Freshman QB Avery Johnson leads Kansas State past No. 19 N.C. State in Pop-Tarts Bowl

ORLANDO, Fla. -- - Avery Johnson threw for two touchdowns and ran for one, DJ Giddens rushed for 151 yards and a score, and Kansas State beat No. 19 North Carolina State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl on Thursday night.

Johnson, a freshman making his first start after Will Howard entered the transfer portal, threw for 178 yards, rushed for 71 and directed a 15-play, 72-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter that put the game away and closed out a solid season for coach Chris Klieman's Wildcats (9-4).

Quarterback Brennan Armstrong rushed for 121 yards and a touchdown and threw for 164 yards in his final game for the Wolfpack (9-4), who fell short of winning 10 games for the second time in program history.

Kansas State led 21-7 late in the second quarter and 21-10 at halftime, but N.C. State rallied in the third quarter, thanks in part to some trickery. Trent Pennix ran for a 60-yard touchdown on a fake punt with 1:50 left in the period. But Armstrong's 2-point conversion pass was incomplete, allowing the Wildcats to maintain a 21-19 lead.

Johnson and Giddens took over from there. Giddens had six rushes for 25 yards on a drive that took 7:24 off the clock and concluded with Johnson's 8-yard touchdown pass to Jayce Brown with 2:48 remaining.

Jacob Parrish intercepted Armstrong on N.C. State's next play from scrimmage.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football