Tag: Pop Tarts Bowl

No. 12 BYU, No. 22 Georgia Tech miss CFP, set for Pop-Tarts Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Two blowout losses to Texas Tech prevented BYU from being a participant in the College Football Playoff.

The No. 12 Cougars (11-2) now look to set aside the disappointment when they face No. 22 Georgia Tech (9-3) in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando on Saturday.

Being part of the playoffs would have been tastier, but BYU intends to make the best of the situation. The Cougars were the second team out behind Notre Dame in the CFP’s final picture. Miami, at No. 10, earned the final berth.

Linebacker Isaiah Glasker is among the BYU players who have a chip on his shoulder due to the snub.

“I feel like if we can get a win right here, we can show the committee what the Big 12 is really about,” Glasker said. “Really, we feel like we should have been in the playoffs. We feel like that is enough of a driving factor for us. We are going to be ready to show out in the bowl game.”

Losing by a combined 63-14 to Texas Tech — including by 27 points in the Big 12 title game — made it easier for the committee to bypass BYU.

“Obviously it was a tough loss, but we understand what’s at stake with the bowl game, and getting momentum going into next season as well,” said freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier. “We have that flip-the-page mentality and are really focused on this next game.”

Bachmeier sustained an ankle injury early in the Big 12 title game, but he has been cleared to play against the Yellow Jackets. He passed for 14 touchdowns, rushed for 11 and was intercepted just six times.

But BYU coach Kalani Sitake said Tuesday that leading rusher LJ Martin will miss the game after an unspecified recent surgery. The junior rushed for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns and was voted Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year.

“He’s recovering at home right now, but he’ll be back to watch these guys and cheer on his brothers on Saturday,” Sitake said of Martin, who has yet to decide whether to enter the NFL draft.

BYU can earn its first 12-win season since 2001 as it takes on Georgia Tech, which started the season with eight straight victories before going 1-3 down the stretch.

The Yellow Jackets were ranked No. 8 before their unbeaten season ended against NC State on Nov. 1.

Georgia Tech coach Brent Key feels his own team could have been part of the field.

“I’m looking at myself saying we shouldn’t have stubbed our toe at the end of the season,” Key said. “We should be in there. And if you really feel that way, then we need to get our asses together and play our butts off and play a very competitive game versus a good football team. Because you’re dang right, BYU should’ve been in those (first-round) games.”

Quarterback Haynes King stood out for the Yellow Jackets and became the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year. He completed 71.7% of his throws for 2,697 yards and 12 touchdowns against five interceptions while rushing for 922 yards and 15 scores. His 10th-place finish in the Heisman Trophy balloting made him the first Georgia Tech player in the top 10 since Calvin Johnson in 2006.

King’s name is stamped all over the school’s record book as he completes his third and final season at Georgia Tech.

He holds records for career completion percentage (68.1%) and touchdowns responsible for (89). He ranks second in total offense (9,899 yards) and completions (652), third in passing touchdowns (53) and fourth in passing yardage (7,653).

King looks forward to wearing the Yellow Jackets’ uniform one last time.

“We’ve put time, effort, blood, sweat, and tears all into this season, and it’s not over yet,” King said. “And I’ve said it before, I’m not one to jump ship and quit. And I wanna ride it out and finish it with my brothers.”

BYU is 3-1 all-time against Georgia Tech, including a 38-20 win at Provo, Utah, in 2013.

–Field Level Media

BYU RB LJ Martin out of Pop-Tarts Bowl due to surgery

Posted on | by Field Level Media

BYU will be missing the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year when the Cougars take on Georgia Tech in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday in Orlando, coach Kalani Sitake revealed on Tuesday.

Running back LJ Martin has undergone a recent surgery and won’t be available.

The junior running back, mulling a return to BYU or a declaration for the 2026 NFL Draft following a 1,305-yard rushing season, would be equally well served by the earlier surgery date in either case, per Sitake.

“I think everybody kind of knows that there was a small window for him to get this surgery done,” Sitake said. “His decision is going to be whether he comes back and plays his senior year, or whether he goes to the NFL. So, with that in mind, there’s a small window where he could have the surgery done now, or if he had to wait, then it would prolong it too long, where it wouldn’t be beneficial for him either way.”

Martin averaged 5.5 yards per carry and totaled 12 touchdowns on the ground over 13 games in 2025, his most prolific as a Cougar. He added 36 receptions for 255 yards for the 11-2 Cougars.

