NC State bowl game lookahead: What to know, key matchup, betting line
It’s almost Pop Tarts time. N.C. State heads to Orlando for its bowl game against Kansas State, and in what’s predicted to be a highly entertaining matchup.
The No. 18 Wolfpack (9-3, 6-2 ACC) found its stride after the bye week in October and comes into the game on a five-game winning streak. Its big regular season finish propelled the Pack to third place in the league. A win would give N.C. State just the second season in program history with 10 or more wins, joining the 2002 team’s 11-3 mark.
The No. 25 Wildcats (8-4, 6-3 Big 12), meanwhile, are coming off a 42-35 senior day loss to Iowa State. Its record also includes a three-point overtime loss to Texas, which earned a spot in the College Football Playoff and another three-point loss to now-No. 9 Missouri, which earned a spot in the Cotton Bowl against No. 7 Ohio State.
N.C. State head coach Dave Doeren is no stranger to Kansas State. He grew up in Kansas City and witnessed coach Bill Snyder turn the program around – twice. Doeren coached against Snyder when he was an assistant coach at Kansas.
“I have nothing but great admiration and respect for the Kansas State football program and university,” Doeren said after the bowl matchup was announced. “Growing up there, I know a lot of people that are alumni of Kansas State; looking forward to playing them. I know they’ll have a great turnout from their fans, as well.”
The bowl game will have an edible mascot – no one knows how that will play out – but Doeren said he would take a bite out of the Pop Tart mascot if the team wins. Graduate quarterback Brennan Armstrong said he’d join, if they pull off the victory.
NC State linebacker Payton Wilson, the ACC defensive player of the year and a consensus all-American, announced on Dec. 24 he won’t play in the Pop Tarts Bowl so he can prepare for an NFL career.
But plenty of other N.C. State players, like Armstrong, want to be part of a 10-win season.
“I really want to finish it strong. I think this team wants to finish it strong,” Armstrong said. “Obviously, everyone knows that this is for our 10th win and that’s something that hasn’t been done here. There’s a lot of motivation to going into the bowl game, which you don’t sometimes find, because it is a fun experience and you have a bunch of events.
“But, I think our guys are really motivated.”
Key matchup: Brennan Armstrong vs. Avery Johnson
A longtime veteran quarterback is set to take the field against a rookie, with sixth-year Armstrong and the Wildcats’ true freshman Avery Johnson.
Armstrong continues his comeback for the Wolfpack after MJ Morris opted to redshirt after the Miami game. He led the team to wins over Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and North Carolina but has since transferred to Maryland.
Armstrong’s best game of the season came on senior night against the Tar Heels. He threw for 334 yards, three touchdowns and a 71% completion percentage. Since returning to the starting role, Armstrong has not thrown an interception.
Additionally, Armstrong rushed for 207 yards and three scores in the last three contests.
Kansas State, however, is expected to start Johnson after senior Will Howard entered the transfer portal and committed to USC. Johnson, like Armstrong, is a mobile quarterback with the ability to score on the run. He appeared in seven regular season games. Johnson threw for 301 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for 225 yards and six touchdowns. He ran the ball for five scores against Texas Tech.
Armstrong wasn’t completely healthy in the win against the Tar Heels, so with time off to recover, the Wolfpack hopes to continue what it did in the final games of the regular season: get ahead of the chains, limit turnovers and dominate time of possession.
“Big plays are going to happen – sprinkle (them) in there here and there – but just continue to chunk away,” Armstrong said this week. “Another thing that got lost was our time of possession throughout those games. We held the ball and were able to chunk up yards and really beat down the defenses that we played against.”
Vegas betting odds
Kansas State is listed as a 2.5-point favorite over N.C. State, according to multiple U.S. sports books.
NC State-Kansas State Pop Tarts Bowl game info
Teams: N.C. State Wolfpack (9-3, 6-2 ACC) vs. Kansas State (8-4, 6-3 Big 12)
Where: Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Florida
Date: Thursday, Dec. 28
Time: 5:45 p.m.
TV: ESPN
Stream: DIRECTV Stream, fuboTV, Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, SlingTV, ESPN+
Series history: This is the first meeting between the two programs.
