Kansas State: 2024 Rate Bowl Champions

 

The Kansas State Wildcats pulled off a 44-41 comeback win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the Rate Bowl at the Arizona Diamondbacks Chase Field in Phoenix on Thursday.

The underdog Scarlet Knights had a 27-17 halftime lead, and pushed the advantage to 34-17 at 8:57 of the third quarter. The Wildcats stormed back on the strength of several chunk plays and defensive stops and eventually had the go-ahead touchdown on Dylan Edwards’ 36-yard run with 4:15 left in the fourth quarter.

"I think (Kansas State) guys were believing," Kansas State linebacker Austin Moore said, "but once we kind of started playing faster and started sending more pressure, guys really believed and bought in, and I think that’s kind of when we kind of felt that momentum start to switch."

The two-point conversion, an Avery Johnson pass to Garrett Oakley, moved the advantage to 44-41 and marked Kansas State's first lead since 10-7 in the first quarter.

Rutgers didn’t get past midfield on the next drive and had a turnover on downs with 1:55 left. Johnson had a 6-yard run for a first down and then took a knee twice to seal the victory.

Kansas State was led by Edwards' 18 carries for 196 yards and three touchdowns, Johnson (15-for-30, 195 yards, three touchdowns, one interception), Austin Romaine (seven tackles) and Moore (six tackles including 1.5 tackles for loss).

The sophomore Edwards stepped in for Kansas State's top rusher DJ Giddens, who sat out after he declared for the NFL draft. Edwards drove the Wildcats' No. 18-ranked rushing attack that had 347 yards to Rutgers' 164.

"I played the whole season," Edwards said when he was asked about his increased role in the Rate Bowl. "It wasn’t like I was waiting my time. I was just trying to do my job and my part for this team."

"I guess you could say I had more of a job to do today, so as long as I stayed focused and did what I was supposed to do, I think we was gonna be successful.”

The Scarlet Knights' top performers were freshman RB Antwan Raymond (18 carries, 113 yards, three rushing TDs), Strong (five catches, 105 yards) and quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis (14-for-32, 237 yards, one TD, one INT).

Rutgers finished 7-6, ninth in the Big Ten standings.

"I lost count of the number of season-ending surgeries, and in this day of college football, most teams would’ve folded up the tent and said, ‘We’ll worry about it next year,'" Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. "And this group of guys fought back. They literally ripped themselves off the canvas and fought back and found a way to win seven games and do that in the Big Ten Conference."

The Wildcats ended their season 9-4. They had a 7-1 start, were ranked as high as No. 15 in the USA Today poll, but fell out of the poll in Week 11 as they lost three of their last four games. They finished eighth in the Big 12 standings after being picked by college football pundits during the preseason to contend for a conference title.

“I know that there’s some disappointment, because there’s a lot of teams that don’t win nine games, man,” Kansas State coach Chris Klieman said. “We just won nine frickin’ games and we’re gonna talk about a disappointment?

"I’m out of this business if that’s what we’re gonna do because it is frickin’ hard to win. And you look at what our guys did to win that ninth game, I’m nothing but proud of these guys.”

K-State coach roots for Arizona State in College Football Playoff

Arizona State is the only Big 12 team in the College Football Playoff after winning the conference title.

Klieman said after the Rate Bowl that he's partial to the No. 4 seed ASU in the CFP quarterfinals against No. 5 Texas in the Jan. 1 Peach Bowl because of the conference connection and more.

"We know our league plays great football," Klieman said. "I can't wait to watch Arizona State play. I'm a big (ASU coach) Kenny Dillingham fan. I got friends on that staff. They're gonna come ready to play."

ASU beat Kansas State, 24-14, on Nov. 16.

Klieman's not alone in rooting for ASU against former Big 12 school Texas, which is played its inaugural season in the SEC.

The Republic asked K-State fan Cole Copeland, who attended the Rate Bowl, his prediction.

“As for Texas, since they’re a former Big 12 school and they left the Big 12, I don’t care for them very much," Copeland said. “I hope they lose. I know they are stacked as far as talent goes, but I think anything’s possible.

"I think ASU has a good team as proven. They went 11-1 with their starting quarterback (Sam Leavitt), without him they lost ... . I think it’ll be within 12 and a half.”

Texas was favored by 13.5 points as of Thursday night.