Sitake didn’t reveal the nature of the surgery, but Martin was previously limited after suffering an apparent shoulder injury against Iowa State on Oct. 25. Martin had just five carries before exiting, then managed just 10 carries in the following week vs. Texas Tech, his two least productive games of the season.

No. 12 BYU is expected to lean on a mix of players to replace Martin against the No. 22 Yellow Jackets (9-3).

“We’re going to the rely on depth of the running back room, but for the most part, we should have a lot of guys,” Sitake said.

–Field Level Media

Dec 28, 2024; Orlando, FL, USA; Iowa State Cyclones running back Carson Hansen (26) scores a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes in the second quarter during the Pop Tarts bowl at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

No. 18 Iowa State clips No. 13 Miami for first 11-win season

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Rocco Becht scored on a 1-yard quarterback sneak on fourth down with 56 seconds left and No. 18 Iowa State edged No. 13 Miami 42-41 on Saturday in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Orlando, Fla.

Becht also passed for 270 yards and three touchdowns as the Cyclones (11-3) overcame a 10-point deficit in the second half to secure their first 11-win season in school history.

The Hurricanes (10-3), who lost for the third time in four games after starting the season with a 9-0 record, rushed for 308 yards – most in school history in a bowl game. However, they had virtually no passing attack in the second half with backup Emory Williams under center.

Heisman Trophy finalist Cam Ward threw for 190 yards and three touchdowns for Miami. The first TD was the 156th of his career, breaking the Division I (FBS and FCS) record he shared with Houston’s Case Keenum (2007-11) – before sitting out the second half of his last college game.

Williams, who was intercepted on the final play of the game, finished 5-for-14 passing for 26 yards. He was 3-for-8 for 20 yards when the Hurricanes got the ball back one final time at their own 20 with 47 seconds left.

Both offenses combined to deliver an electric first half that featured 59 points and 625 total yards.

After the Hurricanes fumbled the ball away on an errant snap on the game’s first play, the teams scored touchdowns on eight consecutive possessions, starting with Becht’s 9-yard throw to tight end Gabe Burkle on third-and-goal.

Damien Martinez raced 75 yards to the end zone on Miami’s second offensive play, and Carson Hansen answered with a 30-yard rushing touchdown. Ward knotted the score again with a 4-yard pass to Jacolby George.

Becht, a Tampa area native, and Jaylin Noel connected for a 49-yard completion to the 1 and Hansen charged in the next play for a 21-14 lead with 2:23 left in the first quarter.

The onslaught continued with three more touchdowns in the next eight minutes.

Ward threw a 40-yard score to Joshisa Trader, Hansen caught a 13-yard pass from Becht for his third touchdown, and Ward hit Elijah Arroyo for a 33-yard score. Andy Borregales kicked a 30-yard field goal with 16 seconds left in the half for a 31-28 Hurricanes lead.

Miami went up by 10 on Mark Fletcher Jr.’s 1-yard touchdown run with 8:09 left in the third quarter. Iowa State answered with Becht’s third TD pass, a 4-yarder to Noel, the ensuing drive.

Borregales knocked in a 21-yarder to put the Hurricanes up 41-35 with 9:40 remaining in the game.

–Field Level Media

Sep 21, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward (1) throws a pass against the South Florida Bulls in the third quarter at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

No. 18 Iowa State tries to contain No. 13 Miami in Pop-Tarts Bowl

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Fans will have one more chance to watch Cam Ward orchestrate the nation’s No. 1 offense when No. 13 Miami plays No. 18 Iowa State in Saturday’s Pop-Tarts Bowl at Orlando, Fla.

Ward, the fourth-place finisher for this year’s Heisman Trophy and a likely top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, confirmed earlier this month that he will play. He told Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders in a viral video that “you’re going to see the best thing that ever happened in the Pop-Tart(s) Bowl. … Them ‘Canes baby.”

Of the teams that didn’t make the College Football Playoff, Miami and Iowa State are the highest-ranked programs playing each other. It is their first meeting.

“The intensity will be high. Both teams really want this,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “And the competition and the caliber of athlete and player on the field is going to be awesome.

“So, it means a lot to (us). And I’m sure it means a lot to Iowa State as well.”

Said Cyclones coach Matt Campbell: “It’s certainly a great opportunity for Iowa State football. And we have great respect for everything they stand for.”

