BYU Rallies Late to Stun Georgia Tech in Pop-Tarts Bowl Thriller
The Pop-Tarts Bowl more than lived up to its name on Saturday night-chaotic, colorful, and packed with sugar-rush moments. In a game that swung wildly from start to finish, No.
12 BYU stormed back in the fourth quarter to edge out No. 22 Georgia Tech, 25-21, in a dramatic finish at Camping World Stadium.
Down double digits in the final frame, the Cougars dug deep and delivered when it mattered most. With just two minutes left on the clock, backup running back Jovesa Damuni muscled his way into the end zone to give BYU the lead-and ultimately, the win. It was a defining moment for the sophomore, who stepped up in place of injured starter LJ Martin and led the Cougars with 48 gritty rushing yards.
But the drama didn’t end there.
Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King, who had already engineered a couple of impressive scoring drives, nearly pulled off a miracle. Facing a 4th-and-15 with the game on the line, King uncorked a 66-yard bomb to keep the Yellow Jackets alive. With seconds left, he heaved one final shot into the end zone-but BYU’s defense held firm, coming down with the interception that sealed the win.
For BYU, the victory capped off a landmark season. The Cougars finished 12-2, notching their first 12-win campaign since 2001 and just the fifth in program history dating back to 1922. It also marked their first-ever Pop-Tarts Bowl win, adding to a bowl resume that already includes victories over Ohio State (1985 Citrus Bowl) and Oklahoma State (1976 Tangerine Bowl).
Georgia Tech, on the other hand, wraps up its season at 9-4-still its best record since 2016-but the sting of back-to-back losses to end the year was evident. Head coach Brent Key kept it real after the game.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t make plays down the stretch to be able to come out with a win again,” Key said. “Credit to BYU for how they played, but I’m gonna soak in every last moment I have with these guys.”
A Tale of Two Halves
BYU set the tone early with a methodical, clock-chewing opening drive that marched all the way to the Georgia Tech 1-yard line. But on 4th-and-1, Enoch Nawahine was stonewalled by linebacker Kyle Efford, a momentum-shifting stop that gave the Yellow Jackets an early jolt.
Tech couldn’t capitalize, though, and a quick three-and-out gave the Cougars another shot. This time, they didn’t miss. True freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier, who looked poised beyond his years, completed 9 of his first 10 passes, including a 7-yard strike to Chase Roberts for the game’s first touchdown.
Georgia Tech answered with some trickery. After lining up for a field goal on 4th down at the BYU 3, the Jackets shifted into a power look and snapped the ball directly to running back Trelain Maddox, who powered in to tie the game at 7-7.
BYU nudged ahead with a 22-yard field goal from Will Ferrin, but Tech came right back. King found Eric Rivers for a 5-yard score, and after a fumbled kickoff return by BYU’s Cody Hagen, the Jackets cashed in again-this time with a 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end J.T.
Byrne. Just like that, Georgia Tech had flipped the game and taken a 21-10 lead.
Second Half: The Cougars Dig In
The Jackets opened the second half with a promising drive, looking to put the game out of reach. But a costly fumble by receiver Jordan Allen at the BYU 11 halted their momentum. The Cougars recovered and looked ready to flip the script-until Bachmeier was picked off in the end zone by GT cornerback Rodney Shelley.
Georgia Tech responded with a six-minute drive, but a 35-yard field goal attempt by Aidan Birr was blocked by BYU nose tackle Keanu Tanuvasa-a massive turning point that shifted the energy right back to the Cougars.
From there, BYU went to work. An 80-yard drive ended with Nawahine punching it in from short range, and a gutsy two-point conversion saw Bachmeier scramble into the end zone to cut the deficit to 21-18.
Then came the game-winner: Damuni’s 2-yard touchdown run with two minutes left, capping a comeback that showcased BYU’s resilience and depth.
Quarterback Duel
Bachmeier and King both put on strong performances in a game that saw momentum swing like a pendulum. Bachmeier finished 27-of-38 for 325 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. He showed poise in the pocket and made big throws in key moments-especially down the stretch.
King, meanwhile, threw for 254 yards and two touchdowns on 22-of-40 passing, with one interception. He also added 27 rushing yards and nearly authored a storybook ending in the final seconds. After the game, he reflected on the journey.
“I guess you say I had a great career. Thankful for it, for sure,” King said.
“But to me it’s almost like I didn’t get the job done, didn’t find a way to help my teammates, at least one more time. It doesn’t feel good, but at the end of the day, you know the next day, the sun’s gonna come up, birds gonna chirp, everything’s gonna be alright.”
What It Means
For BYU, this win is more than just a bowl trophy-it’s a springboard. A 12-win season, a comeback victory, and a freshman quarterback who looks like the real deal? That’s the kind of foundation that can carry momentum into next year and beyond.
For Georgia Tech, it’s a tough way to end a season that showed real progress. Nine wins is nothing to scoff at, especially considering where the program has been in recent years. But closing out games-and seasons-will be the next step in their evolution.
In a game sponsored by a breakfast pastry, it was only fitting that the finish was wild, sweet, and a little bit messy. And for BYU, it couldn’t have tasted any better.