Chaos and good football are in store with the 2025 Pop-Tarts Bowl featuring No. 13 Brigham Young and No. 22 Georgia Tech.
The Cougars and Yellow Jackets fell just short of the ultimate goal of reaching the College Football Playoff, with BYU losing in the Big 12 title game and finishing just outside the at-large selection and Georgia Tech not making the ACC Championship game. Despite of that, both teams are playing in a bowl game, and their matchup makes for one of the most exciting contests.
Watch BYU vs Georgia Tech in the Pop-Tarts Bowl live with Fubo (free trial)
Then there’s the game itself. With its wild mascots, there may be no bowl game more fun than the Pop-Tarts Bowl. The winner not only will get a one-of-a-kind Pop-Tarts toaster bowl trophy, but also the illustrious honor of getting to eat a life-size, edible Pop-Tart mascot. Mixing great football with an entertaining spectacle should make for one of the most memorable bowl games.
USA TODAY Sports is bringing live updates from the game. Follow along:
BYU vs Georgia Tech score
This section will be updated.
BYU vs Georgia Tech live updates
BYU fumble leads to Georgia Tech touchdown
In the blink of an eye, Georgia Tech gets another touchdown and now leads 21-10.
On the ensuing kickoff, BYU’s Cody Hagen muffed the kick and the Georgia Tech kicking unit was able to pounce on it at the BYU 6-yard line.
The Yellow Jackets needed just one play to capitalize with Haynes King dropping a dime to J.T. Byrne for his second touchdown pass in two plays.
Georgia Tech takes first lead with touchdown
Another 10-play drive results in another Georgia Tech touchdown and the Yellow Jackets lead 14-10.
Face mask and pass interference penalties helped Georgia Tech during the drive, and it was capped off by Haynes King finding Eric Rivers for a 5-yard touchdown pass to get the first lead of the game.
BYU reclaims lead with field goal
The Cougars again get inside the Georgia Tech 10-yard line, but they settle for a field goal.
On third down, BYU thought it would get a pass interference call, but no flag was thrown, much to the disapproval of the offense. Kalani Sitake opted to send the field goal unit out, and kicker Will Ferrin had no problems with a 22-yard field goal to make it a 10-7 game.
End of 1Q: BYU 7, Georgia Tech 7
It’s already been a fun first 15 minutes in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, with both teams getting in the end zone on their second drives of the game.
BYU’s offense has been on fire with 156 total yards, 132 coming off the arm of quarterback Bear Bachmeier.
Georgia Tech gets touchdown with trick play
The Yellow Jackets gambled on fourth-and-goal − and barely got in.
It looked like Georgia Tech would kick a field goal at the 3-yard line, but the special teams unit went with a run by Trelain Maddox. It looked like he got stuffed and the ball came loose and in BYU’s hands, but an official ruled it a touchdown as everyone seemed confused on the field.
Replay showed Maddox just cross the goal line before he lost possession of the ball, although BYU coach Kalani Sitake was not happy with the call.
Meet Pop-Tarts Bowl mascots
The stars of the show have been unveiled.
BYU scores first with touchdown
The Cougars won’t be denied again.
BYU couldn’t punch it in on their long opening drive, but after forcing a three-and-out for Georgia Tech, it goes right down the field and gets into the end zone. Bear Bachmeier found Chase Roberts for a 7-yard touchdown pass to cap off a five-play drive that went 62 yards down the field.
The Cougars lead 7-0.
BYU stopped at goal line
The Cougars opened the contest with the ball and got all the way down to the 1-yard line, but they were unable to score. BYU went for it on fourth down with a run from Enoch Nawahine, but he was stuffed by the Georgia Tech defensive line.
What channel is BYU vs Georgia Tech on today?
