K-State Wildcats vs. NC State Wolfpack: Five things to know about the Pop-Tarts Bowl
Kansas State’s reward for winning eight games this season is a trip to Orlando for the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
It will be a new and fun experience for the Wildcats and their fan base, as this will mark the first time they have ever played a postseason game in Florida. This will also be the first time they have played North Carolina State.
The game will be a battle of ranked teams. K-State finished at No. 25 and NC State checked in at No. 18 in the final College Football Playoff top 25.
This could be one of the more entertaining bowl games of the season.
Here is everything you need to know to start preparing for it:
NC State vs. Kansas State: Game details
Kickoff: 4:45 p.m. on Dec. 28
Where: Camping World Stadium in Orlando
TV: ESPN
Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City and KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita
Betting line: K-State by 4.5 with an O/U of 48.5
Five things to know
1. K-State will peek into the future with Avery Johnson at quarterback. The Wildcats will have a new starting QB when they take the field against the Wolfpack later this month. Talented freshman Avery Johnson is now in command of the offense after senior passer Will Howard entered the NCAA transfer portal. That will make this an exciting game for K-State fans, because he is the QB of the future. But they will get a look at him now.
“It is kind of a finish to the 2023 season with all the great seniors that we are going to play in this bowl game. Then it also is a springboard to the 2024 season with Avery at the helm,” K-State coach Chris Klieman said. “We’ve got a lot of skill guys that have been really productive for us and he’s going to get an opportunity to be the guy behind center. I know that (offensive coordinator Collin Klein) is really excited to come up with a game plan for Avery, and Avery earned this opportunity. He’s been waiting for this opportunity. He’s played good football when we’ve asked him to earlier this year. But now it’s his show.”
2. The Wildcats aren’t expecting many “opt outs” for this game. It’s far too early to determine if K-State will have a full roster for the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Future NFL players like Cooper Beebe and Ben Sinnott could decide to skip this game and start preparing for their NFL futures. But Klieman didnt’ sound worried about “opt outs” when he spoke with media on Sunday.
“We met with a lot of our players last week, and I think everybody’s really excited about playing one more time together in this bowl game,” Klieman said. “So I don’t have an answer right now as far as that but I know that we have so many seniors that want another opportunity to play with their brothers. I’m confident that we’ll have a great showing and have most, if not all, of our seniors participate.”
3. North Carolina State coach Dave Doeren is originally from Kansas City. He attended Bishop Miege High School and served as an assistant coach at Kansas before he found a successful home with the Wolfpack. Believe it or not, Doeren was part of the KU coaching staff under Mark Mangino that played in this bowl in 2003 when it was called the Tangerine Bowl against NC State and Phillip Rivers. His background gives him a deep appreciation for K-State football, as he grew up watching them play and was then part of the Sunflower Showdown rivalry at KU.
4. The Wolfpack are coming off a strong regular season. NC State won nine games and finished third in the ACC standings. It beat Clemson, North Carolina and Miami this season, so it is no stranger to winning big games. If not for a narrow home loss to Louisville early in the year it might have played in the ACC championship game against Florida State.
5. Pop-Tarts will be prominently featured everywhere in Orlando. Klieman has already declared that chocolate fudge is his favorite Pop-Tart flavor. Doeren says he prefers brown sugar. The pastry treat that sponsors this bowl is sure to be a star of the game when it arrives later this month. Bowl organizers have promised an edible mascot will be roaming the sidelines. The plan is for players from the winning team to eat it as part of their celebration. It will be fun to see what else is in store.
This story was originally published December 4, 2023 at 6:30 AM with the headline "K-State Wildcats vs. NC State Wolfpack: Five things to know about the Pop-Tarts Bowl."