K-State football players reflect on Sugar Bowl loss

NEW ORLEANS, LA. (WIBW) - After a 45-20 loss to No. 5 Alabama in the Sugar Bowl on Saturday, Kansas State football players reflected on the game and their season as a whole.

“I’ve been on a lot of college football teams and played here a long time, and to see a team that no matter what goes out there and buckles their chin strap and not blink and go punch that guy in the mouth... it will be something that will impact me the rest of my life. I’m blessed to be a Wildcat,” said wide receiver Kade Warner.

“We’ve been in battles before where we’re down and we come back. We always believe. There was never a time in a game where we think it’s over,” said linebacker Daniel Green.

“It’s always tough, but you have to stay in the fight,” running back Deuce Vaughn said. “Going into this game, we knew it was going to be a four quarter football game. And that momentum swing, that’s a good football team we lost to, and we understood they were going to make plays. For us on offense and defense we had to stay in the fight, and we weren’t able to do that.”

“The reason I’m crying is because my time is up at Kansas State,” said nose guard Eli Huggins. “It’s such a special place with so many special people. I’ve just made so many great relationships over the years.”

Head coach Chris Klieman wants his team to be proud of what they accomplished this 2022 season.

“Don’t be defined by a moment, be defined by your body of work,” Klieman said. “And this body of work will be remembered in Kansas State history forever.”

“We’ll remember this feeling, it’s a tough feeling,” said quarterback Will Howard. “We see the standard and we’re going to do everything to get back here.”

The Big 12 Champion Wildcats end their season at 10-4.

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