Kansas State Takes Ell Train

The oddsmakers should know better than to set an 18-point line for the Holiday Bowl.

Yes, favored Kansas State won, but not as easily as expected.

Ell Roberson rallied the sixth-ranked Wildcats with three fourth-quarter touchdowns, including a 10-yard pass to Derrick Evans with 1:15 to play, for a 34-27 victory over Arizona State on Friday night.

Roberson also scored on runs of two yards and one yard in the fourth quarter to add to the Holiday Bowl’s history of wild finishes. He accounted for four touchdowns overall, having also scored on a 32-yard run just before halftime.

“I think he’ll tell you he’s had better games,” Coach Bill Snyder said. “But when it was on the line, he was very special.”

Kansas State (11-2), the highest-ranked team not in a bowl championship series game, trailed, 20-14, after three quarters and seemed on the verge of what would have been a shocking upset.

By then, though, Roberson was well on his way to leading a 16-play, 65-yard drive that took seven minutes 13 seconds.

His two-yard plunge pulled the Wildcats into a 20-20 tie with 12:36 left in the fourth quarter, but they blew the extra point because of a low snap.

Arizona State needed only 1:46 to go ahead, 27-20, on Andrew Walter’s 10-yard misdirection screen pass to Mike Williams, when the quarterback rolled right and threw left. Walter completed six of eight passes for 78 yards in the drive.

But Roberson came back and led an 80-yard drive that he finished with a one-yard sneak for a 27-27 tie with 6:41 left.

All-American cornerback Terence Newman set up the winning score with a 34-yard punt return. After a 10-yard holding penalty against Kansas State was marched off, the Wildcats started the winning drive on their 41.

Roberson, the game’s offensive MVP, passed to Evans on a slant pattern for Kansas State’s first lead of the game.

“I had to get rid of it faster than I wanted to,” Roberson said. “I just laid it up there and he made a great catch.”

From 4:29 left in the third quarter until the winning touchdown pass, Roberson completed eight of 12 passes for 127 yards, and ran nine times for 44 yards.

Arizona State had one last shot at the upset, but Walter’s desperation pass on fourth and 15 from his 49 was knocked down inside the five.

Ever since the bowl matchups were set, the Sun Devils were constantly reminded that the point spread was the biggest of all the 28 bowl games.

“I was pretty irritated because coming out here today, we’re the biggest underdog of any bowl game being played,” Walter said. “It was fuel for the fire.”

Kansas State won its sixth consecutive game. It was the fifth time in six seasons the Wildcats finished with 11 wins. Arizona State (8-6) lost for the fourth time in five games.

“I think we came out and laid an egg in the first half,” Newman said. “We got down but we played through it. That’s what the No. 6 team in the nation is supposed to do in the second half.”

Roberson completed 11 of 28 passes for 215 yards, and rushed 18 times for 63 yards.

Walter completed 28 of 57 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns, with one interception. The Sun Devils had only 17 yards rushing in 26 carries.