UCLA defeats Kansas State, 40-35, in the Alamo Bowl

UCLA fell short of preseason expectations, but for the first time since 1997-98, the Bruins put together consecutive 10-win seasons.

The Bruins defeated Kansas State, 40-35, in the Alamo Bowl on Friday to finish 10-3 overall. They were 6-3 in Pac-12 Conference play. Kansas State finishes 9-4 after going 7-2 in Big 12 play.

UCLA started fast by scoring 17 unanswered points in the first quarter.

Kansas State pulled within a touchdown late in the fourth before running back Paul Perkins rushed for 67 yards and a touchdown to put the game out of reach, 40-28.

Perkins rushed for 194 yards and two touchdowns in 20 carries to earn the game’s offensive MVP award.

In his final game as a Bruin, quarterback Brett Hundley completed 12 of 24 passes for 136 yards and a touchdown. He rushed for 96 yards and two touchdowns in 11 carries.

Kansas State quarterback Jake Waters passed for 338 yards and two touchdowns with an interception.

Wildcats receiver Tyler Lockett caught 13 passes for 164 yards and two touchdowns as well as set up an early field goal with a 41-yard punt return.

Here’s a recap of the game:

Kansas State attempts an onside kick. There’s confusion on the field, Bruins say they have it. And they do.

Paul Perkins is helped off the field by coaches.

UCLA will start at Kansas State’s 48-yard line.

The Bruins are in the victory formation and quarterback Brett Hundley will take a knee to run the clock out.

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UCLA 40, Kansas State 35 (1:21 left in the fourth quarter)

Kansas State will start at its own 10-yard line.

Defensive back Priest Willis intercepts Jake Waters and nearly returns it for six before he is tackled. A personal foul is called and the interception will not count.

A Kansas State player is down on the field and the cart has been brought out to take him off. Wildcats players are surrounding him.

Waters comes back to complete consecutive passes before rushing for 15 yards.

He caps the drive with a 29-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Tyler Lockett.

The extra point is good.

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UCLA 40, Kansas State 28 (2:20 left in the fourth quarter)

UCLA will start at its own 24-yard line.

Quarterback Brett Hundley hands off to Paul Perkins on three consecutive plays and Perkins reaches a first down. Kansas State fans are loud and on their feet.

Coner McDermott false start and the Bruins back up five yards.

Just like that, Perkins takes a handoff and rushes 67 yards for a UCLA touchdown. Perkins how has the second highest single-season rushing total in UCLA history.

Kansas State fans are headed for the exits.

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UCLA 34, Kansas State 28 (4:54 to play in the fourth quarter)

Kansas State will start on its own 25-yard line.

Quarterback Jake Waters completes a 16-yard pass to Tyler Lockett. Fabian Moreau is trying to guard the Wildcats’ standout now -- his effort is going about the same as his teammates’.

That will end the third quarter. Fours are up on the UCLA sideline.

Eric Kendricks sacks Waters for an eight-yard loss.

Waters completes a 13-yard pass to Kody Cook in front of Myles Jack. Jack stays down on the Kansas State sideline as trainers jog to tend to him. Jack walks off with trainers.

Third and five. Waters pass falls incomplete as Cook begs the official to call pass interference on Moreau. No flags fly.

Kansas State punts and UCLA will start at its own 25-yard line.

Jack appears fine, jogging on the Bruins’ sideline.

Third and six and a stalling drive, Brett Hundley hands off to Paul Perkins who rushes for 20 yards and drags a couple defenders.

On first down, Hundley tries to air out a pass to Thomas Duarte who almost makes a tough catch, but bobbles and drops it.

Third and nine, Hundley scrambles before he is sacked.

Kansas State will start at its own nine-yard line. The atmosphere in the Alamodome says the Wildcats are still very much in this.

Waters completes a nine-yard pass to Lockett in front of Moreau to start the drive and follows it with a five-yard pass to Curry Sexton.

The Bruins’ secondary has now allowed four consecutive completions by Waters.

Waters sells a handoff before tucking the ball and rushing for a first down. Lucky for UCLA, officials call an illegal formation.

Waters completes another pass to Lockett before he finally throws one incomplete with the pass rush on his tail.

These Big Ten officials have let them play all game, but decide it’s time to call pass interference on Anthony Jefferson.

First and 10 for Kansas State on UCLA’s 46-yard line.

Owamagbe Odighizua bats down Waters second-down pass. That’s the defensive lineman’s second pass breakup.

