Carsen Ryan Steps Up, BYU Rallies to Take Down Georgia Tech in Pop-Tarts Bowl
ORLANDO, Fla. - With star running back LJ Martin sidelined and quarterback Bear Bachmeier nursing a sprained ankle, BYU needed someone to step up in the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Senior tight end Carsen Ryan didn’t just answer the call-he took over the game.
In what was easily the best performance of his college career, Ryan hauled in eight catches for 120 yards, both personal bests, as No. 12 BYU edged out No. 22 Georgia Tech, 25-21, at Camping World Stadium.
This wasn’t just a feel-good story-it was a statement. At 6-foot-4 and 250 pounds, Ryan showed NFL scouts exactly why he deserves a long look this spring. He was a consistent mismatch all afternoon, delivering clutch plays when the Cougars needed them most.
“It felt great,” Ryan said after the win. “Just seeing everyone after we won that game, the fight we had as a team-it’s so special. This is the best game I’ve had in my career.”
From the opening snap, Ryan made it clear he was going to be a focal point. He caught a 12-yard pass on the first play from scrimmage and added another grab on that drive, which ultimately stalled just shy of the end zone. But Ryan was just getting started.
On BYU’s second possession, Bachmeier found him again for a short gain before hitting Parker Kingston for 28 yards and Chase Roberts for a 7-yard touchdown. The Cougars were leaning heavily on the passing game with Martin out, and Ryan was right in the middle of it.
“All month, we’ve been practicing and putting in plays to get me the ball,” Ryan said. “The ball came my way a lot, and I was able to make plays.”
And make plays he did. Ryan wasn’t just a receiving threat-he made his presence felt in the run game too.
Early in the fourth quarter, he delivered a key block that helped Enoch Nawahine punch in a touchdown from the 1-yard line, cutting Georgia Tech’s lead to 21-16. Bachmeier followed that up with a gritty two-point conversion run that won’t show up on the stat sheet but was critical to the outcome.
“He’s a fighter,” Ryan said of his freshman quarterback. “He’s banged up, but for him to run and get in the end zone like that, I know it hurt.
He’s just a dude. So mature, so tough.
I’m proud to play with him.”
Ryan kept the momentum going in the second half, with catches of 18, 18, 13, and finally 8 yards on BYU’s game-winning 70-yard drive. That final reception helped set up Jovesa Damuni’s go-ahead touchdown from four yards out.
“It’s just special,” Ryan said of his lone season with the Cougars. “I’ve had a different journey.
This is my one year with this team, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity. The friendships, the brotherhood, the things I’ve learned-spiritually, mentally, and as a football player-I’ll never forget it.”
Ryan’s journey has taken him from UCLA to Utah and finally to BYU, but it was in Orlando where he had his signature moment. With the spotlight on and his team short-handed, he delivered a performance that could rewrite the trajectory of his football future.
Head coach Kalani Sitake praised his team for fighting back after a sluggish start, crediting the players, staff, and fans for helping BYU close out the season with a 12-2 record.
“Really proud of the guys,” Sitake said. “Really proud of the coaches, staff, support staff. Proud of the fans who showed up.”
And show up they did-of the 34,126 in attendance, roughly two-thirds were clad in Cougar blue, making Camping World Stadium feel like a home away from home.
Sitake didn’t shy away from the significance of the win, especially against a Power Five opponent like Georgia Tech.
“The fact that we did it with a Big 12 schedule says these guys are great athletes, great players, great talents,” he said. “It’s been a great 10 years as a head coach, and I’m really excited about Year 11.”
For BYU, the Pop-Tarts Bowl was more than just a postseason win-it was a showcase of resilience, depth, and the emergence of a tight end who might just be playing on Sundays next fall.