Kansas State football vs. North Carolina State Pop-Tarts Bowl recap: K-State wins, 28-19
ORLANDO, Fla. — Kansas State football will go after its second bowl victory in four tries under fifth-year coach Chris Klieman on Thursday in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium.
The Wildcats, 8-4, also will try to get to nine victories for a second straight year — they finished at 10-4 in 2022 — against North Carolina State (9-3) that comes in on a five-game winning streak. The Wolfpack is looking to reach 10 wins for just the second time in school history, joining the 2002 team that went 11-3 and beat Notre Dame in the Gator Bowl.
At stake is the popular new Pop-Tarts Bowl trophy, complete with toaster pastries sticking out of the football on top. The winning team also gets to take a bite out of an edible bowl mascot.
K-State will have an interim offensive coordinator in offensive line coach Conor Riley, who took over when Collin Klein left for Texas A&M. Also, true freshman Avery Johnson will get the start at quarterback after Will Howard entered the transfer portal.
Kansas State game time, TV channel, betting odds today vs. North Carolina State
KICKOFF: 4:45 p.m. central
TV: ESPN
BETTING ODDS: Kansas State by 3
Kansas State football score updates vs. North Carolina State
Check back for score updates as Kansas State football faces North Carolina State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium and follow Arne Green's timeline on X, formerly Twitter, below.
FINAL: Kansas State 28, NC State 19
Here are your final stats. pic.twitter.com/wMiipatQyy
— Arne Green (@arnegreen) December 29, 2023
END 3Q: Kansas State 21, NC State 19
We're through three quarters in the Pop-Targs Bowl and K-State is clinging to a 21-19 lead but did not get much down in the third period. pic.twitter.com/vnqYldaX2n
— Arne Green (@arnegreen) December 29, 2023
HALFTIME: Kansas State 21, NC State 10
Brayden Narvesen kicks a 26-yard field goal for NC State on the final play of the half, but K-State leads 21-10 at intermission.
Halftime Stats: pic.twitter.com/x7IRuZTLmT— Arne Green (@arnegreen) December 29, 2023
END 1Q: Kansas State 7, NC State 0
End of the first quarter with K-State leading NC State, 7-0. Here are the first-quarter stats. pic.twitter.com/CqitlDn5iG
— Arne Green (@arnegreen) December 28, 2023
A nice night for winter football
The weather shortly before kickoff here at Camping World is 62 degrees under partly cloudy skies with the wind out of the west-southwest at 7 mph.
Related: Keeping an eye toward the future has helped Kansas State football in bowl preparation
Related: Kansas State football's offensive line poised for one final game with coach Conor Riley
Related: Kansas State football freshman Avery Johnson locked and loaded for his first career start
Arne Green is based in Salina and covers Kansas State University sports for the Gannett network. He can be reached at agreen@gannett.com or on Twitter at @arnegreen.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas State football live score updates vs. North Carolina State
