9:00 PM EST, ESPN2 – Line: Kansas State -7, Over/Under: 47.5
There is one more bowl to get through before Monday’s National Championship Game, as the LSU Tigers and Kansas State Wildcats get together in the Texas Bowl from NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, featuring one school looking to start over and another looking to make the proverbial leap. The winds of change are blowing through the bayou, as LSU (6-6, 3-5 in SEC) has effectively hit the reset button and are bracing themselves for a new beginning with a completely new regime in place, though (Athletic Director) Scott Woodard confirmed all of this news months ago. The Tigers announced that they would be parting ways with (former Head Coach) Ed Orgeron back on October 18th following a disappointing 4-3 start, with the 2019 Coach of the Year recipient agreeing to finish out the regular season before stepping down. Indeed, the 60-year-old’s time in Baton Rouge was a rollercoaster ride in going 51-20 in six seasons, including an absolutely magical 2019 in which he led the school to its third National Title since the turn of the century. Unfortunately, the good times would not last for Coach O, who presided over a nightmare 2020 campaign in which his side spent the season in utter disarray, finishing 5-5 before eventually placing a self-imposed bowl ban on themselves due to an ongoing NCAA investigation into the program. Coming into this season, expectations were high for Louisiana State after Orgeron shook up his coaching staff and welcomed back some key COVID opt-outs, but they continued to struggle all the same, plummeting to last place in the competitive SEC West and finishing with their first losing record in conference play since 2008. With that said, the Tigers sent him out a winner with a 27-24 victory over Texas A&M in the finale; retaking the lead after the Aggies’ rallied back in the fourth quarter, (Sophomore Quarterback) Max Johnson (60.3%, 2,814 YDS, 7.5 Y/A, 27 TD, 6 INT) hit (Junior Receiver) Jaray Jenkins (33 REC, 479 YDS, 14.5 Y/R, 5 TD) for a 28-yard touchdown with just twenty seconds left to play, coincidentally making them bowl eligible and free (at least for now) of what would have been their first losing season since 1999. Moving forward, replacing Orgeron is none other than Brian Kelly, who surprised quite a few in the college football world with his decision to leave Notre Dame in favor of LSU. In his twelve years in South Bend, the 60-year-old posted a stellar 113-40 record (.739) revitalizing a program that had grown stagnant prior to his arrival, including seven 10-win campaigns, two trips to the College Football Playoff and an appearance in the 2012 National Championship Game. Furthermore, the Irish have posted the fifth-highest win percentage since 2017 under his watch (.857), with a 54-9 record during that period even including a strange ACC Championship in last year’s bizarre season in which they were uncharacteristically affiliated with a conference due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Needless to say, the transition from Orgeron to Kelly is a fascinating one, with the former’s gruff personality in complete contrast with the buttoned-up latter, who always carried himself more like a politician than a coach during his tenure at Notre Dame. Then again, that’s probably what Woodard and the school’s board were looking for, as Kelly not only gets the opportunity to rebuild the program in his image and restore its credibility, but he gets do it in the most powerful conference in the country with one of the most fertile recruiting hotbeds serving as his backyard. As for today’s Texas Bowl, he won’t be coaching the Tigers, for that honor falls to (Offensive Line Coach) Brad Davis, who is one of the few assistants that he has saw fight to retain. Unfortunately for Davis, it would be easier to tell you won’t be suiting up for this matchup with the Wildcats, for there are plenty of key players that have decided to opt-out of this postseason affair, with others predictably transferring in wake of the coaching change. (Star Cornerback) Derek Stingely Jr. (8 TKL, 3.5 TFL, 1 FF) and (Senior Linebacker) Damone Clark (135 TKL, 15.0 TFL, 5.5 SK, 2 FF, 1 FR, 1 INT, 3 PD) decided to forego this contest in lieu of preparing for the NFL Draft, while (Sophomore Cornerback) Eli Ricks (11 TKL, 0.5 TFL, 1 INT, 1 PD) is transferring to Alabama, as the aforementioned Johnson also packed his bags with Texas A&M his destination, just to name a few. However, Kelly has been hard at work at keeping his talent in house while also managing the Transfer Portal, convincing (Senior Quarterback) Myles Brennan to remain in Baton Rouge. It was a surprising decision from Brennan, who after backing up (2019 Heisman) Joe Burrow lasted just three games before a torn abdominal muscle ended his 2020, while a broken arm sidelined him for the entirety of 2021. As of this moment, he joins (Freshman) Garrett Nussmeier (50.9%, 329 YDS, 5.8 Y/A, 2 TD, 2 INT) as the only scholarship players at that position, with the underclassman expected to start tonight following Johnson’s transfer. Nussmeier featured in just four games this season, taking over for Johnson in the Tigers’ narrow 16-13 loss to Arkansas back on November 13th, completing 18-of-31 passes for 179 yards, a touchdown and a pair of interceptions. After serving last year’s bowl ban, LSU is competing in their fifty-third bowl, owning a 28-23-1 record, with a stellar 14-7 mark over the last two decades. Tonight’s affair is their second in the Texas Bowl, embarrassing Texas Tech in a 56-27 blowout in 2015, and also their second all-time meeting with Kansas State, whom they haven’t faced since a 21-0 victory back in 1980.