Kansas State: 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl Champions

Avery Johnson found Jayce Brown for an 11-yard touchdown to cap the clinching drive in the fourth quarter as No. 25 Kansas State defeated No. 18 North Carolina State 28-19 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Thursday in Orlando.

The Wildcats took the ball with 10:12 left in the fourth quarter and kept it for 7:24 on the decisive march, which lasted 15 plays and covered 72 yards.

Kansas State (9-4) only had one quarterback on the roster Thursday, limiting the Wildcats’ use of Johnson in the running game. He still finished with 71 yards on seven carries to go with 14-of-31 passing for 178 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

North Carolina State (9-4) was seeking its second 10-win season in program history (2002). Brennan Armstrong was 14 of 28 for 168 yards and one interception. He led the Wolfpack with 121 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground but ran for only 7 yards in the second half.

After trailing 21-10 at halftime, NC State dominated the third quarter, outgaining the Wildcats 166-44. Brayden Narveson hit a 49-yard field goal on the opening drive of the second half. Narveson missed a chance to cut into the lead further when he missed a 52-yard attempt on the Wolfpack’s next possession.

NC State used a fake punt to cut the deficit. Trent Pinnix took the snap and went 60 yards for the score. The two-point conversion attempt failed when Armstrong was sacked before he could find a receiver, leaving Kansas State up 21-19 with 1:50 left in the third quarter.

Seth Porter appeared to put the Wildcats up by two scores with a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown, but a penalty nullified the score. The Wildcats had another touchdown wiped out by a penalty, but Johnson ran for a first down on third-and-10 to keep the drive alive. Eight plays later, Johnson and Brown connected for the crucial touchdown.

On the first play of the ensuing drive, Jacob Parrish intercepted an Armstrong pass to all but seal the victory. The Wildcats were able to run out the final 2:33.

–Field Level Media

Kansas State: 2022 Big 12 Football Champions

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Ty Zentner kicked a 31-yard field goal in overtime as 13th-ranked Kansas State beat No. 3 TCU 31-28 in the 2022 Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship. 

The Wildcats set up the winning field goal after TCU (12-1) had the opening possession of overtime and Kendre Miller was stopped short on consecutive plays from inside the 1.

Deuce Vaughn (Most Outstanding Player) ran for 130 yards and a touchdown and Will Howard threw two TDs for the Wildcats (10-3, No. 10 CFP), who six weeks earlier had jumped out to a 28-10 lead early in the second quarter before TCU scored the game’s last 28 points.

TCU, the first Big 12 team to complete a regular season undefeated since Texas in 2009, could still get into the playoff. 

Big 12 Commissioner Brett Yormark said before the game that TCU, with first-year coach Sonny Dykes, already deserved to be in the playoff.

“You look at their strength of schedule. You think about how they’ve performed all year long,” Yormark said. “I think regardless, they should be in, for sure.”

This is Kansas State's third Big 12 Football title and first since 2012. 

Kansas State: 2022 Texas Bowl Champions

HOUSTON (AP) — Deuce Vaughn and the Kansas State Wildcats finished a streaky season on a positive note Tuesday night with a dominant 42-20 win over short-handed LSU in the Texas Bowl.

Vaughn, a sophomore running back and first-team All-American as an all-purpose player, rushed for 146 yards on 21 carries. He scored four touchdowns — three rushing and one receiving.

Kansas State (8-5) also got a strong performance from quarterback Skylar Thompson, who returned to make his final collegiate start after missing the regular-season finale with an ankle injury.

Thompson completed 21 of 28 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns. Malik Knowles had two touchdown catches and 42 yards receiving.

While LSU (6-7) had a tough time slowing Vaughn and Thompson, the Tigers had another uphill battle on offense.

With starting quarterback Max Johnson having transferred to Texas A&M, backup Myles Brennan recovering from surgery and a third-string freshman that would have had to burn his redshirt to play, LSU entered the game with a big question mark under center.

The Tigers turned to senior receiver Jontre Kirklin, who hadn’t played quarterback since high school in 2016. Kirklin had only played in 25 games over five seasons, including his first two years as a cornerback.

The Tigers didn’t get a first down until late in the second quarter. By that time, Kansas State already had 12 first downs and a 21-0 lead. LSU later scored on that drive, though, a 23-yard touchdown catch by Jaray Jenkins.

Kirklin was 7-of-11 passing for 138 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions while also rushing for 61 yards on 11 carries. He delivered an 81-yard touchdown pass to Chris Hilton Jr. as time expired.

