2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl
The 2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl was a college football bowl game that was played on December 28, 2024, at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida. The 35th annual Pop-Tarts Bowl featured Iowa State and the University of Miami. The game began at approximately 3:30 p.m. EST and aired on ABC. The Pop-Tarts Bowl was one of the 2024–25 bowl games concluding the 2024 FBS football season. The bowl game's title sponsor was Kellanova through their Pop-Tarts brand.
Teams
Consistent with conference tie-ins, the game featured Miami from the Atlantic Coast Conference and Iowa State of the Big 12 Conference. This was the first meeting between the teams.Iowa State Cyclones
Iowa State compiled a regular-season record of 10–2. The Cyclones began their season with seven consecutive wins, and were nationally ranked as high as ninth. They briefly dropped out of the rankings after back-to-back losses, then finished the regular season with three wins. They faced [2024 2024 Arizona State Sun Devils football team|Arizona State Sun Devils football team|Arizona State] in the Big 12 Championship Game, losing by a score of 45–19. The Cyclones were placed 18th in the final College Football Playoff rankings. Iowa State faced three ranked FBS teams, defeating Iowa and Kansas State while losing to Arizona State. The Cyclones entered the bowl with a 10–3 record.Miami Hurricanes
Miami ended the regular season with a record of 10–2. The Hurricanes were ranked as high as fourth after winning their first nine games. They then lost two of three and were placed 13th in the final CFP rankings. Miami did not face any ranked teams during the regular season.Game summary
Miami fumbled on the first play of the game, which Iowa State recovered. The Cyclones capitalized on the short field with a touchdown by Gabe Burkle. Damien Martinez responded to tie the game, but Carson Hensen scored a 30-yard rushing touchdown to retake the lead for Iowa State. The Hurricanes tied the game up with a Cam Ward touchdown pass to Jacolby George, which also set the NCAA passing touchdown record at 156. Rocco Becht scored another touchdown for Iowa State by passing the ball to Jaylin Noel, putting Iowa State ahead 21-14. This was the score at the end of the first quarter.In the second quarter, the Hurricanes tied the game yet again with a 40-yard touchdown pass to Joshisha Trader. Hansen responded with another touchdown run for the Cyclones, and Elijah Arroyo responded for the Hurricanes to tie the game for the fourth time. However, the Cyclones punt, the Hurricanes fumble and the Cyclones fail to convert on 4th down, allowing Miami to take their first lead of the day, a 31-28 lead, into halftime.
The Cyclones were forced to punt after halftime, and Mark Fletcher scored for Miami to put the Hurricanes ahead 38-28. The Cyclones were able to score a touchdown to cut the lead to 38-35, with a Becht quarterback sneak. Early in the fourth quarter, Miami kicked a field goal to extend their lead to 41-35. Both teams went three-and-out afterwards, including Miami’s first punt of the game. Iowa State, with the ball at their own 16, marched 84 yards down the field and took a 42-41 lead with less then a minute left. Miami attempted a 60-yard Hail Mary to win the game, but Drew Surges intercepted the pass to end the game.