In a thrilling come-from-behind victory, the No. 12 BYU Cougars rallied to defeat the No. 22 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 25-21 in the 2025 Pop-Tarts Bowl. Jovesa Damuni's 4-yard touchdown run with just two minutes left on the clock capped a 15-point fourth quarter surge for the Cougars, securing the win in front of 34,126 fans at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida.
The game, which lived up to its cheeky billing as "The People's National Championship," saw BYU overcome an 11-point deficit in the second half. Freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier led the Cougars' offense, completing 27 of 38 passes for 325 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Bachmeier was named the game's MVP. Carsen Ryan contributed a career-high 120 receiving yards on eight catches. Damuni, with 63 rushing yards prior to the game, ultimately sealed the victory with his late touchdown.
Georgia Tech's Haynes King, the ACC Player of the Year, threw for 254 yards and two touchdowns but was ultimately intercepted in the end zone with six seconds remaining, sealing the Yellow Jackets' fate. Eric Rivers led Georgia Tech's receivers with 102 yards and a touchdown.
The Yellow Jackets initially gained momentum, scoring 14 points in a mere 13 seconds of game time during the first half. King connected with Rivers for a 5-yard touchdown, giving Georgia Tech a 14-10 lead. A muffed kickoff by BYU's Cody Hagen on the ensuing play was recovered by Georgia Tech, leading to another touchdown pass from King to J.T. Byrne, extending their lead to 21-10.
BYU struggled in the red zone, converting on 4 of 6 attempts and throwing an interception. Georgia Tech also had red zone difficulties, ultimately going 3 for 6. Nusi Taumoepeau contributed defensively for BYU with six tackles, three quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and a tackle for loss. Evan Johnson sealed the win for BYU with an interception in the end zone in the game's final moments.
BYU entered the Pop-Tarts Bowl with an 11-2 record and as runner-up in the Big 12 championship game. Georgia Tech, with a 9-3 record, aimed for their tenth 10-win season in program history.
The game was broadcast on ABC, with Mark Jones providing play-by-play commentary, Roddy Jones as the analyst, and Quint Kessenich reporting from the sideline.
This year's Pop-Tarts Bowl also featured the induction of Strawberry and Cinnamon Roll into the Pop-Tarts Bowl Ring of Honor, celebrating the game's unique and entertaining traditions.