Deon Hollins makes a huge third-down sack on Waters, who trots off angry that the Wildcats will not go for it on fourth down.

Delay on the field, a fan made it onto the turf, ran 80 yards to pick up a flag on the field, then dove on the 30-yard line before police realized what was happening.

And now another delay as a Kansas State fan runs on the field to lead a cheer. He surrenders peacefully to the police after a UCLA coach started approaching him.

Finally, back to football action.

After the timeout, Kansas State goes for it on fourth down and Waters completes a 18-yard and then 12-yard pass to Sexton Curry.

This is a bizarre series.

Waters shuffles a pass to Charles Jones who is swarmed outside the goal line and Myles Jack is called for a personal foul.

Next play, the Wildcats punch it in.

The extra point is good.

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UCLA 34, Kansas State 21 (33 seconds left in the third quarter)

UCLA will start at its own 35-yard line.

The Bruins are starting to rattle as Kansas State fans rise to their feet in the Alamodome.

Coner McDermott false starts and the purple-wearing fans get louder.

Hundley hands off to Paul Perkins on consecutive plays but Perkins is smothered by the defense.

Third and 11, Hundley looked like he had nowhere to run before changing directions and somehow managing to gain 40 yards when it looked like a dire situation.

UCLA’s offense hurrying up to snap the ball again.

Perkins rushes seven yards but Scott Quessenberry is called for holding, so it’s coming back. UCLA coaches angry and waving arms on the sideline.

Third down, Hundley’s pass falls incomplete at the feet of Jordan Payton.

Ka’imi Fairbairn kicks a 44-yard field goal.

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UCLA 31, Kansas State 21 (3:25 left in the third quarter)

UCLA will start at its own 25-yard line.

Paul Perkins rushes... and the ball is popped out - fumble. We have a ballgame. Kansas State recovers and is on UCLA’s 21-yard line.

Quarterback Jake Waters hands off to DeMarcus Robinson who is tackled for a five-yard loss by Eric Kendricks. Kendricks and Myles Jack have been smothering on defense.

Costly penalty, Owamagbe Odighizuwa jumps offsides and Kansas State moves to UCLA’s 14-yard line on third and three.

But Kansas State doesn’t want a gift -- the offensive line false starts and they back up five.

Third and 18 from UCLA’s 19-yard line. Waters completes a seven-yard pass to Tyler Lockett. Wildcats going for it on fourth down again.

A timeout is called. If I were a UCLA coach I’d say “Watch for Lockett, it probably will go to him.”

This is why I am not a coach. Waters keeps it for a first down.

Waters rushes for another five yards before he is tackled by Myles Jack, who is called for a personal foul -- which moves the Wildcats half the distance to the goal.

Robinson rushes two yards and dives toward the pylon for a Kansas State touchdown.

The extra point is good. It’s a ball game in San Antonio.

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UCLA 31, Kansas State 14 (7:23 left in the third quarter)

UCLA kicks off to start the second half.

Kansas State has the ball at its own 25-yard line.

The Wildcats think they are going to run their way back into this game. Two consecutive carries gets them six yards.

Quarterback Jake Waters drops back to pass on third down, avoids the rush, and completes an 11-yard pass to Tyler Lockett.

Running back Charles Jones is dropped for a five-yard loss by Eddie Vanderdoes.

Waters threads a pass to Lockett through two UCLA defenders for a 14-yard completion.

Defensive lineman Owamagbe Odighizuwa blasts through the offensive line to sack Waters. Kansas State faces second and 25.

Waters takes a hit on third down and is slow to get up, but completes a 20-yard pass to Curry Sexton.

It looks like Kansas State made some halftime adjustments to its offensive game plan to throw UCLA off balance.

Waters misfires on consecutive throws but they will go for it on fourth and three at UCLA’s 17-yard line.

Lockett catches a seven-yard pass after a timeout.

First and goal on UCLA’s 10.

The Bruins’ red zone defense holds through three downs, Odighizuwa knocks down a Waters pass. Wildcats going for it on fourth down, again.

Who else? Lockett catches a three-yard pass for a touchdown.

He has seven receptions for 81 yards.

Kansas State’s attempt at a two-point conversion is good -- Lockett catches it.

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Kansas State takes a knee to end the first half.

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UCLA 31, Kansas State 6 (19 seconds left in the second quarter)

Kansas State will start at its own 25-yard line.

What a lackluster series by the Wildcats, who go three and out after two rushes and a pass completion that is short of a first down.

