MANHATTAN, Kan. (KStateSports.com) – Kansas State senior left guard Cooper Beebe made history on Thursday, as he became the first offensive lineman in school history to earn Consensus All-America status by being named a First Team All-American by the Football Coaches Association of America (AFCA).
Beebe is the 12th Wildcat all-time to become a Consensus All-American, while it was the 14th time in school history a K-State player earned the honor. It is the third-straight season a Wildcat has been a Consensus All-American (Deuce Vaughn in 2021 and 2022), marking the first time K-State had a Consensus All-American in three-straight years since going five-straight seasons from 1995-99.
A native of Kansas City, Kansas, Beebe is also the first Wildcat to earn unanimous Consensus All-America honors by being honored by the five organizations that comprise the team – the Associated Press, AFCA, Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News and Walter Camp Foundation – since cornerback Terence Newman in 2002.
In addition to the five All-America teams above, Beebe has also been named a First Team All-American by CBS Sports, ESPN, FOX Sports, Pro Football Focus, Sports Illustrated and The Athletic.
K-State’s first ever two-time honoree for the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year award, Beebe was also the first Wildcat ever to be named a finalist for the Outland Trophy, was one of 12 semifinalists for the Lombardi Award and one of 16 finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy.
A career 47-game starter, Beebe has played in 50 games as a Wildcat, having seen action on 3,056 career offensive snaps. According to Pro Football Focus, Beebe has allowed only five sacks among his 1,450 career pass blocking snaps with four of those coming in his redshirt freshman season of 2020, and he has surrendered only one sack in his last 41 games.
Beebe spearheads a 2023 K-State offensive line that has helped the Wildcats enter bowl season ranking 13th nationally in rushing offense (199.7 yards per game), tied for 15th rushing touchdowns (30) and eighth in third-down conversions (49.4%), the latter of which includes a 62.2% mark (61-of-98) when needing 1-6 yards. K-State also ranks 23rd nationally in red-zone offense (90.2%), while the Cats are tops in red-zone touchdown percentage (78.69%).
No. 25 Kansas State will face 18th-ranked NC State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Thursday, December 28, inside Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The game, which will be shown nationally on ESPN, kicks off at 4:45 p.m. (CT).