The Hurricanes boast a high-powered offense that ranked No. 1 in the nation in points (44.2) and total yards (538.3) per game in the regular season.

Ward, a transfer from Washington State, set multiple single-season school records, throwing for 4,123 yards and 36 touchdowns while completing 67.4 percent of his attempts and tossing seven interceptions.

Ward’s top receiver, All-American Xavier Restrepo, hasn’t said whether he will play in the bowl game, while running back Damien Martinez, a fellow senior also expected to be drafted, has announced that he will.

The ‘Canes enter with a 10-2 record — only the second time in 20 years they recorded double-digit wins in the regular season — but lost two of their final three games, at Georgia Tech and at Syracuse, and consequently a spot in the Atlantic Coast Championship Game.

That largely was due to their defense, which surrendered 42 points in the final three quarters against the Orange and 271 rushing yards to the Yellow Jackets.

Iowa State (10-3), which doesn’t have any reported opt-outs, won 10 games for the first time in school history, reaching the Big 12 Championship, where it lost to Arizona State 45-19. Its other losses were a one-point home defeat to Texas Tech and a 45-36 setback at Kansas.

“Obviously, I think you’re in unchartered territory for Iowa State football,” Campbell said of winning 10 games. “Anytime you’ve got a chance to put an exclamation point on some of those things, it’s powerful.”

Campbell said the senior class is “maybe one of the most special groups we’ve coached here,” adding, “to send them out the right way would be great for Iowa State football.”

Rocco Becht has completed 59.3 percent of his passes for 3,235 yards and 22 touchdowns with nine interceptions. Wide receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel are the first duo in school history, and the only pair nationally this season, with 1,000 yards each. Carson Hansen and Abu Sama III each rushed for more than 500 yards.

Iowa State’s defense allowed only 21.5 points per game — the Cyclones are 6-0 when giving up fewer than 20 — and is highlighted by defensive tackles J.R. Singleton and Domonique Orange, as well as defensive backs Beau Freyler and Malik Verden, the team’s top two tacklers. The Cyclones intercepted 14 passes and recovered eight fumbles.

“They’re really explosive on offense,” Cristobal said. “And they’ve always played great defense. … Very disciplined, very hard-nosed, very tough and very physical.”

–Field Level Media

Dec 28, 2023; Orlando, FL, USA; Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson (2) runs for the touchdown against NC State in the second quarter at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-USA TODAY Sports

K-State runs over NC State in Pop-Tarts Bowl

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Avery Johnson found Jayce Brown for an 11-yard touchdown to cap the clinching drive in the fourth quarter as No. 25 Kansas State defeated No. 18 North Carolina State 28-19 in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Thursday in Orlando.

The Wildcats took the ball with 10:12 left in the fourth quarter and kept it for 7:24 on the decisive march, which lasted 15 plays and covered 72 yards.

Kansas State (9-4) only had one quarterback on the roster Thursday, limiting the Wildcats’ use of Johnson in the running game. He still finished with 71 yards on seven carries to go with 14-of-31 passing for 178 yards and two touchdowns through the air.

North Carolina State (9-4) was seeking its second 10-win season in program history (2002). Brennan Armstrong was 14 of 28 for 168 yards and one interception. He led the Wolfpack with 121 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground but ran for only 7 yards in the second half.

After trailing 21-10 at halftime, NC State dominated the third quarter, outgaining the Wildcats 166-44. Brayden Narveson hit a 49-yard field goal on the opening drive of the second half. Narveson missed a chance to cut into the lead further when he missed a 52-yard attempt on the Wolfpack’s next possession.

NC State used a fake punt to cut the deficit. Trent Pinnix took the snap and went 60 yards for the score. The two-point conversion attempt failed when Armstrong was sacked before he could find a receiver, leaving Kansas State up 21-19 with 1:50 left in the third quarter.

Seth Porter appeared to put the Wildcats up by two scores with a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown, but a penalty nullified the score. The Wildcats had another touchdown wiped out by a penalty, but Johnson ran for a first down on third-and-10 to keep the drive alive. Eight plays later, Johnson and Brown connected for the crucial touchdown.

On the first play of the ensuing drive, Jacob Parrish intercepted an Armstrong pass to all but seal the victory. The Wildcats were able to run out the final 2:33.