The Tigers were led by interim coach Brad Davis, the offensive line coach who was filling in between the transition from Ed Orgeron to former Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly. LSU announced in December that Davis would be returning to Kelly’s staff as the offensive line coach.

Kansas State appeared to have a slight edge in the makeup of the crowd, despite Baton Rouge, Louisiana, being nearly 500 miles closer to Houston than Manhattan, Kansas.

The Wildcats led 21-7 at halftime.

Kansas State enjoyed its most lopsided win over an SEC opponent in school history, improving to 5-17 against the conference.

THE TAKEAWAY

Kansas State looked strong on both sides of the ball, with big performances from graduating seniors and players returning next season, en route to the Wildcats’ first bowl win since the Cactus Bowl in 2017.

LSU had hoped to carry on the positive momentum from an upset win over Texas A&M in the regular-season finale, but transfers and injuries got the best of the Tigers. They’ll look to quickly reload next season under the new regime.

UP NEXT

Kansas State will have a new quarterback in 2022, but the offense will likely continue to flow through Vaughn. The Wildcats open against South Dakota.

LSU has an important offseason with the transition to Kelly, who has more victories than any active coach in major college football. The Tigers open against Florida State.

___

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Kansas State: 2017 Cactus Bowl Champions

PHOENIX -- Bill Snyder stood on a makeshift stage in the middle of a baseball stadium with a roof, a sparkling trophy at his side depicting a football sailing through cactus uprights.

If this was the end of his storied coaching career at Kansas State, it sure was a great way to go out.

Alex Delton ran for 158 yards and accounted for four touchdowns, leading the Wildcats to a 35-17 Cactus Bowl victory over UCLA on Tuesday night in what could be Snyder's final game.

"We've got so many people to be proud of at Kansas State University and it starts with our players, quite obviously," Snyder said.

Delton replaced Skylar Thompson late in the first quarter and scored on runs of 68 yards, 3 yards and 1 yard. Alex Barnes added 117 yards and a touchdown for the Wildcats, who rushed for 345 yards.

Kansas State (8-5) struggled in the first half against UCLA's potent offense, but shut down the Bruins in the second to give Snyder his 210th -- and possibly last -- win with the Wildcats.

UCLA (6-7) played without top NFL prospect Josh Rosen, who's recovering from a concussion, and built a 10-point halftime lead without its star quarterback.

The Bruins' offensive success didn't carry over into the second half and their defense had a hard time containing Delton, saddling interim coach Jedd Fisch with a loss in his last game before Chip Kelly takes over the program.

"We handled a ton of adversity this year and a ton of change," Fisch said. "After the (USC) week, they continued to play as hard as possible."

Snyder turned around one of the nation's worst programs after taking over in 1989, leading the Wildcats to eight straight bowl appearances after un-retiring in 2008.

He says he has not decided whether he will return for a 27th season or retire again to spend time with his family.

The 78-year-old coach made a quarterback change in the first quarter of the Cactus Bowl after Thompson threw an interception. Delton had an immediate impact, bursting up the middle for a 68-yard touchdown run.

Snyder opted to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1 in the third quarter, and Delton came through again, bulling his way through a massive pile -- with some help from his teammates.

Kansas State's Denzel Goolsby recovered Bolu Olorunfunmi's fumble at the Bruins 24-yard line on the next play from scrimmage, and Delton hit Dominique Heath for an 8-yard touchdown to give the Wildcats the lead.

"That was possibly the play of the ballgame," Snyder said.

UCLA turned it over on downs -- after a successful fake punt -- and Kansas State turned its fourth-down try into a touchdown, with Alex Barnes putting the Wildcats up 28-17 with a 41-yard run.

Kansas State ended UCLA's comeback hopes with an eight-minute drive capped by Delton's final TD run.

"They wore us down," Fisch said.

Rosen, expected to leave for the NFL after his junior year, was in uniform and warmed up before the game, but Devon Modster trotted out to the huddle.

The Bruins still had their big-play game going even without Rosen, building a 17-7 halftime lead on two long TD passes by Modster.

UCLA's offensive roll ended with halftime. The Bruins had 100 total yards and three first downs in the second half.

"I just threw too many incomplete passes," said Modster, who threw for 295 yards. "That's pretty much it."

