Kansas State wins bragging rights over Texas A&M at pregame rodeo

Before every Texas Bowl, the two participating football teams travel 30 miles south of Houston to compete in a rodeo.

It’s an entertaining event that brings out the playful side of most players and coaches, but the Kansas State Wildcats brought a more serious approach to it on Monday.

“Bragging rights,” said K-State defensive tackle Matt Seiwert. “We are an agricultural school, they are an agricultural school. We wanted to win.”

“We have to win at rodeo,” added K-State defensive end Tanner Wood. “We are the biggest agricultural school in the United States. We have to win.”

K-State won all right. Easily.

“I loved their enthusiasm,” K-State football coach Bill Snyder said. “I thought that was good, and they were competitive. The young guys who got out and did those things were really into it. It was fun to watch.”

The Wildcats took five of seven rodeo events (which ranged from calf roping to goat milking to bale tossing) from Texas A&M and then hooted and hollered like they won the Texas Bowl itself. Players wearing cowboy hats and outlaw bandanas roared after every victory and posed for pictures with a rodeo trophy.

Sophomore offensive lineman Dalton Risner even led the team in a K-S-U Wildcats cheer. Everyone on the roster was genuinely excited.

“It shows you how country us Kansas boys really are,” Seiwert added.

Could it also show K-State is on its way to a bowl victory on Wednesday at NRG Stadium?

Maybe. The Wildcats now have history on their side.

The Texas Bowl has been played 10 times, and the winner of its pre-game rodeo has gone on to win nine of them.

“I appreciate that,” Snyder said, “but if I understand correctly the only error was with Kansas State. Somebody told me Kansas State won it way back when and lost the ballgame. So we will see.”

Yes, K-State won the inaugural Texas Bowl rodeo and went on to lose the inaugural Texas Bowl football game 37-10 to Rutgers, the worst bowl loss in Wildcats history. But that was when Ron Prince was the coach and Snyder was in retirement, watching as a fan from the stands.

Perhaps things will be different this time.

The rodeo winner has won nine straight Texas Bowls. And K-State already has bragging rights on its side.

“It was really good to go out there and show what we could do and win,” Wood said. “It was a really good atmosphere. I hope it’s a sign (we will win the bowl game), and I am looking forward to going out and playing Texas A&M.”

This story was originally published December 26, 2016 at 10:11 PM with the headline "Kansas State wins bragging rights over Texas A&M at pregame rodeo."