The Pop-Tarts Bowl will take place on Thursday, December 28 with Kansas State and North Carolina State battling one another. Both teams are ranked in the top 25, with NC State sporting a 9-3 record and Kansas State an 8-4 record.
While this game has plenty of intrigue despite both programs losing some key players to the college football transfer portal, the bowl game trophy was revealed and caught plenty of attention just days before kickoff. NC State head coach Dave Doeroen and Kansas State HC Chris Klieman ‘opened up' the trophy wrapper, and this is a must-see.
In all its glory!
(Yes, those Pop-Tarts are real!) pic.twitter.com/QXK5aIfR1h
— Pop-Tarts Bowl (@PopTartsBowl) December 26, 2023
Yes, that is the trophy, and yes, the Pop-Tarts are real. As soon as it was revealed, college football fans and sports fans in general were quick to show their love for this one-of-a-kind trophy.
Move over Green Jacket this is the new best trophy in sports https://t.co/UOC7oTQfI8
— JP Finlay (@JPFinlayNBCS) December 26, 2023
There is no better sport than college football. https://t.co/GyEu9ddFk8
— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) December 26, 2023
This is the ideal bowl game trophy. You may not like it, but this is what peak performance in the Bowl Game Trophy Community looks like. https://t.co/4ZvS8wOQCX
— Steve Marik (@Steve_Marik) December 26, 2023
The perfect bowl trophy does not exi….. 😳 https://t.co/WUqotFpHqT
— Maitland Rutledge (@Maitland__R) December 26, 2023
In consideration for best trophy of all time. https://t.co/qgtHDUtEpG
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) December 26, 2023
Stop the count. The greatest trophy in the history of sports has been decided in favour of the @PopTartsBowl 🏆 pic.twitter.com/rGazVRqXLl
— Oliver Hodgkinson (@ojhodgkinson) December 26, 2023
They knew the assignment and completed it according to the rubric. Bravo. Didn’t overthink it. https://t.co/w0CG2wJj3e
— 🇹🇰 Sickos Committee 🇹🇰 (@SickosCommittee) December 26, 2023
The real question of it all is whether or not the toaster is real on the top. Spoiler alert, it doesn't appear so.
This is great. Next year, the goal should be an actual working toaster. https://t.co/AcAyzlBTLp
— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) December 26, 2023
Can next year's edition of the trophy feature a built in toaster into the football? Nothing truly like walking into an office to fresh @PopTartsUS https://t.co/1XTzLaP4lB
— Matt Dewire (@hotwiredewire) December 26, 2023
It's quite a unique twist to a uniquely named bowl game, and the Pop-Tarts Bowl will certainly be a talking point despite not being a New Year's Six matchup.
The Wolfpack saw MJ Morris and others enter the portal but they did land Coastal Carolina transfer Grayson McCall, and Kansas State saw Will Howard enter the portal as one of the top quarterbacks in the market (and he is still searching for a new program).
Nonetheless, the highlight of the game is likely going to be the trophy, and there are real Pop-Tars in it. You can't make this up, and this is arguably one of the best trophies in the history of sports.