Alabama and Kansas State have zero shared history.

The Crimson Tide has faced the likes of 2nd Ambulance Co. of Ohio and the Birmingham Athletic Club but never the Wildcats before kicking off the Sugar Bowl at 11 a.m. CT Saturday.

They do, however, share a notable footnote in college football history — one Kansas State would much rather forget. Rewind the tape 10 years and you’ll find a Saturday in November 2012 that changed the trajectory of both programs.

It was Nov. 18, 2012 and current offensive coordinator Collin Klein was the Wildcat quarterback. A week earlier, No. 1 Alabama was upset by Texas A&M in what appeared to be a fatal blow to its bid for repeat national titles.

Klein cracked a knowing smile when asked Thursday about what happened next. Newly-top-ranked Kansas State went to 4-5 Baylor only to take a stunning 52-24 beating.

Klein’s run at a Heisman went up in smoke with a three-interception day that was a major boost to then-No. 4 Alabama’s case for a BCS title game ticket. That Kansas State loss paired with No. 3 Oregon losing to Stanford that same day pushed Alabama all the way back into the championship game driver’s seat.

Ten years down the road, Klein was asked about that crossroad of history.

“I think like I said, it was a long time ago,” he said to laughter in the room. “But I think what I was proud of that group, you know, is you’re in a tough stretch, you play nine conference games. You drop one to a really good Baylor team who we knew was really good before we go down there. Turn the ball over, give up a lot of big plays, have some penalties. End up losing the game.

“You obviously have a gut punch and have to come back on the horse the last week of the year to still have a chance to win the conference and find a way to do that and obviously get to the Fiesta Bowl.”

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Kansas State recovered to beat Texas in the Big 12 title game but ultimately lost that Fiesta Bowl to Oregon, 35-17.

Over in Kansas City, a then-11-year-old Cooper Beebe was a big Kansas State fan.

“When we lost to Baylor, it was definitely a rough time being a K-State fan,” said Beebe, now a starting offensive lineman for the Wildcats. “Just how well we were doing. It kind of ruined our hopes so it was tough to watch as a K-State fan when I was younger.”

He later put together the pieces of the puzzle to realize how impactful that loss was on the national title race.

Alabama would go on to beat Georgia on the final play of the SEC championship game.

That set the scene for the 42-14 demolition of previously undefeated Notre Dame in the BCS Championship Game for a second straight national title.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.