2001 Cotton Bowl
January 1, 2001 Dallas, Texas

Jonathan Beasley threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another in leading Kansas State to a win over Tennessee in the 65th annual Southwestern Bell Cotton Bowl Classic, giving the Wildcats back-to-back bowl victories for the first time in school history.

Beasley, who was named the game’s Offensive MVP, had touchdown passes of 56 and 10 yards to Quincy Morgan to key a rally in the second quarter. The touchdown throws, which came three minutes apart, turned a 7-7 tie into a 21-7 Wildcat lead.

Tennessee pulled within seven points before halftime when Jabari Greer went 78 yards with an interception for a touchdown.

But Kansas State got two touchdown runs from Josh Scobey early in the third quarter to regain its cushion. Scobey finished with 147 yards on a career high 28 carries in the game, the most yards gained in a bowl game by a Wildcat in school history.

Travis Henry went on an 81-yard run late in the game for the final Volunteers’ score. Henry finished as the game’s leading rusher, gaining 180 yards on 17 carries.

Beasley finished with 210 yards passing on a 13- for-27 performance. He also rushed for a career best 98 yards on 17 carries for Kansas State. The senior put the Wildcats on the scoreboard first with a 14-yard run late in the first quarter.

Senior defensive end Chris Johnson was named the Defensive MVP after leading the Wildcats with four tackles, including two sacks of Tennessee freshman QB Casey Clausen. The Wildcat defense held Clausen to just seven completions and forced three interceptions.

NOTING THE WILDCATS

• Kansas State set a number of school bowl-game records: Josh Scobey set the mark for rushes (28) and rushing yards (147), while the Wildcats set team bowl records for rushing yards (297), interceptions (3), offensive plays (86), time of possession (38:26).

• The ’Cats were making their eighth straight bowl appearance and improved their all-time record in bowl games to 5-4, including 5-3 under Head Coach Bill Snyder.

• The game matched K-State and Tennessee for the first time.