PHOENIX — Rutgers was well on its way to an encouraging end to the 2024 season, a win that would not only finish the campaign on a high note but show plenty of promise for the following fall. But the Scarlet Knights will spend the offseason wondering how they let it slip away — and how they can fix a major issue on one side of the ball.

K-State allowed Rutgers to gain a whopping 319 yards in the first half and still won the yardage battle 542 to 401 by the end of the fourth quarter. The Wildcats flipped a switch midway through the third quarter and played some excellent football. As for the quote ...

Kansas State rallied down 17 against Rutgers Thursday night to win the Rate Bowl and end the season at 9-4. Now, they can use this game as fuel for next season.