Three Big 12 Prop Bets to Watch in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, Kansas State vs. NC State
There are two things in life that everyone loves, watching college football and making money. In today’s story, I’m going to try to help you accomplish both.
As the Kansas State Wildcats get set to take on the NC State Wolfpack in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl, we here at Heartland College Sports want to provide you with three prop bets to keep your eyes on as well as a superstar staff parlay.
While NC State’s defense has been one of the best units in the ACC this season, after some key pieces elected to opt out of the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl, the defense is missing some key members of the band.
The Wolfpack finished ninth in their conference in terms of pass yards allowed per game with 218.8, and while Kansas State is entering the matchup with true freshman quarterback Avery Johnson under center I don’t expect to see K-State miss a step through the air.
That being said, the Wildcats lost two of their top receiving threats with Ben Sinnott and Phillip Brooks both heading to the draft which brings in a unique opportunity for Johnson’s roommate, Jayce Brown.
Brown finished off the 2023 season with 22 grabs for 385 yards and two scores despite only seeing action in seven games as a freshman. With Brooks out of the picture for the Pop-Tarts Bowl, the Wildcats plan to give Jayce Brown some looks at slot wide receiver which I believe is going to pose a major threat to NC State’s defensive unit.
Wildcats fans, it’s time for Sunshine.
While most sports bets need a little extra justification to sell individuals on this one simply does not. Johnson is the fastest player on the field for either team and with NC State missing Butkus Award-winning linebacker Payton Wilson, Johnson should have some free room to run.
Don’t get me wrong, I believe Johnson is going to focus on slinging the ball around the field against the Wolfpack’s secondary, but with interim offensive coordinator Conor Riley (OL Coach) filling in for the bowl game, Johnson should be heavily utilized in the red zone.
For similar reasons to that of Jayce Brown’s pick, Garrett Oakley has quietly made some big plays for Kansas State this season when provided the opportunity. Oakley has had the luxury of working with All-American tight end Ben Sinnott in his freshman season, and despite not seeing the field much in the passing game, Oakley should be one of Johnson’s go-to guys in the red area.
The 6-foot-5, 230-pound freshman finished off his first year of college football with nine grabs for 119 yards and two touchdowns, all while averaging 13.2 yards per catch behind Sinnott.
Oakley has a shot to step into the spotlight for Chris Klieman’s bunch after watching junior tight end Ben Sinnott officially declare for the 2024 NFL Draft.
- Keegan Johnson Over 29.5 Receiving Yards
- Jayce Brown Over 54.5 Receiving Yards
- Kansas State Over 27.5 Total Points
- Kansas State Moneyline
The bets outlined in the HCS Superstar Staff Parlay all coincide with Chris Klieman’s squad taking care of business against NC State in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl. While nothing is ever set in stone in the world of sports betting, I feel pretty good about each bet outlined in this article. Have fun, bet smart, enjoy the game, and let’s go make some money!