–Field Level Media

Oct 21, 2023; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats quarterback Avery Johnson (5) drops back to pass during the first quarter against the TCU Horned Frogs at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-USA TODAY Sports

Backups in focus for No. 18 NC State, No. 25 Kansas State in Pop-Tarts Bowl

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The official name is the Pop-Tarts Bowl, but the tasty matchup set to be played Thursday in Orlando, Fla., might as well be called the Transfer Bowl.

The game will feature No. 18 North Carolina State and No. 25 Kansas State, which had a combined 33 players enter the transfer portal, in their first-ever matchup on the football field. All-American linebacker Payton Wilson also announced Sunday he won’t play in the game, choosing to focus on the NFL draft preparations instead.

This game, formed in 1990 as the Blockbuster Bowl, has gone by a variety of names, including the Carquest Bowl, Champs Sports Bowl and Camping World Bowl. The moniker doesn’t matter to NC State head coach Dave Doeren, who said he has nothing but respect for Kansas State.

“We are thrilled to be headed to Orlando to play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl,” Doeren said. “This will be a great reward for our team and we’re looking forward to a great trip and a great game. I think this was the right location for us to go.

“I grew up in Kansas City before Coach (Bill) Snyder was (at Kansas State), and it wasn’t much of a program. I have so much respect for what Coach Snyder did, twice, and now what Coach (Chris) Klieman has done.”

What Klieman did this year was lead the Wildcats to an 8-4 mark. In Klieman’s fifth season at the helm of the program, this is the fourth bowl berth for Kansas State.

Doeren’s Wolfpack (9-3) have some uncertainty at quarterback. Brennan Armstrong started the season as the starter but was replaced by MJ Morris after five games. Morris went 3-1 in four games before deciding to redshirt and eventually enter the transfer portal.

Armstrong finished the season completing 62.4 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns and six interceptions. Doeren was pleased with Armstrong’s approach after being benched.

“My respect for him has always been high,” Doeren said, adding Armstrong handled the situation “as well as you can hope.”

There’s no uncertainty at quarterback for Kansas State, partly because of a lack of depth and partly because of excitement about the future.

Avery Johnson, the Wildcats’ freshman quarterback, will make his first career start after seven solid relief appearances in 2023. He backed up quarterback Will Howard, who entered the transfer portal with one year remaining, maybe because he envisioned his starting job being turned over to Johnson even if he stuck around.

Johnson finished the season 23-of-35 passing for 301 yards and three touchdowns, and he added 225 yards and six touchdowns on 45 carries. Five of those rushing touchdowns came in one game against Texas Tech, tying the school record for touchdown runs in a game.

“We all know he’s a really special talent,” Klieman told WIBW-TV. “I’m excited because I think we’re going to showcase a lot of his abilities.

“It’s a look into the future. He had some pretty good snaps this fall, so it’s not like he’s going to be nervous or anything. He’s a very confident guy. The players are confident in him and I think we’re going to have a lot of fun to see when he can do.”

Johnson is the only experienced quarterback on the roster as backups Jake Rubley and Adryan Lara joined Howard in the portal.

Should Kansas State need a backup in the game, they’ll likely turn to freshman Jacob Knuth, who has appealed for a waiver to play after transferring from Minnesota. If Knuth is not granted the waiver, backup safety Max Marsh would be the emergency quarterback.

The quarterback room is not the only place fans will see changes for Kansas State. Defensive captain Kobe Savage, a safety, and defensive end Nate Matlack lead the list of departures on that side of the ball.

–Field Level Media

Jan 2, 2023; Orlando, FL, USA; LSU Tigers wide receiver Malik Nabers (8) is presented with most valuable player trophy by Cheez-it mascot after the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Camping World Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

Snack bowl: Pop-Tarts replaces Cheez-It as game sponsor

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The Cheez-It Bowl is no more.

After three seasons, the bowl game is being renamed the Pop-Tarts Bowl, with the first edition being played Dec. 28, 2023, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla.

The game got its start in 1990 as the Blockbuster Bowl and has had eight names in all before becoming the Pop-Tarts Bowl, including the Carquest Bowl, Champs Sports Bowl and Camping World Bowl.

The game features top teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big 12 that aren’t participants in the College Football Playoff or New Year’s Six bowl games.

Last season, Florida State defeated Oklahoma 35-32.

Terms of the multi-year deal were not announced, but it includes naming rights, social media content and product sampling.

–Field Level Media