K-State quarterback Skylar Thompson ends college career in style as Texas Bowl MVP
Skylar Thompson pointed both of his fingers high into the air and screamed with excitement.
The Kansas State senior quarterback had just thrown his third and final touchdown during a 42-20 victory over LSU at the Texas Bowl inside NRG Stadium on Tuesday, and he was clearly excited.
But things were about to get even better. A few minutes later, K-State fans serenaded him with thunderous applause when he exited the final game of his college career. Then he gave head coach Chris Klieman a long hug and hoisted the bowl’s MVP trophy for all to see atop a stage located at midfield.
It was such an overwhelming string of events that he didn’t know how to explain his emotions during K-State’s postgame news conference.
“It honestly hasn’t registered what just happened,” Thompson said. “It was that much fun.”
Whenever he is able to take a step back and reflect on the end of his K-State football career, he will likely remember his performance against the Tigers as one of his best.
It was a fitting end to his K-State career. Thompson never had the best of injury luck in a purple uniform, but he played this game at nearly full strength and added a bowl win to his resume while making a depleted LSU defense look disorganized and over matched.
Thompson completed 21 of 28 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns. Aside from one questionable throw to running back Deuce Vaughn in the flats, which was nearly intercepted, he played an impressive game.
K-State piled up 442 yards of offense and scored a season-high 42 points. The Wildcats found the end zone just about every time they touched the ball and jumped out to a 21-0 lead, effectively ending any chance of drama in this game before halftime.
It was one of Thompson’s best individual games dating all the way back to his first college start in 2017.
“He was phenomenal,” Klieman said. “I think you could see he was healthy tonight. I think the extra week helped us playing this thing on January 4. For him to be on point like he was and know that people were coming after him and hanging in there and throwing some strikes, he was phenomenal.”
Even his defensive teammates were impressed.
“He balled out, man,” K-State linebacker Daniel Green said. “That man looked crazy today. I hope NFL scouts and everybody else saw that, because that man is the truth.”
Thompson may have increased his hopes of playing for a NFL team next season. But this night was about his college farewell.
Few recent players have meant more to the K-State football team than Thompson. He says goodbye after starting 40 games and leading the Wildcats to victories in 24 of them. No K-State quarterback in school history owns more wins as a starter.
One thing he lacked was a victory in a bowl game. Yes, he technically was the starting quarterback when K-State won the Texas Bowl five years ago, but Alex Delton replaced him and was named MVP of that game.
This was much more satisfying.
He was happy to end his college career in this fashion. He said his favorite moment of the game happened when he looked up in the stands and spotted his brother and father smiling ear to ear in the fourth quarter. Family means everything to Thompson, so it was special for him to share this moment with them.
Winning one final game like this is why he stayed in college for all this time.
“Throughout my six years here, it hasn’t always been perfect,” Thompson said. “I could have left. I could have walked away from the game after tearing my (pectoral muscle last season). But that’s not how I roll. I was raised if you start something, you finish it. And give it everything you’ve got and let God take care of the rest. And, holy smokes, I couldn’t have drawn up a better way to finish than tonight.”
This story was originally published January 5, 2022 at 5:37 AM.