K-State Wildcats vs. NC State Wolfpack: TV, time and prediction for Pop-Tarts Bowl

The Kansas State football team will try to put an exclamation mark on its season when the Wildcats take on North Carolina State at the Pop-Tarts Bowl.

K-State can finish the year with nine wins and become the first team in college football history to take a bite out of an edible mascot if they take down the Wolfpack.

Here’s everything you need to know before kickoff ...

NC State vs. Kansas State game details

Kickoff: 4:45 p.m. Thursday (Central)

Where: Camping World Stadium (Orlando)

TV: ESPN

Radio: KCSP (610 AM) in Kansas City, KFH (1240 AM and 97.5 FM) in Wichita

The line: K-State by 2 with an O/U of 47.5

Game prediction

When both these teams were at full strength Kansas State was favored to beat North Carolina State by more than a touchdown.

Now that the Wildcats and the Wolfpack have each lost players to the transfer portal and seen some of their top contributors “opt out” of the game, the betting line is much closer to a pick ‘em with K-State now only favored by two.

That makes sense, because the Wildcats have lost much more than the Wolfpack.

Outside of stud linebacker Payton Wilson, the vast majority of NC State’s transfers and opt-outs have been insignificant players.

But K-State has lost its top tight end (Ben Sinnott), its top receiver (Phillip Brooks), its starting quarterback (Will Howard), its top safety (Kobe Savage), a productive defensive end (Nate Matlack), a change-of-pace running back (Treshaun Ward) and one of its best cornerbacks (Will Lee).

Offensive coordinator Collin Klein has also left for Texas A&M.

With that in mind, it’s actually a bit of a surprise that K-State remains the betting favorite against a team finished the regular season with nine victories and ranked inside the top 20.

There is one big reason why none of those departures may end up bothering K-State. His name: Avery Johnson.

The freshman quarterback from Maize is an electric player with a bright future in front of him. Anyone who watched him handle most of the snaps during a road victory over Texas Tech earlier this season knows what he is capable of. That doesn’t mean he will rush for another five touchdowns in this game, but there shouldn’t be much of a drop-off (if any) from Howard to Johnson.

He will get an opportunity to show off his arm in this game. Don’t be surprised if he connects with wide receiver Jayce Brown or tight end Garrett Oakley for a touchdown or two.

K-State’s offense should be just fine, especially with the entire offensive line choosing to play one final game together.

The bigger question is on defense, where the Wildcats may struggle without some of their key players. NC State ended the year on a five-game winning streak with Brennan Armstrong closing out the season with a huge game against rival North Carolina.

If the Wolfpack continue to move the ball and eclipse 30 points then they will probably win. But if the Wildcats can come up with a few stops and make NC State work for every touchdown, then K-State will likely hoist a bowl trophy by the end of the night.

This one is a tough call, but I don’t want to bet against Johnson in what should be an extremely meaningful game for K-State’s QB of the future.

The Wildcats only lost one game all season in which Johnson played meaningful snaps, and that was a last-second defeat at Missouri in which the Tigers kicked a 61-yard field goal at the buzzer.

I won’t be surprised if Johnson gives K-State an emotional boost and guides the Wildcats to a bowl victory.

K-State 30, NC State 24

Last week’s prediction: K-State 28, Iowa State 14 (Actual: Iowa State 42, K-State 35)

Season record: 7-5

Season record against the spread: 5-7

Season record O/U: 8-4