PHOENIX (AP) — Kansas State didn’t finish the regular season as desired.

Not by a long shot.

In the midst of the Big 12 race – possibly the College Football Playoff – early last month, the Wildcats suffered three losses in their last four games, including one to Arizona State, which went on to win the conference.

The good news: They played well enough early in the season to have a chance to finish well in Thursday’s Rate Bowl against Rutgers.

“I hate losing in general,” Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson said. “We deserve the opportunity to play another game. We just want to go out there and showcase some of the things we haven’t been able to showcase.”

The Wildcats had a good start to the season, with their only loss in their first seven games coming against BYU on September 21st. Then things went haywire as teams found a way to slow down Kanas State’s powerful offense.

With opponents passing slow running back DJ Giddens, the Wildcats were far less productive on offense, scoring nine fewer points in the final four games and rushing for nearly 50 fewer yards compared to the first eight games.

“You can accept defeat two different ways: You can either sit there and sulk, or you can sit there and find something to get better at,” Kansas State center Hadley Panzer said.

Rutgers (7-5) hit a rough patch midway through the season, losing four straight games. The Scarlet Knights rebounded to defeat Michigan State in the regular season finale after losing by a touchdown to No. 21 Illinois.

Rutgers had one of its best offensive seasons in years, averaging 27.9 points per game – its best since 2009. The Scarlet Knights are also one of the nation’s best ball-handling teams, ranking eighth nationally with just eight turnovers.

For the first time since four consecutive appearances from 2011 to 2014, Rutgers will play in bowl games in consecutive years.

“We’ve faced some real adversity this season, with injuries on a scale that I haven’t really seen very often in the 37 years I’ve been here, but a team that is in the middle of the season “kind of reinvented it,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said.

Kansas State and Rutgers are both missing running backs

Both teams will be without their top running backs as Kyle Monangai from Giddens and Rutgers opts out to prepare for the NFL Draft.

Giddens led the Wildcats with 1,343 yards and seven touchdowns. Dylan Edwards, a transfer from Colorado, will likely carry more of the load after averaging 3.6 yards per carry as Giddens’ backup.

Monangai ran for 1,279 yards and 13 touchdowns to lead the Scarlet Knights. Antwan Raymond was Rutgers’ second-leading rusher with 344 yards.

Rate bowl facts and figures

Kansas State is playing in the Rate Bowl for the fifth time. The Wildcats beat UCLA 35-17 the last time they were in the desert in 2017, when it was called the Cactus Bowl. … The Wildcats led the Big 12 and ranked 22nd nationally against the run, allowing 114.9 yards per game. … Rutgers has won 10 straight nonconference games and 14 of its last 15. … K-State’s Avery Johnson joins Alabama’s Jalen Milroe as the only Power 4 quarterbacks with at least 2,500 passing yards and 525 rushing yards.