#80 Ty Bowman — From 80 to 8: Wide receiver Ty Bowman (80) has dropped a zero to become a hero in 2023. | Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

In which BracketCat counts down the eighth day until the 2024 kickoff with a profile of Kansas State wide receiver Ty Bowman.

NOTE: Kansas State has elected to advance players’ classification even though the 2020 season did not affect eligibility. Those who wish to take advantage of this extra year will be listed as a (“super”) senior again after their original eligibility would have been exhausted.

Goal No. 8: ENTHUSIASM.

#8 Ty Bowman

Redshirt Senior | 6-5 | 220 lbs. | Chanute, Kansas

Position: Wide Receiver
Previous College: None
Projection: Third-String
Status: Preferred Walk-On (NIL Scholarship)

Ty Bowman (b. May 6, 2002) is a walk-on wide receiver from Chanute High School who is majoring in kinesiology and projects as a reserve wideout and special teams guy in 2023.

Bowman redshirted and did not see any game action during the 2020 season, but he saw time in each of the final eight games during his first season on the field in 2021.

He tallied two special teams tackles on the year, both coming on kickoff coverage, and also blocked a punt against West Virginia, which was returned for a K-State touchdown. It was the Wildcats’ first blocked punt since 2018 and first returned for a touchdown since 2015.

Bowman also competed in 11 games during the 2022 Big 12 Championship season, seeing time on kickoff coverage, kickoff returns, punt coverage and punt returns.

Ben Sinnott’s former housemate saw time in 12 games last season, primarily on the four core special teams units, in addition to seeing time as a reserve wide receiver against Troy, Oklahoma State, Houston and Baylor.

Bowman tied for second on the team with four tackles on kickoff coverage, while his four overall special teams tackles tied for fifth. He recovered an absolutely huge muffed punt at Kansas, setting up a drive that turned into the eventual game-winning touchdown.

Bowman also made a key tackle at the 8-yard line on K-State’s first kickoff against NC State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl and had tackles on kickoff coverage against Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, and Houston.

A four-year starting quarterback for the Blue Comets under head coaches Chris Shields and Clete Frazell, he earned first-team all-state honors at quarterback from The Topeka Capital-Journal as a senior, while they had him on their honorable mention team as a junior.

Bowman was named the SEK League Offensive Player of the Year in 2019, while he was a first team all-league performer as both a quarterback and safety, as well as named a finalist for the 2019 Class 4A Offensive Player of the Year by Sports in Kansas.

He threw for 1,289 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior, in addition to rushing for 890 yards and 13 more scores; was selected to play in the Kansas Shrine Bowl; and also played basketball, helping to lead Chanute to a sub-state championship in 2019.

Bowman received exciting news in the summer of 2022, as he was one of three walk-on players to be awarded full-ride scholarships from the Wildcat NIL collective.