2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl

{{Infobox NCAA football yearly game

| game_name = Pop-Tarts Bowl

| subheader = 34th Pop-Tarts Bowl

| title_sponsor =

| image =

| caption =

| date_game_played = December 28

| year_game_played = 2023

| football_season = 2023

| stadium = Camping World Stadium

| city = Orlando, Florida

| visitor_school = North Carolina State University

| visitor_name_short = NC State

| visitor_nickname = Wolfpack

| visitor_record = 9–3

| visitor_conference = ACC

| visitor_rank_AP = 19

| visitor_rank_coaches = 18

| visitor_rank_CFP = 18

| visitor_coach = Dave Doeren

| visitor_1q = 0

| visitor_2q = 10

| visitor_3q = 9

| visitor_4q = 0

| home_school = Kansas State University

| home_name_short = Kansas State

| home_nickname = Wildcats

| home_record = 8–4

| home_conference = Big 12

| home_rank_AP = NR

| home_rank_coaches = NR

| home_rank_CFP = 25

| home_coach = Chris Klieman

| home_1q = 7

| home_2q = 14

| home_3q = 0

| home_4q = 7

| MVP = Avery Johnson (QB, Kansas State){{cite tweet |user=DScottFritchen |number=1740557037015097689 |title=The moment Avery Johnson is named Pop-Tarts Bowl MVP |date=December 28, 2023 |accessdate=December 28, 2023}}

| odds = Kansas State by 3.5{{cite news|url=https://www.si.com/fannation/college/cfb-hq/betting/college-football-bowl-season-schedule-games-odds-point-spreads|title=College football bowl schedule, game odds, point spreads for 2023-24|publisher=Sports Illustrated|first=James|last=Parks|date=December 11, 2023|access-date=December 13, 2023}}

| anthem =

| halftime =

| referee = Larry Smith (Big 10){{cite news|url=https://www.footballzebras.com/2023/12/2023-24-bowl-officiating-assignments/|title=2023-24 bowl officiating assignments|website=footballzebras.com|first=Ben|last=Austro|date=December 3, 2023|accessdate=December 6, 2023}}

| attendance = 31,111

| payout =

| us_network = ESPN
ESPN Radio

| us_announcers = Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst), and Paul Carcaterra (sideline) (ESPN)
Sean Kelley (play-by-play) and Rene Ingoglia (analyst) (ESPN Radio)

| ratings =

| intl_network =

| intl_announcers =

| different_previous = 2022

}}

The 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 28, 2023, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The 34th annual Pop-Tarts Bowl (although the first under that name) featured NC State from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and Kansas State from the Big 12 Conference. The bowl was ranked 9th in the fbs, the game began at approximately 5:45 p.m. EST and was aired on ESPN.{{cite web |last1=Straka |first1=Dean |title=2023-24 college football bowl schedule, games, dates, locations, kickoff times, TV channels |url=https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/2023-24-college-football-bowl-schedule-games-dates-locations-kickoff-times-tv-channels/ |website=CBS Sports |date=31 May 2023 |access-date=28 June 2023}}{{cite magazine |last1=Lewis |first1=Barry |title=2023-24 College Football Bowl Schedule, Dates, Times Announced |url=https://www.si.com/college/tcu/football/2023-24-college-football-bowl-schedule-dates-times-announced |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=28 June 2023}} The Pop-Tarts Bowl was one of the 2023–24 bowl games concluding the 2023 FBS football season. The bowl game's title sponsor was Kellanova / Kellogg's through their Pop-Tarts brand.

Teams

Consistent with conference tie-ins, the bowl featured the NC State Wolfpack of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) against the Kansas State Wildcats of the Big 12 Conference.

This was the first time that NC State and Kansas State played each other.{{cite web |title=Winsipedia – North Carolina State Wolfpack vs. Kansas State Wildcats |url=https://www.winsipedia.com/north-carolina-state/vs/kansas-state |website=Winsipedia.com |access-date=December 8, 2023}}

=NC State Wolfpack=

The Wolfpack entered the game with a 9–3 record (6–2 in the ACC), having finished in third place in the conference and 18th in the College Football Playoff rankings.

This was NC State's sixth Pop-Tarts Bowl, tying Miami (FL) for the most appearances in the game. The Wolfpack had a 3–2 record in prior editions of the game, most recently appearing in the 2010 Champs Sports Bowl (when the bowl was played under that name), which they won.

=Kansas State Wildcats=

The Wildcats entered the game with an 8–4 record (6–3 in the Big 12), tied for fourth place in their conference and 25th in the College Football Playoff rankings.

This was Kansas State's first Pop-Tarts Bowl.

Game summary

{{Americanfootballbox

| titlestyle = background:#0055b8; color:white; border: 2px solid #000000; text-align:center;

|state=autocollapse

|bg=#fff

|bg2=#eee

|title=2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl

|date=Thursday, December 28, 2023

|time=5:45 p.m. EST

|road=No. 18 NC State

|R1=0|R2=10|R3=9|R4=0

|home=No. 25 Kansas State

|H1=7|H2=14|H3=0|H4=7

|stadium= Camping World Stadium • Orlando, Florida

|attendance=31,111

|weather=Cloudy • Temperature: {{convert|61|F|C}} • Wind: {{convert|7|mph|kph|abbr=on}} W

|referee=Larry Smith

|TV=ESPN

|TVAnnouncers=Anish Shroff (play-by-play), Andre Ware (analyst), and Paul Carcaterra (sideline)

|reference= [https://www.espn.com/college-football/boxscore/_/gameId/401551764 Box score]

|scoring=

;First Quarter

(12:35) KSU – DJ Giddens 37 yard pass from Avery Johnson, Chris Tennant kick (Drive: 6 plays, 75 yards, 2:25; Kansas State 7–0)

;Second Quarter

(7:29) KSU – DJ Giddens 4 yard run, Chris Tennant kick (Drive: 9 plays, 90 yards, 4:49; Kansas State 14–0)
(3:22) NCSU – Brennan Armstrong 31 yard run, Brayden Narveson kick (Drive: 9 plays, 76 yards, 4:07; Kansas State 14–7)
(0:55) KSU – Avery Johnson 19 yard run, Chris Tennant kick (Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 2:27; Kansas State 21–7)
(0:00) NCSU – Brayden Narveson 26 yard field goal (Drive: 8 plays, 57 yards, 0:00; Kansas State 21–10)

;Third Quarter

(12:51) NCSU – Brayden Narveson 49 yard field goal (Drive: 6 plays, 44 yards, 2:09; Kansas State 21–13)
(1:50) NCSU – Trent Pennix 60 yard run, two point pass conversion failed (Drive: 7 plays, 75 yards, 4:03; Kansas State 21–19)

;Fourth Quarter