The plan is simple. Kansas State intends to defeat West Virginia on Saturday, finish the regular season 6-6 and accept a bowl invitation the old-fashioned way.
But should the Wildcats falter against the Mountaineers, they’re still in line for a bowl berth even with a losing record. There are 75 bowl-eligible teams (with six or more victories) ready to fill a record 80 bowl spots, and only three teams, including K-State, could reach 6-6 this weekend.
That means at least two 5-7 teams, or as many as five, will make a bowl trip this season. The NCAA announced Monday that Academic Progress Rate would determine which 5-7 teams have first crack at a bowl bid.