how do I pop out the plastic where the fog lights would have been?

Are you talking about the front valance underneath the bumper that had the two cut outs for the fog lights?

Need to be cut out, an adjustable holesaw is best, a sawzsall works if you are carefull
on the otherhand, look at the backside, see any wing nuts and metal straps?

i looked behind, they look as if they could be poped out hard???