Pop-Tarts Bowl mascot among 35 mascots to be added for ‘College Football 26’

Real-life coaches aren’t the only thing that will be debuting in EA Sports’ “College Football 26.” The Pop-Tarts Bowl mascot will also make its video game debut in “College Football 26,” EA Sports announced Monday.

The inclusion of the Pop-Tarts Bowl mascot in “College Football 26” was part of an announcement that the video game will have more unique game atmospheres, band covers and drumlines, new mascots, new touchdown celebrations and custom chants and celebrations. The Pop-Tarts Bowl mascot was the only bowl game mascot included in Monday’s announcement, while Iowa, Iowa State and Texas Tech’s mascots were among the 35 new mascots that will be added to the game. 

After Kellogg’s gave Pop-Tarts naming rights to the bowl game formerly known as the Cheez-It Bowl in 2023, the Pop-Tarts Bowl has become one of the more popular non-College Football Playoff bowl games. One of the reasons for that is the postgame celebration, in which the MVP of the game gets to pick which mascot flavor will go into a toaster. Once the mascot goes through the toaster, players on the winning team get to eat the mascot.

This past year, Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht sent the Cinnamon Roll Pop-Tarts mascot to the toaster following its win over Miami (Fla.). Kansas State also picked the Cinnamon Roll Pop-Tarts mascot to put in the toaster a year prior. 

It’s unclear if the postgame celebration will be included in “College Football 26.”

Beyond the mascots, EA Sports unveiled images and videos of how different runouts for each team will look in “College Football 26.” For Ohio State, the pregame drone show is included. 

Several teams will also have light shows included for their runouts in primetime games in “College Football 26,” including Alabama, Auburn, Georgia, Nebraska, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Boston College and Notre Dame. For Tennessee, a “light-up T” will shine brightly and for Alabama, Bryant-Denny Stadium will light up in red. 

Oklahoma’s Sooner Schooner runout is also among one of the iconic runouts that will be included in “College Football 26.” South Carolina’s Cockaboose will be in the game, too. 

“College Football 26” will be available for purchase on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S on July 10. The game can also be preordered now through the EA Sports MVP bundle, which includes the deluxe versions of “College Football 26” and “Madden 26,” granting three-day early access to both games.

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