SportsDirect Inc. staff
Nov 6, 2010

Kansas State became bowl eligible for the first time since 2006, and did so in convincing fashion with a 39-14 victory over reeling Texas on Senior Night at Manhattan, Kan., on Saturday night.

The Wildcats (6-3, 3-3 Big 12) got 106 yards rushing and two touchdowns from senior running back Daniel Thomas, while quarterback Collin Klein, making his first career start, rushed for 127 yards and a pair of scores on 25 carries.

Kansas State, which finishes the season with three straight road games, led 24-0 at halftime despite not completing a pass, and finished 2-of-4 passing for 9 yards. The Wildcats rushed for 261 yards.

The loss was the third straight for Texas (4-5, 2-4 Big 12), which in two months has gone from a Top 10 team to a unit struggling on both sides of the ball. Sophomore quarterback Garrett Gilbert, who accounted for 365 yards of total offense, completed 32 of his career-high 59 passes for 272 yards, but threw five interceptions, which tied a school record.

Thomas topped 1,000 yards for the season when he scored on a 34-yard touchdown run 53 seconds into the game. Klein was a last minute starter for the injured Carson Coffman, who sat out with a foot injury he suffered against Oklahoma State last week.

Bill Snyder, who returned to Kansas State as coach two years ago, led the Wildcats to 11 consecutive bowl appearances from 1993-2003.