ARKANSAS DEFEATS KANSAS STATE 29-16 IN 2012 AT&T COTTON BOWL CLASSIC
Saturday, January 7th, 2012
It wasn’t pretty, but a potent offense and tenacious defensive play gave Arkansas a 29-16 victory over Kansas State in the 76th AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic on Friday night.
“I’m very proud of our football team. It was a hard-fought contest. Kansas State did a great job. They’re a good football team. They played tough on defense,” said Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino. “I think the difference in the game was how well we played on defense and the field position we were able to give our offense. We didn’t take advantage of it all the time, but it was a big part of the game.”
Despite the lack of offensive fireworks early on, All-SEC quarterback Tyler Wilson was efficient in the pocket, passing for 216 yards and two touchdowns. The second was a 9-yarder to Kobi Hamilton with four minutes in the third quarter after Kansas State (10-3) scored 16 straight points.
However, it was the defense – led by senior defensive end Jake Bequette- that ultimately propelled the Razorbacks (11-2) to a school record tying 11th victory. The unit harassed Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein all night and sacked the Big-12 All Purpose Player of the Year six times.
“I’m very proud of our football team. It was a hard-fought contest. Kansas State did a great job. They’re a good football team. They played tough on defense,” said Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino. “I think the difference in the game was how well we played on defense and the field position we were able to give our offense. We didn’t take advantage of it all the time, but it was a big part of the game.”
Despite the lack of offensive fireworks early on, All-SEC quarterback Tyler Wilson was efficient in the pocket, passing for 216 yards and two touchdowns. The second was a 9-yarder to Kobi Hamilton with four minutes in the third quarter after Kansas State (10-3) scored 16 straight points.
However, it was the defense – led by senior defensive end Jake Bequette- that ultimately propelled the Razorbacks (11-2) to a school record tying 11th victory. The unit harassed Kansas State quarterback Collin Klein all night and sacked the Big-12 All Purpose Player of the Year six times.
FELIX McKNIGHT DEFENSIVE MVP TROPHY WINNER - JAKE BEQUETTE
Saturday, January 7th, 2012
Sometimes all it takes is a big play. For the Arkansas Razorbacks, Jake Bequette was a key player in Friday night’s big plays.
His first major contribution came in the first quarter when he sacked Kansas State’s quarterback Collin Klein, forcing a fumble in the K-State red zone. Four plays later, the Razorbacks were on the board after making a 26-yard field goal.
The second big play for Bequette arose when he tallied his second sack in the third quarter, resulting in a three-yard loss for the Wildcats and stopping their momentum.
Bequette’s play earned him the Felix McKnight Trophy as the game’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
Earlier in the week, Bequette said the key to tonight’s game would be stopping Klein. That’s precisely what he did.
“The first thing I thought they did a nice job of was understanding they were going to play a huge role in stopping the run. Jake loves to rush the passer,” Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. “This game was about needing to stop this run, stopping this quarterback.”
Arkansas’ defense held Klein to 42 yards rushing - he had rushed for 90 or more yards in eight games this season.
His first major contribution came in the first quarter when he sacked Kansas State’s quarterback Collin Klein, forcing a fumble in the K-State red zone. Four plays later, the Razorbacks were on the board after making a 26-yard field goal.
The second big play for Bequette arose when he tallied his second sack in the third quarter, resulting in a three-yard loss for the Wildcats and stopping their momentum.
Bequette’s play earned him the Felix McKnight Trophy as the game’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player.
Earlier in the week, Bequette said the key to tonight’s game would be stopping Klein. That’s precisely what he did.
“The first thing I thought they did a nice job of was understanding they were going to play a huge role in stopping the run. Jake loves to rush the passer,” Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino said. “This game was about needing to stop this run, stopping this quarterback.”
Arkansas’ defense held Klein to 42 yards rushing - he had rushed for 90 or more yards in eight games this season.
2012 J. CURTIS SANFORD OFFENSIVE MVP TROPHY WINNER - ARKANSAS QB TYLER WILSON
Saturday, January 7th, 2012
ARLINGTON -- Arkansas quarterback Tyler Wilson broke the Razorback single-season pass completion record, completed two touchdown passes and threw for 216 yards to claim the J. Curtis Sanford Offensive MVP honor in Friday night’s 76th AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic. The junior propelled the seventh-ranked Razorbacks to a 29-16 victory over eighth-ranked Kansas State, giving Arkansas its first Cotton Bowl victory since 2000 and fourth all-time.
In his first season as a starter, Wilson led Arkansas to an 11-2 record, tying the school mark for most wins in a season. He becomes the fifth Arkansas offensive player to earn a Cotton Bowl postgame accolade and just the second Razorback QB to take home an award (1965, Fred Marshall).
“We pride ourselves as players and as a coaching staff as having our players prepared and mentally prepared, better than the opponent,” Wilson said.
