The 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl features the 9-3 NC State Wolfpack against the 8-4 Kansas State Wildcats. Here is the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl Preview.
NC State won nine games this season to make their second straight bowl game. They defeated five bowl-eligible teams this season: Marshall, Clemson, Miami, Virginia Tech and UNC. All three of their losses came to bowl-eligible teams.
The Wolfpack score 26.7 points per game, ranking them 72nd in the country. They pass for 196.4 yards (ranked 102nd) and rush for 149.9 yards per game (ranked 77th).
Brennan Armstrong and MJ Morris played quarterback for the Wolfpack, but Morris is in the transfer portal. Armstrong will play quarterback with 1,621 passing yards, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions on 62.4 percent completion. Three players have at least 200 receiving yards on the year. Kevin Concepcion leads the team with 64 catches for 767 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Armstrong leads the team in rushing from the quarterback position with 544 yards and six touchdowns. Their second-leading rusher is Concepcion, who has 297 yards as a wide receiver. Three different running backs have at least 200 rushing yards on the season: Kendrick Raphael, Delbert Mimms III and Michael Allen.
Defensively, the Wolfpack allow 20.2 points per game, ranking 24th in the country. They give up 104.8 rushing yards (ranked 16th) and 218.8 passing yards per game (ranked 57th). Payton Wilson has been a star and leads the team with 138 total tackles. Red Hibbler has the team-high with 6.5 sacks. Aydan White has played well in the secondary with nine passes defended and two interceptions.
Kansas State won eight games to make their third-straight bowl game. They defeated four bowl-eligible teams this season: Troy, UCF, Texas Tech and Kansas. All four of their losses were to teams who qualified for a bowl game.
The Wildcats score 37.7 points per game, ranking 11th in the country. They pass for 246.4 yards (ranked 51st) and rush for 199.7 yards per game (ranked 14th).
Will Howard started most of the year at quarterback for Kansas State, but he is in the transfer portal. Freshman Avery Johnson has played a decent amount, finishing the regular season with 301 passing yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions on 65.7 percent completion. Five players have at least 200 receiving yards on the season. The versatile Ben Sinnott leads the team with 49 catches for 676 yards and six touchdowns.
Kansas State’s second and third top rusher are in the portal. Their top running back is D.J. Giddens with 1,075 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. They’ll need Johnson to help out at the quarterback position after having 225 rushing yards and six touchdowns in the regular season.
On defense, the Wildcats give up 21.2 points per game, ranking them 29th in the country. They concede 140.2 rushing yards (ranked 45th) and 230.2 passing yards per game (ranked 74th). Marques Sigle leads the team with 60 total tackles. Their top pass rusher is Khalid Duke with six sacks. Jacob Parrish has been good in the secondary with nine passes defended and three interceptions.
NC State has a good defense, but have a tough time being consistent on offense. Kansas State should be able to run the ball well, especially with the help of Johnson at quarterback. NC State may not be able to score enough to keep up.
Kansas State Wildcats 24 NC State Wolfpack 18
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