Sugar Bowl features first Alabama-Kansas State matchup

NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Alabama is headed to its 17th Sugar Bowl and the Crimson Tide’s first matchup with newly crowned Big 12 champion Kansas State.

Alabama narrowly missed a bid to the four-team College Football Playoff this season because of losses at Tennessee and LSU on the last play of each game. Kansas State handed TCU its first loss this season in overtime at the Big 12 title game in Dallas. But TCU still qualified for the College Football Playoff. That left the Wildcats as the top available Big 12 squad for the Sugar Bowl.

“The Allstate Sugar Bowl is honored to host two of the best teams from the SEC and the Big 12 once again this year,” said Lloyd Frischhertz, the President of the Sugar Bowl Committee. “We’re thrilled to welcome Kansas State fans for the first time; and we’re always happy to have our old friends from Alabama back in town. We expect this to be an outstanding New Year’s weekend in New Orleans for the teams, their friends and family, and all of the amazing Wildcat and Crimson Tide fans.”

No. 5 Crimson Tide wrapped up its regular season with a 10-2 record, while No. 11 Kansas State Wildcats finished at 10-3.

“We’re proud to have this match-up for the 89th Allstate Sugar Bowl,” said Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley. “In Alabama and Kansas State, we have a pair of top-10 teams with outstanding talent on both sides of the ball. It’s also a unique match-up in that Kansas State will be making its first Sugar Bowl trip, while Alabama will be making its 17th Sugar Bowl appearance, more than any other school. And the two schools have never faced off on the gridiron. We’re looking forward to a competitive game and a great atmosphere in the Superdome on December 31st.”

The Sugar Bowl will be played on New Year’s Eve in the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.

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