THE TAKEAWAY

If this was the final game of Snyder's career, the Wildcats sent him out on a high note with a dominant second-half performance.

UCLA's defense, a sore spot all season, had no answer for Delton, and its offense could have used Rosen in the second half.

ROSEN'S DECISION

Reports surfaced this week that Rosen wouldn't play in the bowl game, possibly to protect himself from injury. Fisch shot that notion down quickly.


"I want to be clear on this: Josh wanted to play," he said. "Josh was unable to play because of the fact that he had two concussions within a four-week span in November, and our physicians didn't feel comfortable putting him out there and putting him at risk for a possibility of a third concussion."

UP NEXT

Kansas State: The Wildcats should be in good shape on offense next season whether Snyder returns or not. Kansas State has no seniors on its two-deep roster on offense, though there are five on defense.

UCLA: Kelly will likely have to replace Rosen when he takes over, but will have plenty of firepower returning. He's also a top recruiter, so the Bruins should be well-stocked with talent.

Kansas State: 2016 Texas Bowl Champions

HOUSTON -- Jesse Ertz threw for 195 yards and a touchdown and ran for two more scores in Kansas State's 33-28 victory over Texas A&M in the Texas Bowl on Wednesday night.

Ertz had a 79-yard touchdown pass and scoring runs of 1 and 5 yards to help give Kansas State its fourth straight win and first bowl victory since the 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.

The Wildcats (9-4) led by five when Ertz bulled into the end zone on a 1-yard run that made it 33-21 with nine minutes left. Ertz set up the score with a 20-yard run two plays earlier.

The Aggies (8-5) cut it to 33-28 on Josh Reynolds' 15-yard TD reception about a minute later.

Texas A&M attempted to convert a fourth-and-8 with about two minutes left, but Trevor Knight's pass was short, to give Kansas State the ball back and allow the Wildcats to run out the clock.

Reynolds had a Texas A&M bowl-record 12 receptions for 154 yards and two touchdowns and Knight threw for 310 yards with three touchdowns and one interception as A&M dropped its second straight bowl game.

Kansas State did a good job of neutralizing Texas A&M star defensive end Myles Garrett. The junior, who is expected to declare for the draft and many believe could be the top overall pick in April, blocked an extra point in the second quarter. But he was unable to do much else while facing near-constant double teams and he finished with one tackle.

Texas A&M got to 23-21 when Reynolds made a 4-yard touchdown catch with about seven minutes left in the third quarter. A 25-yard field goal by Ian Patterson extended Kansas State's lead to 26-21 with about three minutes remaining in the quarter. A highlight of that drive came on a 36-yard run John Silmon.

The Aggies took a 7-0 lead when Keith Ford scored on a 7-yard run on their first possession.

Kansas State tied it when Ertz connected with Byron Pringle and he dashed down the field for a 79-yard touchdown run later in the first quarter.

The Wildcats took the lead when Ertz stiff-armed Justin Evans on a 5-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. But Garrett blocked the extra point to make it 13-7.


A 3-yard reception by Ricky Seals-Jones put A&M back on top 14-13 soon after that. But Kansas State regained the lead with a 40-yard field goal before pushing the lead to 23-14 on a 52-yard run by Dominique Heath just before halftime.

THAT'S A NO NO: Kansas State's cornerback Donnie Starks received a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at the end of the first half when he threw Reynolds to the ground and then squatted over him and pressed his crotch to the receiver's chest. Reynolds then punched at the crotch of Starks, but he was not penalized. The penalty was enforced on the opening kickoff of the second half.

Reynolds got a bit of revenge for the play when he caught his touchdown pass in the third quarter over Starks and stared him down after making the grab.

Kansas State: 2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl Champions

TEMPE, Ariz. — Kansas State’s 31-14 victory over Michigan on Saturday in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl is the type of game that will be remembered for years to come in Wildcat circles.

It had everything.

For starters, K-State ended an ugly five-game bowl losing streak that dated back to 2002. Players won’t have to answer questions about their poise or toughness the next time they head into the postseason. Proving they could win in this setting was their top priority. But they ended up accomplishing more.

This was also one of the Wildcats’ most dominant efforts of the season, the type of victory that came with style points. Tyler Lockett tied a school record with three touchdown catches, Jake Waters showed off his arm on a national stage and K-State’s defense looked strong from start to finish.

Throw in the fact that that the Wildcats did all that against one of the most storied programs in college football in front of 53,284 at Sun Devil Stadium and they were left with an experience that is hard to beat.

