2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl Betting Odds, Predictions, Preview

2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl Betting Odds, Predictions, Preview

The 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl concluded on Thursday December 28, 2023 and bettors watched Kansas State top North Carolina State, 28-19 in Orlando, Florida.

Recap all the 2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl Betting Odds, Picks, Predictions and History below and be sure to check back for the 2024 installment.

Pop-Tarts Bowl Betting Odds

NCSU @ KSU Odds

  • Opening point spread: Kansas State -4.5
  • Opening moneyline: Kansas State -205/N.C. State +170
  • Opening total: Over/Under 48.5 points scored
  • Time: 5:45 p.m. ET Thursday, Dec. 28 (ESPN)

UPDATE 2:30 P.M. ET THURSDAY, DEC. 28: At least the Pop-Tarts Bowl hasn't seen the point spread jump the fence, unlike so many other bowl games to this point. But the line did move toward the underdog until this morning.

BetMGM opened Kansas State -4.5 on Dec. 3, and the line dipped to -3.5 a day later. The Wildcats moved to -3 on Dec. 11, -2.5 on Dec. 19 and this morning briefly bottomed out at -1.5.

Since then, though, the line has shot back up to K-State -3. However, ticket count and money are almost dead even at BetMGM. On the moneyline, tickets are 3/1-plus and money almost 2/1 on underdog North Carolina State.

Kansas State's transfer-portal/opt-out list is more substantial than N.C. State's list. Wildcats QB Will Howard is among those not playing today.

UPDATE 1:30 P.M. ET FRIDAY, DEC. 8: Of all the games, leave it to the Pop-Tarts Bowl to be the first of the season offering a matchup of two ranked teams.

North Carolina State (9-3 SU/6-5-1 ATS) finished with a flurry, on a 5-0 SU and ATS win streak. In the regular-season capper, the Wolfpack rolled over North Carolina 39-20 as 2.5-point home pups.

Kansas State (8-4 SU/7-4-1 ATS) took a big upset road loss in Week 13. The Wildcats were 9.5-point faves at Iowa State and lost outright 42-35 in the snow.

Although N.C. State has the higher ranking, Caesars Sports opened K-State -4.5 on Dec. 4. Within a couple hours, the Wildcats settled at -3.5. The total went from 48.5 to 47.5 Dec. 4, then 47 Dec. 6 before returning to 47.5 Dec. 7.

Click here for Vegas Insider senior reporter Patrick Everson's full College Football Bowl Odds: Spreads, Lines, Trends for Every Bowl Game.

Pop-Tarts Bowl Pick, Prediction

Action Network college football betting expert Collin Wilson offers this prediction:

The winner of this game gets to eat a live mascot, which is sure to create a highlight for all of college football history.

The one-year Brennan Armstrong experiment is set to conclude for the Wolfpack following another season of poor numbers with pressure. However, Kansas State has failed to produce any pass rush this season — good news for an NC State team that finished 104th in Havoc Allowed.

The Wildcats had severe struggles in the tackling department, ranking 125th, per PFF.

The bruising offense of Kansas State will be a little less potent without quarterback Will Howard, offensive coordinator Collin Klein and running back Treshaun Ward.

Pick: NC State +3

For more college football picks, check out Action Network's College Football Bowl Confidence Pool Rankings: Collin Wilson’s Picks for All 2023 Bowl Games.

Pop-Tarts Bowl Betting Resources

  • Date: Thursday, December 28, 2023
  • TV-Time: ESPN, 5:45 p.m. ET
  • Venue: Camping World Stadium
  • Location: Orlando, Florida

Pop-Tarts Bowl History

The Camping World Bowl debuted in 1990 and has had a variety of different sponsors, notably the Russell Athletic Bowl from 2012 to 2016. The game debuted in 1990 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida.

The first 11 years of this bowl took place in South Florida under various names such as the Blockbuster Bowl, Carquest Bowl, MicronPC Bowl, and MicronPC.com Bowl. The game moved to the Citrus Bowl in Orlando starting in 2001 as the Visit Florida Tangerine Bowl, then transitioned into the Mazda Tangerine Bowl, followed by the Champs Sports Bowl from 2004 through 2011. 

Camping World took over sponsorship of this bowl in 2017, as teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the Big 12 Conference are represented.

In 2023, the Cheez-It Bowl is now being called the Pop-Tarts Bowl.

In 2018, Syracuse outscored West Virginia 17-0 in the fourth quarter to record a 34-18 comeback victory, giving the ACC its second win in the past four seasons in this bowl. The combination of the favorite and 'under' has cashed in three straight in this bowl game. The 'under' has also connected in 12 of the last 14 games, while the losing team has scored 14 points or less in eight of the last 11 games. 

