Haynes King could’ve taken the well-worn path. With a standout season behind him and his NFL Draft stock rising, no one would’ve blinked if the Georgia Tech quarterback chose to sit out the Pop-Tarts Bowl and start prepping for the combine. That’s the new normal in college football - protect the body, focus on the future, let the tape do the talking.
But King? He’s not wired like that.
“Throughout this year, we put our blood, sweat and tears into this team and I’m not one to quit and be selfish and go about my business. I always finish what I start,” King said. “That’s just kind of how I was raised.”
That mindset tells you everything you need to know about the sixth-year senior who’s set to lead No. 22 Georgia Tech (9-3, 6-2 ACC) against No.
12 BYU (11-2, 8-1 Big 12) in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m.
ET at Camping World Stadium, and for King, it’s not just another game - it’s the final chapter in a season that’s been nothing short of remarkable.
King’s 2025 campaign was elite by every measure. He took home both ACC Offensive Player of the Year and ACC Player of the Year honors, and his name even cracked the top 10 in Heisman Trophy voting - a huge accomplishment for a player who had to transfer and battle for his place in the college football spotlight. He ranked third nationally in total offense, averaging 329 yards per game, and since 2023, only four quarterbacks in all of FBS have racked up more total yardage than King’s 9,899: Diego Pavia, Carson Beck, Joey Aguilar, and Cade Klubnik.
What makes King’s story resonate isn’t just the stats - it’s the way he plays and leads. Georgia Tech offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke, who knows a thing or two about elite quarterback play from his own Heisman-winning days at Florida State, sees something special in King.
“He was raised the right way and he’s wired the right way,” Weinke said. “He learned at a young age that you finish what you started. I never for one second thought this man wasn’t going to finish his mission, and he came here with a purpose.”
That purpose? To lead.
To compete. To elevate a Georgia Tech program that’s been clawing its way back into national relevance.
And now, with one more game to go, King isn’t checking out - he’s doubling down.
On the other sideline, BYU has its own rising star in Bear Bachmeier, a freshman who’s already drawing comparisons to King. At 6-2 and 230 pounds, Bachmeier is a dual-threat weapon who’s been a revelation in his first year with the Cougars. He earned Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors after putting up 3,235 total yards and 25 touchdowns, leading BYU to an 11-win season and a shot at the conference title.
His yardage total ranks fourth among true freshmen this season, trailing only North Texas’ Drew Mestemaker, Texas State’s Brad Jackson, and Maryland’s Malik Washington. But it’s not just the numbers - it’s the poise.
“It’s rare to see a freshman who is so unbothered by any circumstances, good or bad,” said BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick. “He’s had a lot of success this year.
He’s not impressed with himself. He keeps working and gets ready to play next week.
When he stumbles, he’s not a guy who dwells on it or gets discouraged by it. It’s always playing the next play.”
That next-play mentality is what makes Bachmeier so dangerous - and so reminiscent of King. Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Blake Gideon has studied the film, and he sees the parallels between the two quarterbacks.
“Toughness. Both of those guys carry that mentality for their team,” Gideon said.
“Whenever your quarterback is one of the toughest, if not the toughest, guys on your team, everybody else comes along, coaches included. If this guy wants to do this and stick his nose in there and get those extra few yards, then we can all do a little bit more, too.
“Whenever you watch tape, you have to remind yourself that the kid is a true freshman. He’s mature beyond his years.”
That’s the story heading into the Pop-Tarts Bowl - two quarterbacks, two different stages of their careers, but both cut from the same cloth. King, the seasoned veteran playing his final college game, and Bachmeier, the rising star with years ahead of him.
Both tough. Both selfless.
Both leaders in every sense of the word.
Weinke, who’s coached and trained his fair share of quarterbacks, doesn’t hesitate when asked about King’s defining trait.
“He lives every single day the same way, and that starts with toughness. He learned that from his daddy,” Weinke said.
“I’ve had the opportunity to coach a lot of quarterbacks and train a lot of quarterbacks over the years. He’s special.
Everything he does, he does it for the people around him. It’s never about him.”
And that’s exactly how King is approaching his final game in a Yellow Jackets uniform.
“We’re going to go out there and have fun, but also try to go out there and execute and find ways to win,” King said. “It’s always more fun when you win.”
On Saturday, two quarterbacks will take the field in Orlando - one wrapping up a storied college career, the other just getting started. But both will be out there for the same reason: to finish what they started.