They could see it coming. Perhaps that was the best part.

K-State announced early on that it was serious about winning its first bowl game in a decade. The Wildcats scored first, took a 14-3 lead in the first quarter and held a 21-6 advantage at halftime.

They were firmly in control. And that was a welcome change.

Before Saturday, K-State had never scored more than nine points in the first quarter of a bowl. The Wildcats had also trailed from start to finish in their last two bowl losses. This was the first time they had possessed a lead in the postseason since the 2010 Pinstripe Bowl.

The Wildcats, 8-5, started strong behind three touchdown passes from Waters to Lockett and a defense that held the Wolverines, 7-6, to field goals and punts.

That combination led to confidence, which turned into momentum, and eventually became a victory.

It all started with a textbook K-State touchdown drive. After receiving the opening kickoff, the Wildcats marched 75 yards in 14 plays, converting four third downs and eating up 7 minutes, 48 seconds of clock along the way. The drive was capped the drive by a 6-yard TD catch by Lockett.

Michigan, behind freshman quarterback Shane Morris, looked poised to tie the game on the ensuing drive. The Wolverines completed several short passes and drove into the red zone, but K-State’s defense tightened near the goal line and prevented tight end Devin Funchess from hauling in a jump ball in the end zone. Michigan had to settle for a field goal.

When K-State got the ball back it quickly found the end zone when Waters lofted a pass over coverage into the hands of Lockett for a 29-yard score that gave the Wildcats a 14-3 lead.

Michigan once again threatened to answer with a touchdown of its own, but ended up kicking another field goal. K-State focused its efforts on stuffing the run and dared Morris, who started his first game in place of injured Devin Gardner, to beat it with his arm. Morris was unable to.

When Waters hit Glenn Gronkowski for a 46-yard gain, and then connected with Lockett for an 8-yard touchdown with 4:30 remaining in the second quarter that gave K-State a 21-6 lead, Michigan carried the look of a defeated team.

At halftime, the Wolverines had gained 131 yards, with only 10 coming on the ground, while Lockett was on his way to a monster game. If not for a dropped pass in the end zone from Daniel Sams in the second half, Lockett would have broken numerous K-State bowl receiving records.

In many ways, that play summed up the second half. K-State was continually in position to blow the doors off Michigan, but couldn’t take advantage of scoring opportunities.

A promising drive in the third quarter ended with a missed field goal by Ian Patterson. Another ended with a 22-yard field goal from Patterson.

The way K-State’s defense played, frustrating Morris and forcing Michigan into three-and-outs, those missed opportunities didn’t impact the bottom line.

John Hubert ran 1 yard for a touchdown with 2:25 left for K-State’s final score.

It was a fitting conclusion to a season that started slowly, but became successful. As difficult as it must have been for Bill Snyder to watch the Wildcats lose four of their first six games, his team showed improvement every week.

That was most evident in the postseason.

Butler 63, Kansas State 56

THE ROAD WINDS HOME
Bulldogs shock Kansas State as their miracle run continues
By David Woods, Indianapolis Star
Posted: March 28, 2010


SALT LAKE CITY -- Restrained and corporate-looking as he is, Brad Stevens finally let his guard down.

On the bus ride home from the airport a week ago, Butler's basketball team passed Lucas Oil Stadium. Wouldn't it be something, the coach told wife Tracy, if the Bulldogs played there in the Final Four?

"That hit a little bit," he said. "That was the first time I even thought about it."

Now, that's almost all anyone in Indianapolis will be thinking about. Home-grown Gordon Hayward, who led Brownsburg High School to a state title, has taken his act to a larger stage.

Hayward scored eight of his 22 points in the closing six minutes, and Butler knocked off Kansas State 63-56 Saturday in the NCAA West Regional final.

No. 5 seed Butler (32-4) will play in a national semifinal next Saturday against the winner of today's Midwest Regional final between Michigan State and Tennessee at St. Louis.

In running its winning streak to 24 and going farther in the NCAA Tournament than ever before, Butler became the smallest school (enrollment: 4,200) in the Final Four since seeding was introduced in 1979. Butler will be the first team to play in a Final Four in its home city since champion UCLA in 1972.

By the way, Butler is 15-0 in Indy.

"Our dreams definitely didn't stop at getting to the Final Four," said Hayward, voted outstanding player of the West Regional. "We want to win the whole thing."

