Faculty soccer’s Bowl Season has reached peak absurdity. Kansas State earned the best to devour the primary edible mascot in sports activities historical past following its 28-19 win in opposition to NC State in Thursday’s Pop-Tarts Bowl. Simply minutes earlier than the feast, Kansas State coach Chris Klieman’s gamers dumped a bucket of mini Pop-Tarts on his head following the victory. 

He was lined in Pop-Tart mud when one other group of Wildcats shocked their coach with a extra conventional Gatorade tub. Klieman and true freshman quarterback Avery Johnson, who was named the Pop-Tarts Bowl MVP, received first dibs on the enormous strawberry frosted Pop-Tart emerged from a fair bigger toaster.

As well as the postgame victory meal, the Wildcats have been additionally awarded a candy trophy that has two slots on the prime to carry Pop-Tarts, creating an ersatz football-shaped toaster . 

Thursday marks Kansas State’s second bowl win within the final three years and second straight season with at the least 9 wins. The Wildcats entered final yr’s Sugar Bowl with a 10-3 report contemporary off a Massive 12 Championship Recreation win in opposition to nationwide runner-up TCU. 

Kansas State leaned on its floor assault with Johnson — making his first begin for the Wildcats — to safe the win in opposition to NC State. Ok-State rushed for a complete of 258 yards, paced by sophomore operating again DJ Giddens and his 28 carries for 152 yards and a landing. Johnson contributed 71 yards — averaging a game-high 10.1 yards per carry — and a landing on the bottom whereas throwing for 178 yards and two touchdowns.