BYU rallies for 25-21 victory over Georgia Tech in 2025 Pop-Tarts Bowl
By: Caitlin Russo
Florida Citrus Sports
BYU scored 15 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to rally past Georgia Tech, 25–21, in the 2025 Pop-Tarts Bowl at Camping World Stadium.
The victory, BYU’s third consecutive bowl win, capped the Cougars’ first 12-win season since 2001 (fifth overall) and the first under head coach Kalani Sitake.
“Honestly, I am just really proud of everybody,” Sitake said of the effort. “It is not easy to do. To do it in the Big 12 and to do it while playing a great team like Georgia Tech in the bowl game, we should be really proud.”
After BYU opened the scoring with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Bear Bachmeier to Chase Roberts, Georgia Tech controlled much of the first half. The Yellow Jackets responded to BYU’s early edge with a successful fake field goal that set up a game-tying touchdown before adding two more scores to take a 21–10 lead into halftime.
“That is the game,” Sitake said. “It was such a back-and-forth, but the mistakes are part of the game. I liked the reaction we had overall. We weren’t hanging our heads when we went down two scores.”
Both teams traded missed opportunities in a scoreless third quarter before BYU began its comeback early in the fourth. An 11-play drive ended with a touchdown by redshirt senior Enoch Nawahine, followed by a successful two-point conversion that cut the deficit to 21-18 with 11:13 to play.
“There is still plenty of time on the clock, and when you give these guys that much time, we are never out of it,” Sitake said.
Georgia Tech had a chance to add to its lead on the ensuing possession but was forced to punt after penalties stalled the drive. BYU capitalized and marched 70 yards before ultimately taking the lead on a touchdown run by redshirt freshman Jovesa Damuni with just over two minutes remaining.
Bachmeier, BYU’s true freshman quarterback and the game’s MVP, threw for 57 yards on the go-ahead drive and finished with 325 passing yards and a touchdown despite re-aggravating an injury early in the game.
“I am really proud of the way Bear played the entire game,” Sitake said. “Obviously not at 100 percent, but he made big-time plays.”
Georgia Tech mounted one final drive, highlighted by a 66-yard completion from Haynes King to Eric Rivers, but the Yellow Jackets’ last-ditch attempt ended with an interception in the end zone by BYU cornerback Evan Johnson.
“When you get down there, you have to make those,” King said. “You have to make a play, especially when it comes down to that.”
The second-half shutout by the BYU defense — its second of the year — helped seal the Cougars’ second win of the season over a ranked opponent and its first Orlando bowl victory.
“I am proud of these guys and what they were able to accomplish,” Sitake said. “We took a step toward becoming a better team, and we want to carry that momentum into next year.”