The Bulldogs' defense was so suffocating that they held No. 1 seed Syracuse and No. 2 seed Kansas State (29-8) to season lows and a collective 46 points under their averages. Butler is 19-0 when holding opponents under 60 points, and Kansas State fell to 2-5 when scoring fewer than 70.

Wildcat guards Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen, who totaled 53 points in a Thursday's double-overtime win over Xavier, were limited to 32 on 11-of-30 shooting. Pullen, shadowed by an omnipresent Ronald Nored, scored 14 points -- 12 under his tourney average.

Hayward's nine rebounds led the outsized Bulldogs to a 41-29 edge in that category, compensating for 20 turnovers. Butler's Shelvin Mack scored 16 points and joined Hayward on the all-regional team.

SALT LAKE CITY -- Restrained and corporate-looking as he is, Brad Stevens finally let his guard down.

On the bus ride home from the airport a week ago, Butler's basketball team passed Lucas Oil Stadium. Wouldn't it be something, the coach told wife Tracy, if the Bulldogs played there in the Final Four?
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"That hit a little bit," he said. "That was the first time I even thought about it."

Now, that's almost all anyone in Indianapolis will be thinking about. Home-grown Gordon Hayward, who led Brownsburg High School to a state title, has taken his act to a larger stage.

Hayward scored eight of his 22 points in the closing six minutes, and Butler knocked off Kansas State 63-56 Saturday in the NCAA West Regional final.

No. 5 seed Butler (32-4) will play in a national semifinal next Saturday against the winner of today's Midwest Regional final between Michigan State and Tennessee at St. Louis.

In running its winning streak to 24 and going farther in the NCAA Tournament than ever before, Butler became the smallest school (enrollment: 4,200) in the Final Four since seeding was introduced in 1979. Butler will be the first team to play in a Final Four in its home city since champion UCLA in 1972.

By the way, Butler is 15-0 in Indy.

"Our dreams definitely didn't stop at getting to the Final Four," said Hayward, voted outstanding player of the West Regional. "We want to win the whole thing."

The Bulldogs' defense was so suffocating that they held No. 1 seed Syracuse and No. 2 seed Kansas State (29-8) to season lows and a collective 46 points under their averages. Butler is 19-0 when holding opponents under 60 points, and Kansas State fell to 2-5 when scoring fewer than 70.

Wildcat guards Denis Clemente and Jacob Pullen, who totaled 53 points in a Thursday's double-overtime win over Xavier, were limited to 32 on 11-of-30 shooting. Pullen, shadowed by an omnipresent Ronald Nored, scored 14 points -- 12 under his tourney average.

Hayward's nine rebounds led the outsized Bulldogs to a 41-29 edge in that category, compensating for 20 turnovers. Butler's Shelvin Mack scored 16 points and joined Hayward on the all-regional team.

Although Butler often has been compared to the small-town Milan team that inspired the movie "Hoosiers," the Bulldogs have instead resembled the gritty racehorse from "Seabiscuit." In three tournament games, the Bulldogs lost leads in the closing minutes, only to thunder down the homestretch to finish first.

After leading by 11 points in the first half and 10 in the second, the Bulldogs fell behind 52-51 with less than five minutes left. They trailed for all of 35 seconds.

Clemente scored on a runner to tie it at 54. Then the Bulldogs secured the victory with a 9-0 run beginning with Hayward's layup off Nored's lob. Nored drove for a left-handed layup to make it 58-54 with 2:04 left, and Hayward's drive extended that to 60-54 with 62 seconds on the clock.

Kansas State coach Frank Martin said the Bulldogs "kicked our tails" and "annihilated us" on the glass.

"It's hard to be happy for someone when you lose," Martin said. "But I've got to think it's going to be a great, great week for Butler people and people in the city of Indianapolis to have one of their own in the Final Four."

One of the Bulldogs' unusual features is that three sophomores -- Hayward, Mack and Nored -- are starters and they lack the experience supposedly necessary for a mid-major to make a lengthy tourney run.

Yet national championships have been won by Butler before -- in an AAU Tournament in 1924 and a mythical one from 1929. There are banners at Hinkle Fieldhouse commemorating those titles.

It's a big place, though. There's plenty of room left to hang another.

If you don't believe it, Stevens said, you can't achieve it.

"This is a very special moment in our life," Mack said. "We all believed in each other."