Mirror, mirror: BYU, Georgia Tech see plenty of similarities in Pop-Tarts Bowl pairing

ORLANDO, Fla. — Aaron Roderick kept something of a secret all year related to No. 12 BYU's Pop-Tarts Bowl opponent Georgia Tech.

The Cougars have been scouting the 22nd-ranked Yellow Jackets. A lot, even — though not for any precognition or preemptive strikes.

"We have a lot in common with them," Roderick said a few days before Saturday's bowl game at Camping World Stadium (1:30 p.m. MST, ABC). "It's one of those teams we watch every week what they did that week and look for ideas. It's interesting that we are playing against them."

The third-year Big 12 squad will find plenty of similarities, even surface level, to its ACC foe. The Cougars finished 11-2, including an 8-0 start and two losses to one team — No. 4 Texas Tech — that will play in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals on New Year's Day.

Georgia Tech (9-3) likewise started 8-0 before losing three of its final four games, including a 42-28 loss to Pitt and a 16-9 setback to in-state rival Georgia — the SEC champion whose 16 points in Clean, Old-Fashioned Hate were a season low.

The loss to Pitt, as well as weird tiebreaker rules by the conference, likely cost the Yellow Jackets a spot in the ACC title game — the one where 7-5 Duke upset No. 19 Virginia that cost the conference a spot for its champion in the 12-team playoff.

So Georgia Tech is probably a lot better team than plenty give them credit. BYU coaches and players aren't among those eschewing credit.

The respect between head coach Kalani Sitake and Georgia Tech counterpart Brent Key, two peas in a pod coaching at their alma maters, is mutual.

"We've taken ideas from them, they've taken ideas from us," Key said. "The respect I have for their program and them, you can always take ideas from other teams you respect.

"I do see some similarities," he added, "but each game is also independent from each other. I don't think we're going to do the exact same things against each other — but I think it's going to be a really competitive game, and fun to watch."

Perhaps it's no shock, then, that both teams have similar signal callers pulling the strings — though on different ends of their collegiate career, and with a younger (or at least, less experienced) run game to support.

The first dual-threat signal caller is Haynes King, the 6-foot-3, 215-pound Texas native who spent the last three years at Georgia Tech. The Texas native threw for 2,697 yards and 12 touchdowns with five interceptions in 2025, and ran for 922 yards and 15 scores.

"He can throw it. He can run it," defensive coordinator Jay Hill said. "He does a great job of distributing the ball to the right people at the right time. I really think that's what makes a quarterback is getting the ball to the playmakers in space and making good decisions."

Hill added the Yellow Jackets' offense reminds him of the one they faced against the University of Utah. In both respects, the offense is more than a one-player game.

"He's a great quarterback all around," linebacker Isaiah Glasker said of King. "They have a great O-line. I feel like their offense moves well and I feel like it's going to be a great challenge."

He's also stayed remarkably healthy, playing in 45 games with 42 starts in six seasons of college football that began at Texas A&M. What's his secret?

"You have to have a little bit of mental and physical toughness," he said. "But other than that, you have to be able to take care of your body, to surround yourself with the right people that also have the resources and know how to help you.

"I feel like we've done a really good job of hiring here, and the staff that's been able to communicate and work with each other and work with me throughout the week to keep me on the field. They have done a really good job."

BYU starter Bear Bachmeier stands 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, stands as if a clone of King, and piled up 2,708 passing yards with 14 touchdowns and six interceptions in his freshman campaign to go along with 527 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.

Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Blake Gideon noted the same "toughness" between Bachmeier and King, calling both "one of the toughest guys on the team."

"Whenever you watch him on tape, you have to remind yourself that the kid is a true freshman; he's mature beyond his years," Gideon added. "I think you see growth that's probably accelerated faster than most freshman quarterbacks.

"Again, I think his toughness and competitiveness and the willingness to go compete in those environments that they played in the Big 12 all year, it's apparent that he's not afraid. That's one of the things that you look for, not just at the quarterback position, but at any position."

The dual-threat duo will duel for Team Sprinkles and Team Swirl on Saturday afternoon.

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