down to the four-yard line on their possession before a sack on 4th down ended the game with a 33-30 defeat.

Much like it did following the loss at Oklahoma State, K-State bounced back in a big way by blowing out Baylor, 59-25. The next week at Kansas, K-State trailed, 27-16, but scored the game’s final 15 points to earn its 15th-straight win over the Wildcats’ in-state rival with a 31-27 victory.

The Wildcats enter the Pop-Tarts Bowl with a sour taste in their mouth after finishing the regular season with a 42-35 home loss to Iowa State in the snowiest K-State game in recent memory.

A new era of K-State football opens in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl as true freshman quarterback Avery Johnson will earn his first start under center for the Wildcats. The top dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2023, Johnson has played in seven games this year, throwing for 301 yards and three touchdowns on 23-of-35 (65.7%) aim, while he has rushed for 225 yards and six touchdowns on just 45 carries. His six rushing touchdowns this season are tied for third nationally among true freshmen and tied for first among true freshman quarterbacks.

Sophomore running back DJ Giddens produced the 19th 1,000-yard rushing season in school history as he enters the Pop-Tarts Bowl with 1,075 rushing yards. It is the third-straight season the Wildcats have had a 1,000-yard rusher (Deuce Vaughn), while it is the third-most rushing yards by a sophomore in school history behind Darren Sproles (1,465 yards in 2022) and Vaughn (1,404 yards in 2021). With 66 rushing yards against NC State, Giddens will enter the school’s top-10 list for single-season rushing yards among all players.

Leading the way on the ground is an experienced offensive line in which the five expected starters have combined for 228 career games played in 169 starts. That unit is led by two-time Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the year and Consensus All-American Cooper Beebe, who has started 47 of his 50 career games played. He is the first offensive lineman in school history and 12th player overall to earn Consensus All-America honors, while it is the 14th time a Wildcat has earned the distinction.

Young wide receivers in freshman Jayce Brown and sophomore Keagan Johnson came on toward the end of the season as the duo combined for 371 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 27 catches over the final four regular-season games. Brown enters the Pop-Tarts Bowl ranked fifth in school history in receiving yards by a freshman and is 50 yards away from having the most in school history by a true freshman.

Defensively, K-State enters bowl season ranked in the top 30 nationally in seven categories, which includes a No. 29 ranking in scoring defense at 21.2 points allowed per game to rank second in the Big 12.&nbsp; Additionally, K-State was one of the most ballhawking teams over the second half of the season, leading the country with 18 takeaways over the final seven games.

Safety Marques Sigle leads five defenders that will be playing in the Pop-Tarts Bowl that have carded at least 35 tackles this season. He is joined on that list by linebackers Austin Moore (59) and Desmond Purnell (47), safety VJ Payne (47) and cornerback Jacob Parrish (38).

A LOOK AT THE WOLFPACK NC State finished the regular season with a 9-3 overall record and a 6-2 ACC record to finish third in the conference. The Wolfpack enter the Pop-Tarts Bowl on a five-game winning streak, including a 24-17 win over Clemson, which finished at No. 23 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25.

Quarterback Brennan Armstrong threw for 1,621 yards and 11 touchdowns on 146-of-234 (62.4%) aim and was also the team’s leading rusher with 544 yards and six touchdowns on 126 carries.

The Wolfpack defense is led by linebacker Payton Wilson, the 2023 Chuck Bednarik Award and Butkus Award winner who collected 138 tackles with 17.5 tackles for loss, 6.0 sacks and three interceptions.

TEAM NOTESWILDCATS HEADED TO POP-TARTS BOWL • Coming off an 8-4 regular season – including a 6-3 conference mark to tie for fourth in the Big 12 – Kansas State earned its 25th bowl berth all time and fourth under head coach Chris Klieman as the 25th-ranked Wildcats will face No. 18 NC State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Thursday, December 28, inside Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.

• Of K-State’s 25 total bowl appearances all-time, 23 of those have come since 1993.

• The Wildcats hold a 10-14 record in bowl games and are looking to win their fourth bowl game in their last six appearances. It would be the first time since the 1997 through 2002 seasons the Wildcats won four bowls in six tries.

• This will mark the ninth different state in which K-State has traveled to bowl games. The most frequent destinations are Arizona (4-Copper/Insight/Buffalo Wild Wings/Cactus, 3-Fiesta) and Texas (3-Cotton, 3-Texas, 2-Alamo).

K-STATE IN FLORIDA • K-State is playing its first ever bowl game in the state of Florida and just the seventh overall game in The Sunshine State.

• The last time K-State played in Florida was 2011 at Miami, a 28-24 victory. Four of the other five games came in the 1970s as the Wildcats played in Gainesville against Florida (1947 – L; 1973 – L), in Tallahassee against Florida State (1970 – L; 1976 – L) and in Tampa against the University of Tampa (1973 – W).

CATS AND WOLFPACK • For the second-straight season, Kansas State will see a first-time matchup in a bowl game as the Wildcats and NC State are meeting for the first time ever on the gridiron in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.