- TV Channel: ABC
- Livestream:Fubo (free trial)
BYU and Georgia Tech will broadcast nationally on ABC for the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Mark Jones and Roddy Jones will call the game from Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, with Quint Kessenich reporting from the sidelines. Streaming options for the game include Watch ESPN and Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
BYU vs Georgia Tech time today
- Date: Saturday, Dec. 27
- Start time: 3:30 p.m. ET | 1:30 p.m. MT
The BYU vs Georgia Tech game starts at 3:30 p.m. ET (1:30 p.m. MT) from Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
Stream BYU vs Georgia Tech with Fubo (free trial)
BYU vs Georgia Tech predictions, picks, odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Friday Dec. 27
- Spread: BYU (-3.5)
- Over/under: 56.5
- Moneyline: BYU (-165) | Georgia Tech (+140)
Here is how USA TODAY Sports’ expert writers are picking the Pop-Tarts Bowl between BYU and Georgia Tech:
- Matt Hayes: BYU
- Jordan Mendoza: BYU
- Paul Myerburg: BYU
- Erick Smith: BYU
- Eddie Timanus: BYU
- Blake Toppmeyer: BYU
Pop-Tarts Bowl field design
The Pop-Tarts Bowl field is going all out with a sprinkle-inspired design for the endzones in the colors of the respective teams. The BYU and Georgia Tech logo is also inside a Pop-Tart
BYU-Georgia Tech Pop-Tarts helmets
The field isn’t the only thing inspired by Pop-Tarts, with both teams sporting designs on their uniforms.
Georgia Tech and BYU will have rainbow sprinkle stripes on their helmets just like the food namesake. BYU also has the design on its helmet bumper, and Georgia Tech has it inside the logo.
Pop-Tart Bowl mascots
The Pop-Tarts Bowl is back and it’s bigger, better and tastier than ever.
A new twist to the Pop-Tarts Bowl mascot this year is the creation of two mascot teams: Team Sprinkles and Team Swirls. Each team will be comprised of three different Pop-Tarts flavors. This new addition marks the second consecutive season that Pop-Tarts Bowl organizers have upped their antics with the mascots. They had one mascot (Frosted Strawberry) in Year 1 of the bowl game.
Instead of one flavor being ‘sacrificed’ into the gigantic toaster for the consumption of the winning team, an entire mascot team will be sent through the toaster after the game.
Pop-Tarts Bowl mascot teams
- Team Sprinkles:
- Protein Slammin’ Strawberry (Team Captain)
- Frosted Cookies & Creme
- Frosted Cherry
- Team Swirls:
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (Team Captain)
- Frosted Wild Berry
- Frosted Hot Fudge Sundae
How is the Edible Pop-Tarts Bowl flavor chosen?
Another new twist to this year’s Pop-Tarts Bowl is that fans will have the power to determine which Pop-Tarts mascot team will be chosen to be sacrificed for the ultimate pastry dream trophy. In past years, the Most Valuable Player from the winning team got to select the flavor of the edible Pop-Tarts Bowl mascot.
In past years, the frosted cinnamon roll and frosted strawberry mascots were selected.
Why did Notre Dame decline Pop-Tarts Bowl?
After getting snubbed of the College Football Playoff, Notre Dame could have played in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, but decided not to.
Notre Dame declined a bowl game invitation as a result of not making the 12-team playoff. The Fighting Irish were controversially left out of the bracket as the selection committee selected Miami as the No. 10 seed over Notre Dame. Notre Dame was ranked over Miami in all of its previous top 25 ranking and had not used its head-to-head tiebreaker with both teams until Selection Sunday, despite the Hurricanes beating the Fighting Irish all the way back in Week 1.
‘As a team, we’ve decided to withdraw our name from consideration for a bowl game following the 2025 season. We appreciate all the support from our families and fans, and we’re hoping to bring the 12th national title to South Bend in 2026,’ Notre Dame wrote in a statement on Dec. 7.
Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua called it the ‘right decision’ by the Fighting Irish’s leadership team and coach Marcus Freeman to not play in a bowl game. He added players would also be able to rest during finals week and spend the holidays with their families by not playing another game.