MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Bijan Nichols kicked a 23-yard field goal with 2 seconds remaining, and No. 21 Navy capitalized on a fourth-down gamble in the final minute to beat Kansas State, 20-17, in the Liberty Bowl on Tuesday.
A Navy team with the nation’s top-ranked rushing attack set up the winning score by completing a halfback option pass with less than 30 seconds left. The Midshipmen snapped the ball on fourth-and-3 from the Kansas State 46. Quarterback Malcolm Perry pitched to C.J. Williams, and he threw downfield to a wide-open Chance Warren for a 41-yard gain.
Perry, who rushed for 213 yards, spiked the ball with 5 seconds left to set up Nichols’ field goal. Nichols had missed a 38-yarder earlier in the fourth quarter.
The victory enabled Navy (11-2) to tie a program record for wins and ensured the Midshipmen will finish a season in the AP Top 25 for the third time in the last 56 years. Navy finished 18th in 2015 — when it also won 11 games — and was 24th in 2004.
Navy went 3-10 last year and matched the second-biggest season-to-season improvement in win-loss record of any team in Football Bowl Subdivision history. Hawaii owns the record by going 9-4 in 1999 after finishing 0-12 in 1998.
The Mids made that dramatic turnaround thanks largely to Perry, who capped a brilliant senior season with 28 carries and a touchdown pass.
Perry ran for 2,017 yards this season to set a Football Bowl Subdivision record for yards rushing by quarterback. The record had been owned by Jordan Lynch, who ran for 1,920 yards for Northern Illinois in 2013.
Navy dominated much of the game but wasted a couple of opportunities to put it away. The Mids led 17-10 late in the third quarter when a holding penalty on Billy Honaker wiped out a 31-yard run by Perry that would have given them first-and-goal at the 2. Navy ended up punting.
Nichols then sent a 38-yard field goal attempt wide left with 8:26 left in the game. At that point, Navy was outgaining Kansas State, 351-83, but only led 17-10.
Kansas State finally got its offense going at that point, as Skylar Thompson connected with Wykeen Gill on a 15-yard completion and a 42-yard pass on back-to-back plays. Those long gains set up Thompson’s 1-yard sneak that tied the score with 5:14 left.
