ORLANDO – It was perfect football weather here in Orlando, Fla., where the 18th-ranked Kansas State Wildcats beat the 25th-ranked NC State Wolfpack in the first-ever Pop Tarts Bowl 28-19.
This win on Thursday (Dec. 28) cemented its place in history, being the first time that Kansas State has won a bowl game in Florida.
FINAL: Kansas State comes out on top 28-19 in the first ever @PopTartsBowl!
— New Era Prep (@EraPrep) December 29, 2023
📸: @CP_Photo2004 #PopTartsBowl @jbartdesigns_ pic.twitter.com/qAZRVumMGR
Both teams and fans were in high spirits before the game.
NC State won the coin toss and deferred it for the second half, which gave us the first look at what the Wildcats offense could do.
K-State started off with a bang. On the first play of the game, running back DJ Giddens broke loose for a 20-yard run. The next play, he ran again for 13 yards. Then on fourth-and-5, Avery Johnson tossed it to Giddens, who ran 37 yards for the first touchdown of the game with 12:35 left in the first. It was a six-play, 75-yard drive for the Wildcats.
Here is the video of DJ Giddens’ first touchdown of the game!
— New Era Prep (@EraPrep) December 28, 2023
📸: @CP_Photo2004 pic.twitter.com/oVSJ3qU7Ud
In the second quarter, faced with a fourth-and-5 from their own 29, the Wildcats decided to run a fake punt with punter Jack Blumer and they were able to convert it. A few plays later, Giddens pushed himself in from the 4-yard line to get his second touchdown of the night late in the second quarter.
The Giddens touchdown helped bring the score to 14-0, as the Wildcats were dominating up to this point.
NC State started off slow, but quarterback Brennan Armstrong showed what he can do on his legs, running 31 yards for the first NC State touchdown in the half. He carried the NC State offense, using his legs to gain substantial yardage.
Kansas State responded, marching 75 yards down the field to extend the lead by 14 points again at 21-7. Johnson took the rock himself and ran it 19 yards for the touchdown, which ended a 10-play, 75-yard scoring drive.
TOUCHDOWN! NC-State QB Brennan Armstrong runs it in for a 31 yard TD! He has 129 yards of rushing and is averaging 10 yards per run.
— New Era Prep (@EraPrep) December 29, 2023
📸: @CP_Photo2004#PopTartsBowl @jbartdesigns_ pic.twitter.com/eqlzFuqE40
With four seconds left in the half, NC State scored on a 26-yard field goal. This cut the deficit to 21-10 entering halftime.
After a perfect throw from Armstrong to Dacari Collins, it set up NC State with good field position to start the second half.
The Wildcats were able to capitalize off of it by scoring on a 49-yard field goal to cut the lead to eight. They still led 21-13.
A 40-yard pass from Armstrong to KC Concepcion set up shop at the Kansas State 40-yard line. A missed 52-yard kick by NC State kept the score 21-13.
The Wolfpack ran a fake punt on a fourth-and-6 play at their own 40-yard line and ran it all the way to the end zone for a 60-yard touchdown.
ANOTHER FAKE PUNT IN THE POP TARTS BOWL: NC State runs a fake punt for 60 yards and scores a touchdown! We have a game here in Orlando!
— New Era Prep (@EraPrep) December 29, 2023
Kansas State leads 21-19 with 1:50 left in the 3rd.
📸: @CP_Photo2004 #PopTartsBowl @jbartdesigns_ pic.twitter.com/3HOCyTbyGz
Going into the fourth quarter, it was looking like it would go down to the last drive. But Kansas State scored with 2:48 left in the fourth quarter.
Johnson threw it up to Davin Vann in the right corner of the end zone to extend the Wildcats lead to nine points. The drive took up seven minutes and twenty-four seconds and was a big part in why the Wolfpack could not score again.
To seal the game for the Wildcats, Jacob Parrish intercepted Armstrong’s pass with 2:33 left in the fourth. They milked the clock and were able to end it on that drive.
Johnson made his first start today for Kansas State after former starting quarterback Will Howard entered the transfer portal earlier this month. He proved to be the difference maker, going 14-for-31 with 178 yards and two touchdowns en route to the win over NC State.
Giddens had a very good game today, running for 152 yards and two touchdowns. He was a physical runner in the Pop Tarts Bowl.
Kansas State will finish 9-4, while NC State (9-4) will fail to finish with a 10-win season, which has only happened once in the ACC program’s history.
Both programs will enter the offseason now and look towards next year.
COVER PHOTO CREDIT: Christian Proscia