The Big 12 lost for the second straight year as Iowa State was blown out by Notre Dame, 33-9 in the 2019 installment. The Fighting Irish played in this game for the first time since losing to Florida State in 2011.

In 2020, the bowl was renamed the Cheez-It Bowl, a game name previously used in the former Cactus Bowl in Arizona. Oklahoma State of the Big 12 edged Miami (Fla.) of the ACC by a 37-34 score in a high-scoring affair, covering as 1-point favorites as the 'over' easily hit.

Clemson of the ACC topped Iowa State of the Big 12 on Dec. 29, 2021 in Orlando in low-scoring affair, 20-13. The Tigers posted a 10-win season for the 11th consecutive season as a result.

The favorite has now won in eight consecutive Cheez-It Bowls and/or the previously named Camping World Bowl, with the 'under' going 6-1-1 across the past eight.

In 2023, the name changed again to the Pop-Tarts Bowl as Kansas State took care of North Carolina State, 28-19.

Pop-Tarts Bowl Betting Results

YearMatchupLine, TotalATS Result
2023Kansas State 28 N.C. State 19Kansas State -2.5, 48.5Favorite, Under
2022Florida State 35 Oklahoma 32Florida -10, 67Underdog, Push
2021Clemson vs. Iowa StateClemson -2, 45Favorite, Under
2020Oklahoma State 34 Miami (Fla.) 31Oklahoma State -1, 63Favorite, Over
2019Notre Dame 33 Iowa State 9Notre Dame -3.5, 55Favorite, Under
2018Syracuse 34 West Virginia 18Syracuse -3, 67.5Favorite, Under
2017Oklahoma State 30 Virginia Tech 21Oklahoma State -6, 60Favorite, Under
2016Miami (FL) 31 vs. West Virginia 14Miami -3, 58Favorite, Under
2015Baylor 49 North Carolina 38North Carolina -2.5, 74Underdog, Over
2014Clemson 40 Oklahoma 6Oklahoma -6.5, 49.5Underdog, Under
2013Louisville 36 Miami (FL) 9Louisville -5.5, 59Favorite, Under
2012Virginia Tech 13 Rutgers 10 (OT)Virginia Tech -1, 42Favorite, Under
2011Florida State 18 Notre Dame 14Florida State -3, 47Favorite, Under
2010N.C. State 23 West Virginia 7West Virginia -3, 49.5Underdog, Under
2009Wisconsin 20 Miami (FL) 14Miami (FL) -3.5, 55Underdog, Under
2008Florida State 42 Wisconsin 13Florida State -7, 49.5Favorite, Over
2007Boston College 24 Michigan State 21Boston College -5, 59Underdog, Under
2006Maryland 24 Purdue 7Purdue -1.5, 56Underdog, Under
2005Clemson 19 Colorado 10Clemson -10, 48Underdog, Under
2004Georgia Tech 51 Syracuse 14Georgia Tech -4, 44Favorite, Over
2003N.C. State 56 Kansas 26N.C. State -12, 66Favorite, Over
2002Texas Tech 55 Clemson 15Texas Tech -4.5, 64.5Favorite, Over
2001Pittsburgh 34 N.C. State 19Pittsburgh -1, 47.5Favorite, Over
2000N.C. State 38 Minnesota 30Minnesota -3.5, 56.5Underdog, Over
1999Illinois 63 Virginia 21Virginia -2, 56.5Underdog, Over
1998Miami (FL) 46 N.C. State 23Miami (FL) -5.5, 67Favorite, Over
1997Georgia Tech 35 West Virginia 30Georgia Tech -1.5, 51.5Favorite, Over
1996Miami (FL) 31 Virginia 21Miami (FL) -3.5, 43.5Favorite, Over
1995North Carolina 20 Arkansas 10North Carolina -1, 41.5Favorite, Under

College Football Bowl Betting Resources

College Football Playoff Odds: Lines, Spreads, Betting Trends for Semifinal Games

College Football Playoff odds for the semifinals are on the board and getting attention, even as debate rages over the four participants. Michigan nabbed the No. 1 ranking and a meeting with No. 4 Alabama in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day. No. 2 Washington then faces No. 3 Texas in the Sugar Bowl.

Here’s everything you need to know about College Football Playoff odds for the semis: opening lines, spreads and betting trends for each game, as multiple oddsmakers provide insights on CFP odds and action. Check back regularly for updates and use our new ESPN BET bonus code VIBONUS to get the most out of your action.

College Football Playoff Odds for Semifinals