PHOENIX – Dylan Edwards ran for 196 yards and scored his third touchdown on a 36-yard run in the fourth quarter to lift Kansas State past Rutgers 44-41 in the Rate Bowl on Thursday night.

The Scarlet Knights (7-6) led by 10 at halftime and took a 34-17 lead on Ja’shon Benjamin’s 7-yard touchdown catch on the first drive of the second half. But Edwards and the Wildcats (9-4) stormed back.

Edwards scored on a 65-yard touchdown run and, after an interception by Rutgers’ Athan Kaliakmanis, Garrett Oakley caught a 13-yard touchdown pass to pull Kansas State within five minutes. The Wildcats failed to convert two points after both touchdowns.

Rutgers briefly regained momentum and took a 41-29 lead early in the fourth quarter on Antwan Raymond’s 1-yard TD run on a fake tush.

Kansas State responded with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Avery Johnson to Jadon Jackson. Edwards followed with his 36-yard score, capping an impressive night in place of DJ Giddens, who withdrew from the bowl game to prepare for the NFL draft.

Kansas State closed out the game by stopping Rutgers on fourth down near midfield with just under two minutes left

Johnson threw three touchdowns, including a 26-yarder to Edwards in the second quarter, and completed 15 of 30 passing for 195 yards.

Raymond ran for 113 yards and three touchdowns in place of leading rusher Kyle Monangai, who also opted to prepare for the NFL draft.

Kaliakmanis threw for 237 yards and a touchdown with one interception on 14 of 32 passes.

Takeaways

Kansas State: The Wildcats struggled defensively until they needed it most, shutting down Rutgers for most of the second half. From there, Edwards kept going, totaling 223 yards — no more than his last TD run.

Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights were within reach of a second straight bowl victory, but let it slip away in the second half due to a series of defensive errors.

Next

Kansas State: Johnson, Edwards and RB Joe Jackson are underclassmen, as is leading tackler Austin Romaine. DE Brendan Mott and LB Austin Moore, anchors of the K-State defense, played their final college games.

Rutgers: The Scarlet Knights will have a lot of holes to fill in the offseason. Kaliakmanis is one of six experienced starters on offense and eight on defense.

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