BYU Has Chance To Play In Bowl Game Named After Pop-Tarts
Jun 1, 2023, 3:03 PM | Updated: 3:08 pm
The Pop-Tarts Bowl will feature teams from the Big 12 Conference and ACC. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
(Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Pop-Tarts have emerged as the latest brand to attach its name to a college football bowl game.
The newly named Pop-Tarts Bowl will occur in Orlando, Florida, on December 28, 2023.
Mark your calendar because this football game is going to be 𝘾𝙍𝘼𝙕𝙔 𝙂𝙊𝙊𝘿!
The 2023 #PopTartsBowl is set for Thursday, Dec. 28 at 5:45 p.m. on @espn.
📰: https://t.co/6ArOESUC7f pic.twitter.com/nCpkZnjNXw
— Pop-Tarts Bowl (@PopTartsBowl) May 31, 2023
“Since turning toast and jam into an ingenious toaster pastry almost 60 years ago, Pop-Tarts has always been about making the world more fun, more unexpected and more delicious for fans of all kinds,” said Heidi Ray, Senior Director of Marketing, Pop-Tarts. “We’re ecstatic to be the new title sponsor of the Pop-Tarts Bowl with our partners at Florida Citrus Sports and cannot wait to host Crazy Good experiences for fans and players alike in Orlando, and for those joining us from home.”
What’s great about this is that a local team, BYU, could have a chance to play in the game.
The Pop-Tarts Bowl will feature teams from the ACC and BYU’s new home, the Big 12 Conference.
BYU will need to have a good season in its first year in the Big 12. This game, formerly the Cheez-It Bowl, is expected to be the third bowl tie-in for the Big 12 in 2023. It would follow the New Year’s Six participant and the Alamo Bowl (vs. Pac-12). So at least eight wins would probably be needed this fall for BYU to be in the mix for the game.
If they somehow land in Orlando, the opportunity is for an epic postgame celebration.
There are “internal conversations” about a possible “postgame Pop-Tarts bath.”
🚨IMPORTANT🚨
For those wondering, internal conversations are ongoing in regards to a possible postgame “Pop-Tarts Bath”
— Pop-Tarts Bowl (@PopTartsBowl) May 31, 2023
Who doesn’t love college football bowl games?
What is the Pop-Tarts Bowl?
The history of this bowl game dates back to 1990. But it has experienced various name changes.
It started as the Blockbuster Bowl in 1990. Then moved to Carquest and later MicronPC to close out the 1990s. Then it was the Tangerine Bowl under Florida Tourism as a sponsor and Mazda afterward.
In 2004, the game changed to the Champs Sports Bowl. It switched to Russell Athletic from 2012-2016 and made another radical move to Camping World in 2017 through the 2019 season.
Then it became the Cheez-It Bowl, and now the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
What bowls are in the Big 12?
- New Year’s Six
- Alamo (vs. Pac-12)
- Pop-Tarts (vs. ACC)
- Texas (vs. SEC)
- Liberty (vs. SEC)
- Guaranteed Rate (vs. Big Ten)
- Independence (vs. Pac-12)
2023-24 Bowl Season Schedule
Big 12 tie-ins
• New Year's Six
• Alamo (vs. Pac-12)
• Pop-Tarts (vs. ACC)
• Texas (vs. SEC)
• Liberty (vs. SEC)
• Guaranteed Rate (vs. B1G)
• Independence (vs. Pac-12)Secondary Big 12 bowl tie-ins
• Armed Forces
• First Responder pic.twitter.com/AKGYAkYyOo— Mitch Harper (@Mitch_Harper) May 31, 2023
Then the Big 12 also has secondary tie-ins with the Armed Forces and First Responder Bowls. Both of those games, which ESPN Events own, have a pool of leagues that can fill those spots.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12–3 p.m.) on KSL Newsradio. Follow Mitch’s coverage of BYU moving to the Big 12 Conference on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
