For all the headlines surrounding the disappointment in the college football playoffs and the decline of bowl games, one game seems to still have healthy hype around it — the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Featuring the Atlantic Coast Conference’s #22 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the #12 Brigham Young Cougars of the Big 12, the spectacle surrounding this game is it becoming the newest tradition in Orlando, Florida, drawing more attention then the actual football stories each team brings to this event.
The hype surrounding this game showcases a trophy with a built-in toaster that the champion can enjoy a crispy sampling of one of the new flavors that is to debut during the game. And that’s not even to mention edible mascot costumes as well as sprinkle-decorated sidelines and helmets. As these elements rope the casual football fan, they would then realize that this game features both starting quarterbacks that are currently slated to play in the game — a feat that is more rare than ever in the NIL era.
BYU’s Bear Bahmeier (2,708 passing yards, 64% completion rate, 14 touchdowns, six interceptions) and Georgia Tech’s Haynes King (2,697 yards, 72% completion rate, 12 touchdowns, five interceptions) will be at the helm for the 23rd and 33rd-highest offenses in the nation in points per game, respectively.
King is also the top ground-gainer with 15 rushing touchdowns on 922 yards at 5.2 yards per carry. Malachi Holsey (634 yards, 7.3 per carry, seven touchdowns) and Jamal Haynes (504 yards, 4.3 per carry, five touchdowns) will also share the load for a ground attack that boasts 2,436 yards on the season in a campaign where earlier in the year they beat the eventual-ACC Champion Duke Blue Devils.
Jack Kelly (55 tackles, 13.5 for loss, 10 sacks) and the BYU defense will be a challenge to run through as evidenced by the squad’s 74 tackles for loss. King will need to throw the ball successfully against Evan Johnson (44 tackles, four interceptions, seven passes defended) and the Cougar secondary to establish a balanced offense. Not an easy task against the Big 12 runners-up who have 22 takeaways on the season.
Bahmeier is the field general of an offense that was no slouch in 2025 in its own right. The running game might be a question mark with LJ Martin (1,305 yards, 5.5 per carry, 12 touchdowns) undergoing shoulder surgery he’s been delaying since October. However, Bachmeier’s connection with Parker Kingston (848 receiving yards and five touchdowns), Chase Roberts (745 yards and five touchdowns) and the wide receiver core is a threat that could open up running lanes as head coach Kalani Sitake relies on depth to establish the ground game.
“. . . You guys knew who LJ [Martin] was a couple of years ago,” said Sitake when asked if he depth was up to the challenge. “. . . LJ is still the starter [if he returns next year], but sometimes the difference between the starter and the backup is whether they get the opportunity and make it fly. . . .”
Though that may be difficult as the Yellow Jacket defensive line features Jordan Van Den Berg who has 11 tackles on the season along with a stout defensive line. Amari Harvey (24 tackles, three for loss, seven passes defended) and the Yellow Jacket defensive backfield will also need to watch for tight end Carson Ryan (500 receiving yards and three touchdowns) who was the third-highest Cougar receiver in yards and touchdowns.
With all this in mind, this 3rd edition of the Pop-Tarts might feature a match-up as sweet as a toaster pastry.
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