Kansas State punts and Ishmael Adams is leveled by Tyler Lockett.

UCLA will start at its own 19-yard line.

The Bruins’ series rivaled Kansas State’s for effort. UCLA goes three and out.

Lockett almost broke free on an earlier punt return, this time he does and returns it 72 yards for a touchdown -- but there is a flag on the field. The Wildcats are called for holding, so the touchdown will come back.

Kansas State will start on its own 16-yard line.

Anthony Jefferson makes a nice pass breakup on second down.

Jake Waters completes an 11-yard pass to Kody Cook in front of Fabian Moreau and Kenny Young on the next play.

Waters proves he can run, too. He rushes for three yards before Myles Jack takes him down.

Waters completes a 24-yard pass to Lockett. What an impressive catch by Lockett to track the ball over his shoulder and stay inbounds.

Deon Hollins sacks Waters on the next play.

The rhythm of Kansas State’s offense thus far is simple enough: Big play by Lockett or Waters is sacked.

On cue, Marcus Rios sacks Waters and forces a fumble that is recovered by Eddie Vanderdoes.

UCLA takes over at its own 49-yard line and Hundley takes off for seven yards.

Jordan Payton catches a 37-yard pass and drags a Kansas State defender a few yards before escaping the tackle attempt and picking up a few more yards to the seven-yard line.

Hundley finds a wide open Devin Lucien in the back of the end zone for a touchdown.

The extra point is good.

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UCLA 24, Kansas State 6 (7:29 left in the second quarter)

UCLA will start at its own 24-yard line.

Paul Perkins is shut down after rushing a yard.

Quarterback Brett Hundley throws behind Eldridge Massington and quickly the Bruins are in another third-down situation.

Hundley is sacked by Marquel Bryant.

After an impressive start in the first quarter, the Bruins have lost their rhythm in the second.

Kansas State will start at its own 42-yard line.

Quarterback Jake Waters completes an easy 23-yard pass over the middle to Curry Sexton, in front of Jaleel Wadood.

Waters finds a big target -- but it’s UCLA linebacker Myles Jack. Jack intercepts the Waters pass and returns it 41 yards. The Bruins needed that.

UCLA will start at Kansas State’s 44-yard line.

The Wildcats have made some adjustments, but can’t figure out how to slow down Hundley -- who rushed for 12 yards.

Hundley hands off to Perkins on the next play and Perkins rushes for 32 yards before he dives for the pylon.

The extra point is good.

After two slow offensive series, the Bruins are back on track.

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UCLA 17, Kansas State (10:05 left in the second quarter)

I’ve watched a lot of Pac-12 football this season. No one hits as hard as Myles Jack.

UCLA will start at its own 28-yard line.

Quarterback Brett Hundley hands off to Paul Perkins, who rushes for four yards.

Hundley tries to go deep to Thomas Duarte on the next play, Duarte almost held on for what would have been a very impressive catch, but the Kansas State defender was able to break it up.

Hundley’s third down pass is incomplete and the Bruins are hurried off the field as Kansas State players -- and fans -- come alive.

Impressive punt return by Tyler Lockett, who dodges multiple UCLA players on the 41-yard return.

Kansas State will start on UCLA’s 15-yard line. The momentum in the Alamodome is shifting.

Quarterback Jake Waters third-down pass sails through Lockett’s hands. Despite starting with great field position, the Wildcats settle for a field goal. That calms the momentum that had clearly shifted.

UCLA may have gotten a bit lucky there. It should have been an easy seven points for Kansas State.

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UCLA 17, Kansas State 3 (12:06 left in the second quarter)

UCLA has to be happy with its start. The Bruins have 218 yards of offense to Kansas State’s four.

Kansas State will start at its own 22-yard line.

The Wildcats finally catch a break. It looked like they would be called for holding as quarterback Jake Waters rushed for 25 yards, but a personal foul was called on Deon Hollins.

The Bruins have four penalties for 45 yards. The Wildcats, one for five.

That’s the end of the first quarter.

Third and one for Kansas State at UCLA’s 29-yard line. The Wildcats reach a first down running into the heart of the Bruins defensive line.

Myles Jack levels DeMarcus Robinson for a loss of eight yards on the next play. That’s Jack’s second tackle for a loss -- both looked equally impressive.

Third down, Hollins makes up for his personal foul and sacks Waters for a loss of six yards.

Kansas State attempts a 47-yard field goal and it has just enough to make it through the upright.

