‘He Will Be Devoured and Die in a Few Hours’: The Pop-Tarts Bowl Was Determined To Be As Absurd As Possible This Year

Ahmad Austin Jr.Dec 29th, 2023, 11:04 am
 

This year’s Pop-Tarts Bowl made one of the strongest cases in recent memory that no college football bowl game is ever truly irrelevant.

The Kansas State Wildcats took on 19th-ranked North Carolina State on Thursday. Despite it not being a College Football Playoff matchup, there was plenty of hype surrounding the bowl game named after toaster pastries.

It started Tuesday when the Pop-Tart-laden trophy was revealed, sending the message that the game was fully leaning into its sponsor.

When the day of the game arrived, organizers only upped the ante when the Pop-Tart mascot arrived in a giant toaster.

The mascot was repeatedly advertised as being “edible” because the winning team would get to eat it after the game. Everyone involved — from stadium staff to the broadcast announcers — seemed to commit to the bit and acted as if some kind of barbaric ritual were underway. ESPN play-by-play commentator Anish Shroff mentioned on several occasions that the silly mascot was just hours away from dying and being devoured.

“He came out of a toaster, a giant toaster, minutes before kickoff,” Shroff said. “Well, here’s the sad part of the story: after the game, he will be devoured. He will die; and he will be his own last meal.”

When the game concluded with a 28-19 Kansas State victory, the mascot’s final moments were approaching.

The giant Pop-Tart returned to the top of the toaster. While holding a sign that read, “DREAMS REALLY DO COME TRUE,” the Pop-Tart was then lowered into the toaster. Suddenly, an actual giant Pop-Tart slid out of the bottom of the toaster, where Kansas State players and coaches began eagerly tearing it apart. After a life well lived, the Pop-Tart had finally served its one true purpose.

Watch above via ESPN.

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