This isn’t the 1st Time NC State has Played in this Bowl

#18 NC State will be playing in the first ever Pop-Tarts Bowl on December 28th against #25 Kansas State, but technically, the Wolfpack has played in this bowl on numerous occasions, when it had different sponsors attached to it.

This bowl dates back to 1990, with Raycom as the founder, and Miami as the destination. In 1998 and 2000, NC State played in the bowl when it was called the Micron PC Bowl. In 1998, the Wolfpack’s opponent was Miami, in what was practically a home game for the Hurricanes. Miami defeated NC State 46-23 in the 1998 Micron PC Bowl. In 2000, the Wolfpack were invited back to the Micron PC Bowl in Miami, this time defeating Minnesota 38-30.

In 2001, the bowl was relocated to Orlando, where it remains to this day. NC State played in the bowls first game in Orlando, playing Pitt in the Visit Florida Tangerine Bowl in 2001, losing to the Panthers 19-34.

In 2003, the Wolfpack were invited back to the Tangerine Bowl (this time the Mazda Tangerine Bowl), matched up against a Kansas football team that had an Assistant Coach named Dave Doeren. The Philip Rivers led squad put on an offensive tutorial, beating the Jayhawks 56-26.

In 2010, the sponsor had switched to Champs Sports, and this time the Wolfpack’s opponent was West Virginia. NC State defeated Mountaineers 23-7.

Overall, NC State is 3-2 in this Bowl game that got its start back in 1990 in Miami, that has been hosted in Orlando since 2001.