K-State, which finished with an 8-4 overall record and a 6-3 mark in Big 12 action to tie for fourth in the conference. NC State finished the regular season with a 9-3 overall College Football Betting record and a 6-2 ACC record to finish third in the conference. Thus, for the first time in school history, K-State Nation is headed to Florida for a bowl game. Specifically, Kansas State officials announced the Wildcats accepted an invitation to play No. 18 NC State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
Pop-Tarts Bowl NC State vs. Kansas State NCAAF Betting Information
| Date and Time: | Thursday, December 28, 2023, 5:45 p.m. ET |
|---|---|
| Location: | Camping World Stadium, Orlando, FL |
| TV Coverage: | ESPN |
| Team | Spread | Total | ML | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NC State | +2½ -110 | 47½ -110 | +120 |  |
| Kansas State | -2½ -110 | 47½ -110 | -140 | |
| ||||
Pop-Tarts Bowl Format
The Cheez-It Bowl, now the Pop-Tarts Bowl, began as the Blockbuster Bowl. It debuted in 1990 and has had various sponsors. Including the Russell Athletic Bowl from 2012 to 2016. The game debuted in 1990 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida. The first 11 years of this online betting bowl took place in South Florida under various names. Correlate such brands as the Blockbuster Bowl, Carquest Bowl, MicronPC Bowl, and MicronPC.com Bowl.
The game moved to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando starting in 2001 as the Visit Florida Tangerine Bowl. And the transitioned into the Mazda Tangerine Bowl. Following that was the Champs Sports Bowl from 2004 through 2011. Camping World took over the sponsorship of this bowl in 2017. To illuminate, teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Big 12 Conference are represented.
In 2020, the bowl was renamed the Cheez-It Bowl, a game name previously used in the former Cactus Bowl in Arizona. At the same time, Oklahoma State of the Big 12 edged Miami (Fla.) of the ACC by a 37-34 score in a high-scoring affair.
Pop-Tarts Bowl Matchup
Last game, the NC State Wolfpack won 39-20 against the North Carolina Tar heels as 2.5-point home dogs. The game went over the College Football Betting total of 55. NC State has a record of 9-3 straight up, 6-5-1 against the spread, and 4-8 over/under the total. NC State ranks 98th for total offense, 101st for passing, 77th for rushing, and 70th for scoring. Defensively, they rank 24th overall, 58th against the pass, 16th against the rush, and 26th for points allowed. Also, NC State ranks 13th for fewest turnovers lost and 3rd for takeaways.
Last game, the Kansas State Wildcats lost 42-35 against the Iowa State Cyclones as 10-point home favorites. The game went over the total of 46. Kansas State has a record of 8-4 straight up, 7-4-1 against the spread, and 7-5 over/under the total. Kansas State ranks 23rd for total offense, 52nd for passing, 15th for rushing, and 12th for scoring. Defensively, they rank 59th overall, 73rd against the pass, 47th against the rush, and 32nd for points allowed. Also, Kansas State ranks 8th for fewest turnovers lost and 31st for takeaways.
Pop-Tarts Bowl Prediction
The Wildcats finished No. 25 in the final College Football Playoff Top 25, a year after ranking No. 9 in the final poll. It marks the first time since 2011 and 2012 that they finished ranked in the BCS or CFP Top 25. In this situation, NC State makes the most sense, considering K-State is without its star transfer QB Will Howard.