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UCLA 17, Kansas State 0 (1:25 left in the first quarter)

UCLA players look loose on the field, special teams dancing around with Kansas State players in a long huddle on the sideline.

The Wildcats fumble the kickoff, Cameron Judge recovers and UCLA will take over at Kansas State’s 17-yard line. But, not so fast. The play is under review.

The call is reversed and the Kansas State returner was ruled down before the ball came out.

Kansas State will start at its own five-yard line.

Ishmael Adams misses a tackle, quarterback Jake Waters completes a 11-yard pass to Tyler Lockett.

Myles Jack levels Curry Sexton for a loss on the next play. The entire dome cringed at the sound of the hit.

Third and 13, Kansas State unable to find any rhythm as Waters’ pass falls incomplete. The Wildcats will punt again.

The Bruins came to play.

UCLA will start at its own 29-yard line.

Quarterback Brett Hundley completes a 15-yard pass to Jordan Payton, who stiff-arms a Kansas State defender to pick up a couple extra steps.

After an illegal block, Hundley goes back to work and completes a seven-yard pass to Devin Fuller.

Kansas State’s defense doesn’t appear as though it can keep up with the athletic and shifty UCLA offense.

Another illegal block slows down the Bruins, they have first and 20 from Kansas State’s 41-yard line.

Third and five, Hundley hands off to Perkins who is tackled short of the first down.

It’s a bowl game, so why not? UCLA Coach Jim Mora says go for it on fourth and three... And Hundley rushes 28 yards for a UCLA touchdown. He wasn’t even touched.

That’s Hundley’s 30th career-rushing touchdown.

The extra point is good.

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UCLA 10, Kansas State 0 (8:03 left in the first quarter)

Kansas State will start at its own 25-yard line.

Quarterback Jake Waters meet linebacker Eric Kendricks. Kendricks sacks Waters on the first play.

Linebacker Deon Hollins gets in the face of Waters on the second play and Waters hurried pass falls incomplete.

It’s a quick three and out for the Wildcats. They punt.

UCLA will start at its own 41-yard line.

Paul Perkins rushes for four yards on consecutive carries before breaking loose and avoiding a couple of tackles to rush for 30 yards.

Hundley is feeding Jordan Payton now, who has consecutive catches for eight yards.

Third and six, Hundley’s pass falls incomplete.

Ka’imi Fairbairn kicks a 27-yard field goal. That’s his 29th consecutive field goal from 35 yards or closer.

This is a track meet for the Bruins.

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UCLA 7, Kansas State 0 (12:47 left in the first quarter)

UCLA will start at its own 23-yard line.

Quarterback Brett Hundley, under pressure, completes a 19-yard pass to Thomas Duarte to start the game.

The Bruins are starting fast. Hundley hands off to Devin Lucien, who rushes for 34 yards to the Kansas State 24-yard line.

Third and five, Hundley completes a nine-yard pass to Devin Lucien.

And then Hundley keeps it, scrambles and dives into the end zone for a touchdown.

The extra point is good.

That was a strong start for the Bruins, who are bouncing around on the sideline.

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Kansas State won the toss and deferred to the second half.

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The Alamodome sounds closer to a home game atmosphere for Kansas State than UCLA. Wildcats fans traveled well.

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UCLA receiver Kenneth Walker III is not on the field warming up with the team and will not participate because of an academic issue.

Walker was a big-play threat. He has three receptions for 127 yards and two touchdowns.

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UCLA is the home team, but opted to wear road-white jerseys. Kansas State will wear home purple.

In the pressbox there is a candy dispenser that doesn’t pop out just plain old M&Ms -- Kansas State Coach Bill Snyder and UCLA Coach Jim Mora’s faces are printed on the candy.

Celebrity spotting on the sideline, Eric Stonestreet -- who plays Cameron on Modern Family -- is a Kansas State alumni.

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UCLA quarterback Brett Hundley was on the minds of Kansas State players -- and understandably so -- as the two teams prepared for today’s Valero Alamo Bowl.

“We have to affect the quarterback,” Wildcats defensive end Ryan Mueller said. “We have to get after him, either knock down his passes, tip balls, gets those sacks and tackles for loss.”

Hundley has thrown for 3,019 yards and 21 touchdowns as well as rushed for 548 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He also has been sacked 35 times.

His plan for the game was simple.

“Running and throwing,” Hundley said. “You know, that’s basically what it comes down to, just running and throwing.”