Meanwhile, Kansas State (7-5, 4-5 in Big XII) is looking to use tonight’s trip to Houston as a springboard for 2022, where they hope to make the proverbial leap and challenge for a Big XII Championship. After (legendary Head Coach) Bill Snyder stepped away from the program (for a second time), the Wildcats opted to go in a very interesting direction, tabbing Chris Klieman to lead them into a bold new era in Manhattan. Klieman of course, was a major component of the sustained success enjoyed by North Dakota State, leading the Bison to a ridiculous 69-6 record and FIVE FCS National Championships from 2014 to 2018. Coincidentally, the same man that promoted him at NDSU so many years ago was now Athletic Director at KSU, as Gene Taylor quickly reunited with the 54-year-old in an attempt to bring that championship attitude and DNA to a program that was desperate to return to the glory days of Snyder’s first tenure. While some had concerns over Klieman making the leap from the FCS level to the Big XII, the skipper has largely impressed for apart from a disappointing 4-6 finish during the pandemic-ravaged 2020 campaign, has posted a solid 15-10 record, with tonight’s affair giving his charges a shot at a second eight-win season in three years. With that said, the Wildcats did not end the campaign on a high note, losing their final two games after winning seven of their first ten outings. An ankle injury to (Senior Quarterback) Skylar Thompson (68.8%, 1,844 YDS, 9.0 Y/A, 9 TD, 4 INT) played a large role in that turn of events, with the upperclassman leaving the field midway through a 20-10 loss to eventual Big XII Champion, Baylor. Without the most experienced Quarterback in the conference to lead them, Kansas State couldn’t keep pace with Texas in the finale, failing to score in the second half of a 22-17 loss in Austin. Clinging to a 17-16 lead at halftime, the visitors punted on their first three drives post intermission before turning it over on downs on the next two, including a key fourth and one from the Longhorns’ 17-yard line, as (Sophomore Quarterback) Will Howard (54.5%, 332 YDS, 6.0 Y/A, 1 TD, 1 INT) was stuffed at the line of scrimmage. Howard would receive the football once final time after the hosts punted the ball away with thirty-three seconds left to play, but it simply wasn’t enough time to mount one final push. In the end, the visitors could muster just 293 total yards on thirteen first downs, converting just one of nine third downs and neither of those aforementioned attempts on fourth. Howard completed 9-of-13 passes for just sixty-five yards, though did play a role in the Wildcats’ 228 rushing yards, accounting for eighty-two yards and a touchdown on eight carries. (Sophomore Tailback) Deuce Vaughn (214 CAR, 1,246 YDS, 5.8 Y/A, 15 TD) led the way with 143 yards and another score on twenty-four attempts, marking his fifth consecutive outing with 100 or more yards rushing. In Klieman’s run-heavy scheme Vaughn has been their biggest weapon, averaging 32.6 yards on a healthy 7.3 yards per rush with eight touchdowns over the last five games, while also continuing to prove his prowess as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, reeling in forty-seven passes for 471 yards and another three touchdowns on the season. Fortunately, the aforementioned Thompson should be healthy enough to start in tonight’s bowl, bringing his career in Manhattan to a close. In five years at Kansas State, the senior has made thirty-nine starts and is one of just two Quarterbacks in school history to surpass 5,000 career passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards. In juries have certainly affected him over the last two seasons though, with an injured throwing shoulder prematurely ending his 2020 after just three games, while that sprained ankle was just the list malady to slow him down in 2021. In many ways his mobility has been compromised, rushing for negative-six yards despite forty-two carries thanks to many sacks. With tonight being his final game with the Wildcats, Klieman has already announced the replacement for Thompson moving forward, with former Nebraska Quarterback, Adrian Martinez arriving as a Graduate Transfer. A four-year starter with the Cornhuskers, Martinez certainly fits the mold of the kind of talent that Klieman seeks in the position, rushing for over 500 yards in each season he spent in Lincoln, amassing 2,228 rushing yards and thirty-five touchdowns in thirty-nine games. On the opposite side of the football, KSU was expected to take a step backward with just five returning starters on a defense that was torched for 32.2 points per game (84th in FBS) on 444.7 total yards. Fortunately, (Defensive Coordinator) Joe Klanderman’s troops showed a remarkable amount of growth, yielding a vastly improved 21.1 points (23rd in FBS) on 348.0 total yards, including 221.7 against the pass on 7.2 yards per attempt, and another 126.3 versus the rush on 3.6 yards per carry. Klieman worked the Transfer Portal hard over and netted a number of key contributors as a result, with (Defensive Backs) Russ Yeast (43 TKL, 1.5 TFL, 1 FF, 3 INT 10 PD) and Julius Brents (44 TKL, 3 TFL, 1 INT, 1 PD) making waves in Klanderman’s largely nickel-base package, from Louisville and Iowa respectively. However, the biggest surprise thus far has undoubtedly been (Sophomore Edge-Rusher) Felix Anudike (50 TKL, 14.5 TFL, 11.0 SK, 6 FF), who has emerged as a force off the edge with team-highs in tackles for loss (14.5), sacks (11), and an NCAA-best SIX forced fumbles. Tonight’s bowl is the twenty-third for Kansas State (9-13), including their second in the Texas Bowl, when they last appeared 33-28 victory over Texas A&M five years ago. Klieman took the Wildcats to the Liberty Bowl in his first season in Manhattan, though they came up short in a narrow 20-17 defeat to Navy.