Toaster trophy goes to winner of bowl game named after breakfast pastry
The winner of this year's Pop-Tarts Bowl will be able to taste victory in the form of a toasted breakfast pastry.
The only bowl with an edible mascot now has a fully functional toaster for the winning team to enjoy on the field after the Dec. 28 game in Orlando, Florida.
Pop-Tarts Bowl officials on Sunday unveiled the new trophy, which features a silver football with two metallic slots to insert Pop-Tarts. (See the video at the top of this article.)
MAN USES BREAKFAST PASTRY TO CREATE HOMAGE TO POP-ART ICONS
Last year's trophy looked the same, but that one was for display only.
This year's trophy, created with the help of GE Appliances, will allow the Pop-Tarts Bowl champions to toast their game-winning snacks.
As bowl games outside the College Football Playoff have become more diluted, organizers have sought new ways to steal the spotlight.
Food has often overshadowed the games because of the creative on-field celebrations.
In Frisco, Texas, the coach of the winning team at the Frisco Bowl receives a coffee bath (presumably iced coffee). The title sponsor of the game is Scooter's Coffee.
In Charlotte, North Carolina, the coach of the winning team at the Duke's Mayo Bowl is showered with – no surprise – mayonnaise.
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In Boise, Idaho, the winning coach of the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl gets french fries dumped on him.
Florida Citrus Sports, the organization behind two of Orlando's three bowl games, has also embraced the food flair.
Formerly known as the Cheez-It Bowl (not to be confused with the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, also played in Orlando), the game pitting a team from the Atlantic Coast Conference and Big 12 Conference was renamed after the breakfast pastry in 2023. That was its sixth name change (and third food) since relocating from South Florida in 2001.
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The bowl also has an anthropomorphic Pop-Tart mascot named Strawberry.
After Kansas State defeated North Carolina State in last year's Pop-Tarts Bowl, Strawberry was lowered into a giant toaster and presented to players from the winning team to eat (replaced by an edible replica).
The Miami Hurricanes and Iowa State Cyclones will tangle for the right to become the first team to hoist the toaster trophy.
A fan vote was held this year to determine which flavor of Pop-Tart the players would get to eat after the game.
The choices were between cinnamon roll, hot fudge sundae and wild berry. The cinnamon roll won.