BYU Star Takes Over in Win Over Georgia Tech: 5 Pop-Tarts Bowl Takeaways

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Just when it seemed like Georgia Tech had BYU burned in the toaster, the Cougars came roaring back to pull off a 25-21 thriller in the 2025 Pop-Tarts Bowl.

It took 15 unanswered points and a last-gasp interception to pull it off, but BYU pulled through when it had to. Here are five takeaways from the bowl, including what’s next for both teams. 

BYU vs Georgia Tech: Five Takeaways From the Pop-Tarts Bowl

5. This wouldn’t have been more fun if Notre Dame was in it

The eight-game run of bowl games on Saturday was supposed to be all about the Pop-Tarts Bowl. The marketing has made this fun – even if the bit is already played – and it was supposed to be the next-best-thing bowl with the two teams that got the shaft from the CFP, BYU and Notre Dame.

Here’s the part that’s getting blown off. Even if the Irish had decided to play, it wouldn’t have been close to its normal self. There might not have been a mass exodus of opt-outs, but there would’ve been enough missing to take away what the game would’ve meant.

And Notre Dame had zero interest in battling to be The Best Team That Didn’t Get In honor.

Georgia Tech was terrific. It made this a blast of a game, and it almost pulled it out in a thriller of a finish. It might have been more dramatic if it were Notre Dame, but it wouldn’t have been more fun.

Irish or no Irish, the real winner in this was …

4. Bear Bachmeier pulled off the comeback

Bachmeier had a nice first season as the guy who ran the BYU attack, and he started growing into the program’s signature star – he’s the one getting the pregame promotional face time. And then something big happened …

The star took over and pulled off the bowl win.

Bachmeier threw a pick, and the team was a little bit off against the solid Georgia Tech defense, but down 21-10 going into the fourth quarter, the freshman showed why he’ll be one of the Big 12’s signature guys going into 2026.

Again, he was hardly perfect, and the ground game played a large part in the beginning of the comeback, but he hit the midrange throws to get the Cougars down to the two for the first big score, and he took care of the two-point conversion himself.

He hit the third down throws on the team’s final drive – marching the team 70 yards in nine plays – and finished with 325 yards, his second-highest total of the year. He did it. He did his job, but it was almost wiped away because …

3. Haynes King almost made magic one more time

A fantastic recruit for Texas A&M, he saw a little bit of mop-up time behind Kellen Mond in 2020, got in a little more work over the next year, and then went to Georgia Tech and became a superstar. 

In the final game of a terrific six-year career, the guy almost pulled it off.

It’s a bit too thick to suggest he carried the Yellow Jackets – he missed a few games hurt – but he was the heart-and-soul of the program’s resurgence.

He struggled to put the game away against BYU, but just when all seemed hopeless, Haynes King went full Haynes King on a 66-yard pass to Eric Rivers in what appeared to be one more magical moment to close it all out.

He had to force the last throw to Rivers to try pulling this out of the fire, and it got picked off. Whatever – that doesn’t take one bit of luster off the guy’s amazing run, but now …

2. What’s next for Georgia Tech going into the offseason?

Georgia Tech can and will find another great quarterback, but coming up with another Haynes King is asking for too much. It has a few options, but it’ll be active in the portal to try finding another franchise playmaker.

To take a wee step back, head coach Brent Key is still around. He could’ve been off to Penn State, or any one of another openings, and no one would’ve blinked, but he’s in Atlanta.

There’s work to do in the receiving corps and the defensive line, but the offensive front should be okay, the young offensive playmakers should do more, and several transfers who were waiting in the wings to play bigger roles will get every opportunity to take over. 

Georgia Tech showed it could get close. Now Key should make an even bigger push for the ACC title.

1. What’s next for BYU going into the offseason?

Speaking of the Penn State job, that could’ve been Kalani Sitake’s, but he’s sticking around, and BYU isn’t going anywhere either. After two strong Big 12 years in a row, it should be back in the College Football Playoff chase.

There’s reworking to do on the offensive line, and a few key defenders here and there need to be replaced, but for the most part, the Cougars should be loaded.

Again, Bachmeier should be a franchise guy others want to play with, and finding a few terrific weapons won’t be a problem. BYU will be a very, very active player for a few key transfers – funds shouldn’t be an issue.

Related: Houston Outlasts LSU: 5 Texas Bowl Takeaways

This story was originally published by College Football News on Dec 28, 2025, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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