ARLINGTON, Texas — Joe Adams had his fourth punt return for a touchdown this season and No. 7 Arkansas matched a school record with its 11th victory, beating No. 11 Kansas State 29-16 in the Cotton Bowl last night.
All-SEC quarterback Tyler Wilson threw two touchdown passes, including a 9-yarder to Kobi Hamilton with four minutes left in the third quarter after Kansas State (10-3) scored 16 consecutive points.
Adams’ 51-yard return early in the second quarter gave the Razorbacks (11-2) a 10-0 lead before they even gained a first down. It was the first punt return for a touchdown in the Cotton Bowl in 51 years.
Arkansas’ only losses were to No. 1 LSU and No. 2 Alabama, the SEC West rivals who will play in the BCS national championship game.
The only other 11-win seasons for the Razorbacks were by the Lou Holtz-coached team in 1977 and coach Frank Broyles’ only undefeated season at Arkansas in 1964.
Kansas State also was trying to match its school record with 11 victories, but still finished a surprising season in coach Bill Snyder’s second Wildcats turnaround. K-State won 11 games six times during a seven-year span in Snyder’s first tenure before his three-year retirement.
Wildcats quarterback Collin Klein tied the Big 12 record with his 27th rushing touchdown this season and matched the FBS record for quarterbacks.