Kansas State Offensive MVP: Dylan Edwards

Bow, Dylan Edwards. In his first game as a starting running back for Kansas State, Edwards was electric. He rushed for 196 yards on 18 carries and two scores.

The second-year running back also added two catches for 27 yards and another touchdown. His 196 rushing yards were a K-State bowl game record and a Rate Bowl record for rushing yards.

I also considered the Kansas State offensive line as the player of the game for the offense. They paved the way for 347 yards while managing 8.3 yards per carry. Along with the bowl game, K-State averaged the most yards per carry in a single season. It also shouldn’t be overlooked that it wasn’t just about the offensive line. The blocking at the rim was the best all season and made the big runs pop.

Conor Riley And Matt Wells Also deserve credit for coming together to create an outstanding offensive game plan. The Wildcats averaged 3.38 points per drive and 7.99 yards per play in the 44-41 win.

Defensive MVP: Zashon Rich

It was up and down for Kansas State’s defense. To be honest, the defense was pretty bad for a long time.

True freshman corner, though, after a shaky first half Zashon Rich made some big plays as they counted in the second round. Rich was extremely physical and passed the ball to Rutgers wide receivers on the outside. The Minneapolis native had two pass breakups and provided the game-winning tackle for the Wildcats.

Quiet, Austin Romaine continues to contribute to a productive season. He had seven tackles to lead K-State and also had a tackle for a loss.

K-State Defensive MVP: Chris Tennant

Special teams will be an issue that really needs to be corrected in the offseason. However, Chris Tennant capped a fine career for the Wildcats and a great season by making his only field goal attempt and making his extra points.