The year 2024 started with the fans feeling ‘Why God, why?’ From Jim Harbaugh leaving college football, to a too-dramatic transfer season, it must have left the fans in a sour mood. But the year is making sure that the wrapping-up session makes up for the misses. And it’s already happening. The Rate Bowl, Big Ten vs Big 12. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights and Kansas State Wildcats have left the fans at the edge of their seats. Even though many phenoms could not make it, still it did not dampen the Bowl spirit at all.  

Greg Schiano’s Scarlet Knights held a 27-17 lead in the halftime over Chris Klieman’s boys. Rutgers scored three touchdowns and two field goals in the first. Their offense was at its best. All thanks to their running back Antwan Raymond, who gifted the fans a pair of rushing touchdowns. In the first quarter, Kansas State got down to the Rutgers 11. That’s solely because Dylan Edwards came up with a 43-yard run. Schiano’s program went up 7-3 after true freshman Raymond got the star at RB and ran it in from two yards out. The neck-to-neck fight continued, and it has been a delight to watch. The numbers were enough to find out how the fans were going to remember the face-off for the longest time. 

As ESPN College Football posted, “Nearly 600 TOTAL YARDS between Rutgers and K-State … and it’s only the first half 🤯.’ The Scarlet Knights came up with 319 yards. Even though Kleiman’s Wildcats couldn’t hit the 300 mark in the first half, they came up with 258 total yards. Now that’s where the drama thickens! 

It shows how the Scarlet Knights are returning with plenty of talent and experience from last season’s 7-6 program. Also, it’s special for Klieman’s boys as the Rate Bowl marks K-State’s fifth appearance in this particular bowl. As fans might have been carried away by the yards waves, Kansas State came up with a heartfelt gesture. 

Chris Klieman’s Kansas State pays homage to a legend

The game was already heated up with yards showering here and there. So in case the fans failed to notice, Klieman’s did something heart-touching. They honored their late assistant coach, Dana Dimel, during the Rate Bowl. The players planned to wear a helmet sticker with the legendary coach’s initials “DD.” Dimel’s immense contribution to the Kansas State Wildcats had been immense between 1984 and 1986. This earned the assistant coach All-American honors.  

The Wildcats already made a big reveal before they hit the gridiron. Their white and purple jersey had two additions for the Rate Bowl day- a bowl sticker and the “DD” sticker. Their tweet read, “Rate Bowl Ready @RateBowl + an addition to honor the late Coach Dimel.” The legend passed away earlier this month at the age of 62.  

As Kansas State Wildcats HC Chris Klieman said in a statement, “Dana not only had a big impact on K-State Football but more importantly the lives of the players, coaches and staff he interacted with daily – some of which are still in our program today.” And what better way to make late Dana Dimel proud than raining yards?