These bowl games will be interested in K-State ... if the Wildcats are bowl eligible

There isn’t much mystery surrounding Kansas State’s potential bowl destination as the Wildcats prepare for their final game of the regular season.

Unlike previous years, when late November and early December felt like a guessing game, K-State’s path to the postseason and a lower-tier bowl is clear.

The Wildcats (5-6, 3-5 Big 12) need to continue their Farmageddon winning streak and beat Iowa State on Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium to qualify for the postseason. If that happens, they will be a contender for two bowl games.

The Armed Forces Bowl, played at 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 22 at TCU’s football stadium in Fort Worth, is the most likely destination. That bowl game matches a Big 12 team against an opponent from the American Athletic Conference, or a school with military ties like Army.

It ranks sixth in the Big 12 bowl order, not including the playoff-affiliated bowls, and will have final pick of any of the conference’s bowl-eligible teams. The Wildcats have never played in the Armed Forces Bowl, which could make them an even more appealing choice.

But the Liberty Bowl, played at 2:45 p.m. on Dec. 31 in Memphis, could also be in play. The Liberty Bowl ranks fourth in the Big 12 bowl order and might be interested in the Wildcats if two Big 12 teams land in major bowl games.

K-State last played in the Liberty Bowl in 2015, coincidentally the last time the Wildcats won their final three games to become bowl eligible at 6-6.

It’s also possible the Cheez-It Bowl, formerly known as the Cactus Bowl, could select K-State. But that feels like a long shot given that the Wildcats spent Christmas in Phoenix last season.

Of course, K-State’s holiday plans won’t include any of those games without a win over Iowa State. So the Wildcats aren’t looking that far ahead yet. For now, they simply want to keep their season, and their eight-year bowl streak, going.

“It would mean a lot, especially since we haven’t not gone to a bowl game in a while,” K-State kicker Blake Lynch said. “To keep the tradition going would mean a lot. We always have a bowl game in mind.”

Bill Snyder said earlier this week he would leave the possibility of playing in a bowl game with a 5-7 record up to a team vote, but it no longer seems like that is in play.

Eighty college football teams will be selected for bowl games this season, and 72 entered Friday with six victories. There are 20 more teams with four or five wins still fighting for bowl eligibility. For once, bowls may not need to dip below the 6-6 mark to fill their games.

K-State remains in the bowl conversation after winning its past two games against Kansas and Texas Tech. Even in a disappointing season, it could finish in a tie for fifth in the conference standings.

The Wildcats are currently in a five-way tie for fifth with Baylor, TCU, Texas Tech and Oklahoma State.

“It would be nice to salvage the season,” junior running back Alex Barnes said, “starting 3-6 and being able to finish with bowl eligibility. It would still kind of leave a bitter taste in our mouth, but that is all we can hope for right now. That is the best we can do. I would say it would be pretty satisfying to be able to go out on a positive note, especially for our seniors.”