Pop-Tarts Bowl 2025: Where College Football Meets Pastry-Themed Pageantry
Bowl season is always full of surprises, but few games blend football and fun quite like the Pop-Tarts Bowl. Set in Orlando’s Citrus Bowl Stadium, this year’s matchup features Georgia Tech and BYU-and while the on-field action promises to be compelling, it’s the off-field spectacle that makes this bowl one of the most talked-about events of the postseason.
Let’s be clear: this isn’t your average bowl game. The Pop-Tarts Bowl has carved out a unique lane in college football’s crowded postseason by embracing the absurd in the best way possible. From edible mascots to toaster trophies, it’s a sugar-fueled celebration of football, fandom, and fun.
A Mascot You Can Eat (Yes, Really)
You’ve seen mascots dance, crowd-surf, and even rappel from stadium rafters. But how often do you see one get toasted and eaten?
That’s the quirky tradition that’s become the Pop-Tarts Bowl’s signature move. The winning team doesn’t just hoist a trophy-they celebrate by devouring a life-sized Pop-Tart mascot representing their school.
Each team is assigned a mascot flavor, and when the final whistle blows, the victorious mascot takes a ceremonial plunge into a giant toaster on the field. It’s part victory lap, part snack break, and all spectacle.
This year, the mascot roster has expanded to six flavors, split between two squads: Team Sprinkles and Team Swirls.
Team Sprinkles (Georgia Tech):
- Protein Slammin’ Strawberry
- Frosted Cherry
- Frosted Cookies & Crème
Team Swirls (BYU):
- Frosted Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
- Frosted Wild Berry
- Frosted Hot Fudge Sundae
The mascots roam the sidelines throughout the game, adding a surreal flavor (pun intended) to the atmosphere. It’s a walking, dancing, frosted fever dream.
Stadium Details: A Pop-Tart Wonderland
The Pop-Tarts Bowl doesn’t stop at edible mascots. The entire stadium gets a pastry-themed makeover.
Goalposts are wrapped in foil to resemble actual Pop-Tarts, and sprinkles line the sidelines like confetti. It’s as if someone took a college football game and ran it through a breakfast-themed filter.
And for fans who appreciate the lore, there’s even a memorial outside the stadium honoring the fallen mascots of bowls past-yes, including the original edible mascot from 2023. It’s weird, it’s whimsical, and it’s become a cult classic in the making.
A Trophy That Toasts
Forget crystal footballs or oversized chalices. The Pop-Tarts Bowl trophy is a fully functional toaster.
Not metaphorically-a literal toaster, wired and ready to warm up pastries. It’s a nod to the game’s sponsor, sure, but it’s also a reminder that this bowl doesn’t take itself too seriously.
Georgia Tech head coach Brent Key and BYU’s Kalani Sitake leaned into the fun during the pregame media rounds, sharing a moment of camaraderie as they toasted Pop-Tarts together using the trophy itself. Two coaches, one toaster, and a shared appreciation for the absurdity of it all.
The Helmets Got the Sprinkle Treatment, Too
Both teams are embracing the theme with custom helmet designs that feature Pop-Tart-style sprinkles. Georgia Tech’s lids are decked out in yellow and red dots that mimic the look of a frosted strawberry Pop-Tart, while BYU’s helmets bring a cooler blue-and-purple vibe, echoing their Team Swirls identity.
It’s a subtle nod to the bowl’s branding, but also a fun way for players to get in on the festivities. Because if you’re going to play in a game where the mascot gets eaten, you might as well go all-in.
A Brief Look Back
While Pop-Tarts only took over naming rights in 2023, this bowl has been around since 1990. It’s gone through a number of sponsors-Florida Tourism, Mazda, Champs Sports, Russell Athletic, Camping World, and most recently, Cheez-It-but it’s found its most distinctive identity under the Pop-Tarts banner.
Last year’s thriller saw Iowa State edge out Miami 42-41, following a 2023 debut that ended with Kansas State beating NC State 28-19. Now in its third year as the Pop-Tarts Bowl, the game has fully embraced its new identity as college football’s most deliciously absurd tradition.
Game Preview: Georgia Tech vs. BYU
Beyond the pastry pageantry, there’s real football to be played. BYU comes into the game with an impressive 11-2 record and sits as a slight 4-point favorite. Georgia Tech, at 9-3, has been one of the more quietly consistent teams this season and will look to cap off their year with a statement win.
Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, and while the winner gets the glory, they’ll also get something a little sweeter-literally. A toaster trophy, a frosted mascot, and a place in one of college football’s most delightfully bizarre traditions.
So grab a Pop-Tart, settle in, and enjoy the show. This is bowl season at its most flavorful.