ARLINGTON, Texas — Tyler Wilson didn't put up big numbers, but he made some big throws to lift Arkansas to a 29-16 win over Kansas State in the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic.
Wilson was named the game's outstanding offensive player after completing 20 of 31 passes for 216 yards and two touchdowns, but the numbers don't tell the whole story in what was mostly a slug-it-out, defensive battle.
When he needed a big play the most, Wilson found one of his three senior receivers: Joe Adams, Greg Childs and Jarius Wright.
Wright had three catches for 88 yards and a touchdown while Childs and Adams caught five passes each.
"I'm going to miss seeing them around," said Wilson, a junior. "I'm going to have each and every one of them on speed dial."
Wilson's first touchdown pass was a beautiful, deep throw down the middle of the field for 45 yards to Wright.
That toss gave Arkansas a 19-point lead, pending the extra-point try, that would ultimately prove to be enough, although Kansas State climbed back in the game by reeling off 16 points.
With the lead down to 19-16 in the third quarter, Wilson guided a nine-play scoring drive to put Arkansas up by double digits again.
The drive began with Wilson hitting Chris Gragg for a 26-yard completion to the Kansas State 32. A 15-yard completion put the Razorbacks at the Kansas State nine, where on third-and-goal Wilson hit Cobi Hamilton streaking across the end zone for a 26-16 lead.
Wilson also hit Wright for a 34-yard gain in the fourth quarter.
Wilson's Kansas State counterpart, run-pass threat Collin Klein, had a much rougher game. Klein was sacked six times and was intercepted once.
Klein was 16-of-30 passing for 173 yards, although he was the victim of four obvious drops by his receivers. His longest completion was 23 yards and he rushed 24 times for a net of 42 yards.
"The blame falls on all of our shoulders," Klein said. "Collectively, we just couldn't put it together. It's on all of us."
Both quarterbacks fumbled deep in their own territory to set up opponents' scores.
Klein was sacked and fumbled at his own 13, leading to an Arkansas field goal and 3-0 lead in the first quarter.
Wilson was sacked and fumbled at his own 13 with 1:06 to go in the first half. Kansas State converted that turnover into a touchdown to trim Arkansas' lead to 19-9 at halftime.
Otherwise, Wilson displayed the cool, on-field demeanor and accurate arm that should make him a big name heading into the 2012 season.
He broke Arkansas' single-season pass completions record in the third quarter. He finished with 277 completions, topping the record of 266 set by his more-ballyhooed predecessor, Ryan Mallett, last season.
Wilson's final total of 3,638 passing yards for the season is the second-most in school history.
Follow Keith Whitmire on Twitter: @Keith_Whitmire
