Recap: Alabama football rolls over Kansas State in 45-20 Sugar Bowl victory

NEW ORLEANS — Kansas State was supposed to be the more highly motivated team, but once Alabama fell behind 10-0, something lit a fire under the Crimson Tide and they rolled to a 45-20 Sugar Bowl victory at Caesars Superdome.

Bryce Young threw for 321 yards and five touchdowns for Alabama (11-2), which had 496 yards total offense.

Kansas State had 401 yards total, with Will Howard completing 18 of 35 passes for 210 yards with two interceptions. The Wildcats had 191 rushing yards, led by Deuce Vaughn with 133 and an 88-yard touchdown. DJ Giddens ran for 67 yards.

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Here's how it happened:

Colby's Jordan Schippers scores for K-State

Kansas State running back Jordan Schippers found the end zone for a consolation touchdown with 3:06 left, to cut the Alabama lead to 45-20.

Schippers is a Western Illinois transfer from Colby.

Alabama adds field goal for 45-13 lead

Alabama kicker Will Reichard got in on the act for the Crimson Tide with a 49-yard field goal to make it 45-13 with 11 minutes left.

Alabama ends third quarter with 47-yard TD pass

Alabama finished the third quarter with a touchdown on the final play to go up 42-13 when Bryce Young hit Kobe Prentice down the field, and Prentice made a defender miss on the way to a 47-yard score.

K-State ends 35-point Crimson Tide run

Ty Zentner finally got Kansas State on the board in the second half with a 28-yard field goal, ending a run of 35 straight points by Alabama.

With the field goal, Zentner's record remain unblemished for the season. The kick capped an eight-play, 54-yard drive for K-State, which included a 36-yard pass from Will Howard to DJ Giddens. Giddens had been on for Deuce Vaughn, who was injured on the first possession of the half.

Vaughn did come back with about eight minutes left in the quarter.

Alabama cashes in on turnover for 35-10 lead

Alabama didn't take long to capitalize on Brian Branch's interception, with Jase McClellan scoring on the next play from 17 yards to make it 35-10 with 13 minutes left in the third quarter.

Onside kick does not pay off for K-State

Kansas State tried and onside kick to start the second half, and after recovering in Wildcat territory, Alabama needed just three plays to cash in with a 32-yard Bryce Young-to-Ja'Corey Brooks touchdown pass.

The Crimson Tide now lead 28-10.

And then the Tide just picked off Will Howard for the second time and have the ball at the K-State 17.

Alabama with 21 straight points to lead 21-10 at the half

After Kansas State comes up short on fourth and goal at the Alabama 2-yard line, the Crimson Tide drive 98 yards in just 51 seconds to go up 20-10 at halftime.

Bryce Young hit Jermaine Burton for the 12-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left in the half. Burton also had a 28-yard catch and tight end Cameron Latu a 22-yarder.

Alabama had 256 total yards in the half, 211 through the air. Young is 10 of 15 for 211 yards and three touchdowns.

For K-State, Will Howard is 11 of 19 for 118 yards and a touchdown with one interception. Deuce Vaughn, who scored the Wildcats' lone touchdown on an 88-yard run has 15 carries for 108 yards.

K-State gamble comes up empty

Kansas State gambled and converted on two fourth-down plays to get to the Alabama 2-yard line. But on fourth and goal, Will Howard's pass toward tight end Ben Sinnott was off the mark and the Wildcats turned the ball over on downs with 1:01 left in the half.

Alabama still leads, 14-10, at the 55-second mark.

Alabama flexing its muscles, scores again

Bryce Young is starting to pick Kansas State's secondary apart and caps a six-play drive with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Cameron Latu for a 14-10 lead with 11:33 left in the half.

The touchdown was set up by a 47-yard completion to Jermaine Burton to the Wildcat 2.

Alabama scores, but K-State up 10-7 after one quarter

Alabama answered Kansas State's touchdown on a score of its own, a 6-yard pass from Bryce Young to Isaiah Bond with 32 seconds left in the first quarter, cutting the Wildcat lead to 10-7. That's how the quarter ends.

The big play of the six-play drive was a 60-yard completion from Young to Jahmyr Gibbs.

Deuce gets loose for K-State touchdown

After Alabama pins Kansas State at the 12-yard line with a punt, Kansas State needs just 14 seconds to take it the other way as Deuce Vaughn breaks it up the middle and to the right sideline, then dives into the end zone for a touchdown.

The 88-yard run and Ty Zentner's extra point puts the Wildcats up 10-0 with 3:26 left in the first quarter.

Kansas State draws first blood with field goal

Kansas State kicker Ty Zentner remains perfect on the season with a 41-yard field goal to give the Wildcats a 3-0 lead with 6:17 left in the first quarter.

The drive covered 38 yards in 11 plays.

Good start for K-State defense

After the Alabama interception, the Crimson Tide went nowhere, with Jahmyr Gibbs running for no gain and Bryce Young throwing two incomplete passes.

K-State takes over at its 39-yard line with 11:02 left in the first quarter.

The Tide with the a big defensive play

Kansas State was off to a promising start with a pair of first downs into Alabama territory, bot on a pass down the right wideline toward Deuce Vaughn, Alabama's Jordan Battle intercepts Will Howard at the Tide 21-yard line.

And the (coin toss) winner is ...

Alabama makes the call on the pregame coin toss and chooses heads. It's heads, and Alabama defers. Wildcats will receive the opening kick.

Here we go.

Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Recap: K-State football falls 45-20 to Alabama in Sugar Bowl