It’s not every college football bowl game that features ritualistic sacrifice of a bowl game mascot after completion of the game.
But then, not every team gets to play in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
In what is proving to be a college football bowl game staple, No. 19 Iowa State — which won the Pop-Tarts Bowl Saturday with a thrilling 42-41 come-from-behind win vs. No. 16 Miami — dug into a giant Pop-Tart in a postgame ceremony. The bowl game mascot entered a giant toaster and emerged, presumably fully toasted and ready for consumption by the Cyclones.
Of note: Pop-Tarts Bowl MVP Rocco Becht chose cinnamon roll flavor for the team to eat.
Two other Pop-Tarts mascots were on hand, holding roses in what appeared to be a eulogic moment among the bowl game mascots. But never fear: The mascot that entered the giant toaster held a sign that reads, ‘follow your dreams’ — presumably the final wish of the life-size toaster pastry.
Give the Pop-Tarts Bowl credit: It has fully bought into the gimmick of a food-based bowl game, featuring edible mascots, a bowl game trophy that functions as a toaster, and even adding sprinkles to the sidelines of Saturday’s game in Camping World Stadium in Orlando.
Considering the effort that goes into it, it only makes sense to eat the mascot at the end of the day.