Kansas State Awaits Bowl Destination as Postseason Picture Takes Shape
Chris Klieman and the Kansas State Wildcats are officially bowl-bound, but the destination remains a mystery-at least for a few more days. The full postseason slate will be revealed Sunday when the College Football Playoff committee announces its 12-team bracket, triggering a cascade of bowl matchups across the country. For now, though, the Wildcats are in a bit of a holding pattern, with several mid-tier bowls showing interest.
Right now, three games appear to be in serious play for K-State: the Liberty Bowl, the Rate Bowl, and the Independence Bowl. None would come as a shock, and each presents its own unique storyline.
How the Big 12 Bowl Selection Process Works
To understand where Kansas State might land, it helps to know how the Big 12 divvies up its bowl-eligible teams. The conference has tie-ins with six bowl games, ranked in a general pecking order:
- Alamo Bowl
- Pop-Tarts Bowl
- Texas Bowl
- Liberty Bowl
- Rate Bowl
- Independence Bowl
Beyond those, ESPN-affiliated bowls can be used as overflow options if the league has more eligible teams than guaranteed slots. That won’t be necessary this year-only seven Big 12 teams are bowl eligible, and at least one is headed to the College Football Playoff.
The league’s four newest members-Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah-are tied to other bowls through previous Pac-12 affiliations, including the Holiday Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl, Sun Bowl, and LA Bowl.
K-State’s Path in the Selection Order
Assuming Texas Tech wins the Big 12 Championship Game and becomes the lone CFP representative, the selection order should be fairly straightforward. BYU would likely be the first team picked, followed by Houston, Iowa State, and TCU. Cincinnati could slot in next, which would leave Kansas State-sitting at 6-6 overall and 5-4 in conference play-as a prime candidate for the Independence Bowl.
There’s already been some smoke around that possibility. A bowl representative from the Independence Bowl was in Manhattan last weekend to watch the Wildcats take down Colorado. That rep even made an appearance at Klieman’s postgame press conference, shaking hands with the head coach on the way out-a subtle but telling gesture.
If that’s the destination, the Wildcats would be heading to Shreveport, Louisiana, for a 1 p.m. kickoff on December 30, likely against a team from Conference USA. It would mark K-State’s first trip to the Independence Bowl since 1982-an entirely new experience for this generation of players and coaches.
What Happens If Two Big 12 Teams Make the CFP?
Now, if the Big 12 sends two teams to the College Football Playoff-which isn’t out of the question-that would bump every remaining team up a spot in the bowl hierarchy. That scenario could push Kansas State into consideration for either the Rate Bowl or the Liberty Bowl.
The Wildcats played in the Rate Bowl last year, where they knocked off Rutgers. A return trip to Phoenix isn’t impossible, but bowl committees typically avoid back-to-back appearances by the same team unless the matchup is particularly compelling.
The Liberty Bowl, on the other hand, could be a more likely landing spot. K-State hasn’t played in Memphis since 2019, and that kind of gap makes the Wildcats a more attractive option for bowl organizers looking to refresh their matchups.
No Set Formula for Bowl Picks
Here’s where things get a little murky: there’s no hard-and-fast rule that bowls must follow when choosing their Big 12 representative. While Kansas State has the worst overall record of the league’s bowl-eligible teams, it tied for seventh in the conference standings with Cincinnati, Iowa State, and TCU-all at 5-4 in Big 12 play. That parity could work in the Wildcats’ favor, especially with bowls that value recent momentum or fan travel potential.
Other Possibilities (But Less Likely)
There are some outlier projections floating around. ESPN has floated the idea of K-State heading to the Armed Forces Bowl against East Carolina or the First Responder Bowl against Texas State. But those scenarios would require a higher-tier bowl to go off-script, which seems unlikely given that teams like Baylor, Kansas, and UCF all finished with just five wins and aren’t eligible.
Some projections from national outlets have K-State facing Connecticut in the Liberty Bowl or Minnesota in the Rate Bowl. Again, nothing is set in stone until Sunday, but those matchups at least fall within the realm of possibility.
The Bottom Line
Kansas State is going bowling. That much is certain.
Whether it’s Memphis, Shreveport, or Phoenix, the Wildcats will get one more chance to close out the season on a high note. And while the team’s 6-6 record may not jump off the page, its 5-4 finish in Big 12 play-and a strong final showing against Colorado-keeps it firmly in the mix for one of the conference’s more prominent bowl slots.
We’ll know soon enough. Sunday can’t come fast enough for Wildcat fans.