The first Razorback quarterback to be named first team All-SEC, Wilson’s 438 pass attempts is the most in a single season by an Arkansas quarterback. He was 20-for-31 tonight and also finishes 2011 with 24 touchdowns. The 20 pass completions in tonight’s game put him at ninth on the all-time AT&T Cotton Bowl list.
In his first season as a starter, Wilson led Arkansas to an 11-2 record, tying the school mark for most wins in a season. He becomes the fifth Arkansas offensive player to earn a Cotton Bowl postgame accolade and just the second Razorback QB to take home an award (1965, Fred Marshall).
“We pride ourselves as players and as a coaching staff as having our players prepared and mentally prepared, better than the opponent,” Wilson said.
The first Razorback quarterback to be named first team All-SEC, Wilson’s 438 pass attempts is the most in a single season by an Arkansas quarterback. He was 20-for-31 tonight and also finishes 2011 with 24 touchdowns. The 20 pass completions in tonight’s game put him at ninth on the all-time AT&T Cotton Bowl list.
2012 AT&T COTTON BOWL NOTES
Saturday, January 7th, 2012
The Sanford Trophy as the Outstanding Offensive Player went to Arkansas’ Tyler Wilson and the McKnight Trophy for Outstanding Defensive Player went to the Razorbacks’ Jake Bequette.
The attendance of 80,956 is the third highest in the Classic’s history. (Note: The Classic moved from the Cotton Bowl to Cowboys Stadium in 2010.)
This was the first AT&T Cotton Bowl since 2007 to not have one individual rush for 100 yards.
The three field goals for the Razaorbacks ties them with three other teams for most in the Classic’s history. (Penn State, 1972; Alabama 1981; Texas 1984.) Zach Hocker’s three field goals were tied for the most with three other kickers for most in one game in AT&T Cotton Bowl history. In addition, he earned 11 points (3 Field Goals, 2 Extra Points) to put him in a three-way tie for third most points by a kicker in one contest.
Arkansas is the first team in the Classic’s history to score 19 points at halftime. The Wildcats are the second school to notch nine first half points – the other was Texas in 1953.
Nigel Malone of KSU ran back the first ever AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic defensive 2-point conversion after a blocked extra point kick.
The attendance of 80,956 is the third highest in the Classic’s history. (Note: The Classic moved from the Cotton Bowl to Cowboys Stadium in 2010.)
This was the first AT&T Cotton Bowl since 2007 to not have one individual rush for 100 yards.
The three field goals for the Razaorbacks ties them with three other teams for most in the Classic’s history. (Penn State, 1972; Alabama 1981; Texas 1984.) Zach Hocker’s three field goals were tied for the most with three other kickers for most in one game in AT&T Cotton Bowl history. In addition, he earned 11 points (3 Field Goals, 2 Extra Points) to put him in a three-way tie for third most points by a kicker in one contest.
Arkansas is the first team in the Classic’s history to score 19 points at halftime. The Wildcats are the second school to notch nine first half points – the other was Texas in 1953.
Nigel Malone of KSU ran back the first ever AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic defensive 2-point conversion after a blocked extra point kick.
KANSAS STATE VISITS TEXAS SCOTTISH RITE HOSPITAL
Thursday, January 5th, 2012
DALLAS - Kansas State head coach Bill Snyder, along with the entire Wildcat football team, visited the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children Thursday morning as part of the activities surrounding the 76th AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic.
Kristi Sherrill Hoyle of the Cotton Bowl Board of Directors and Scottish Rite Executive Vice President Bob Walker introduced and welcomed the eighth-ranked Wildcats to the hospital’s atrium, where the team interacted with patients and their family members.
One patient in particular gave the Wildcats more incentive to win on Friday. Nick Tippett, a 15-year-old from Mansfield, Texas, presented Coach Snyder with a framed drawing of a Wildcat chasing a Razorback off a football field. Nick personally gave his artwork to Snyder and met with the team captains. Nick said he looks forward to watching Kansas State in action on Friday and hopes his artwork is an indication of the outcome – a Wildcats win.
“Once in a while it is nice to see a team that is not from Texas,” he said. “It was fun to meet Coach Snyder and the captains.”
The drawing brought lots of smiles from the Kansas State players as well.
Kristi Sherrill Hoyle of the Cotton Bowl Board of Directors and Scottish Rite Executive Vice President Bob Walker introduced and welcomed the eighth-ranked Wildcats to the hospital’s atrium, where the team interacted with patients and their family members.
One patient in particular gave the Wildcats more incentive to win on Friday. Nick Tippett, a 15-year-old from Mansfield, Texas, presented Coach Snyder with a framed drawing of a Wildcat chasing a Razorback off a football field. Nick personally gave his artwork to Snyder and met with the team captains. Nick said he looks forward to watching Kansas State in action on Friday and hopes his artwork is an indication of the outcome – a Wildcats win.
“Once in a while it is nice to see a team that is not from Texas,” he said. “It was fun to meet Coach Snyder and the captains.”
The drawing brought lots of smiles from the Kansas State players as well.
