Iowa State and Kansas State Both Opt Out of Bowl Games and Get Fined for It

STILLWATER – Oklahoma State played both Iowa State and Kansas State in the final month of the season and had close calls with each. That might have been a sign of the uncertainty as Iowa State only managed a 20-13 win in the season finale. Kansas State came into Stillwater in mid November and was able to crawl out with a 14-6 win. 

At the end of the season, K-State head coach Chris Klieman, who seemed to struggle with his emotions at the end of the season, resigned and Iowa State lost longtime head coach Matt Campbell to Penn State. Both schools opted to not take the extra practice time and move on with their new head coaches. 

Kansas State hired former quarterback and assistant Collin Klein, but he will be coordinating the offense for Texas A&M in the playoffs. Iowa State hired Jimmy Rogers from Washington State, who had done so well at South Dakota State and won an FCS National Championship. Rogers went 6-6 at Washington State in his first year there.

"Jimmy Rogers is a rising star in college athletics who has very strong ties to the Midwest both as a player and as a coach," Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard said in a statement. "He has been on my short-list ever since the first time I met him. He immediately impressed me with his interest in Iowa State University and told me during our first visit several years ago that he wanted to be the next head coach at Iowa State.”

The fine that the Cyclones and Kansas State is steep as the Big 12 will lose money from the bowl bids declined.

The Big 12 Conference is issuing a $500,000 institutional fine to Iowa State and Kansas State for opting out of their participation in the Conference's bowl pool was part of the release from the conference office and commissioner Brett Yormark.

While the Conference acknowledges the difficult timing around coaching changes, the Big 12 is responsible for fulfilling its contractual obligations to its bowl partners.

The Big 12 considers the matter resolved and will have no further comment.