I might not be the first person to say this, but there is a lot wrong with modern-day college football. The transfer portal is out of control, NIL is the chief motivator for an overwhelming majority of today’s student-athletes and no one seems to be able to agree to a solution (if there is one) to the College Football Playoff.
But in a world where all anyone seems to do is debate endlessly about what’s good for the sport, something that’s actually good for the sport has been under our noses all along. In fact, it’s something that you can find in most grocery stores.
Most bowl sponsors these days just stick their logo at the front of the game’s name as well as a logo at midfield. But not Pop-Tarts. The breakfast and snack item, invented by Kellogg’s in 1963 and served as a constant in mine and many other’s childhoods, is everywhere and an active part of the game.
The 2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl, played Saturday in Orlando, Fla., was a good matchup on paper that turned out to be an excellent contest. In one corner was Iowa State, who entered at 10-3 and was a game away from the Big 12 title and a spot in the CFP, while Miami (Fla.) sat in the other corner, 10-2 with a Heisman Trophy finalist at quarterback and also one game away from the CFP.
It was a great game for those who are fans of offense. By the first quarter’s end, 35 total points had been put on the scoreboard, and the scoring wasn’t finished. Miami took a 31-28 lead into halftime before Cam Ward inexplicably sat out the second half, leading to a 42-41 win by Iowa State. More on that later.
Despite the great game, the lasting impression from the contest, aside from Ward, had nothing to do with the two teams competing. And that’s not a bad thing, especially for this type of game.
It was the sugary, often fruity treats themselves that were the stars of the show. Many laud the Rose Bowl for the pageantry of it all, including the traditions such as the special start time as well as the Parade of Roses in Pasadena, Calif. the day of the game. I see your point and raise you a Strawberry Pop-Tart rising from the dead in front of a stadium full of fans.
Last year’s Pop-Tarts Bowl – the first under the new name – became infamous for the postgame shenanigans, a word I use lightly. The winning team of last year’s game, Kansas State, earned the opportunity to devour what was called the first-ever edible mascot. The life-size strawberry Pop-Tart was popped out of a toaster and eaten by the Wildcats.
The Pop-Tarts social media team mourned the loss of “Strawberry,” but the brand had a trick up its sleeve Saturday. Before the game, a scarred “Strawberry” emerged from a heap of smoke atop Camping World Stadium, ringing in this year’s contest. Then after the game, the trophy, which was a functional toaster, was presented to the winning team. A Cinnamon Roll flavored Pop-Tart served as the game’s mascot, winning a fan vote. The sideline stripes, typically plain white, were decorated with sprinkles. The theming was a slam dunk, and the social media craze surrounding this game is still ongoing.
Many college football fans have feared that all non-CFP bowl games will be rendered meaningless, and their opinions aren’t entirely off-base. Those bowl games are seemingly the only ones not affected by transfers and opt-outs en masse. But there is a solution. Make the atmosphere surrounding this non-championship caliber game be one that you want to experience.
For starters, just about anywhere in Florida this time of year will attract fans. Especially Orlando. If the bowl game is a spectacle, then it will attract fans and players that otherwise may have not been interested. The Pop-Tarts Bowl should serve as a model for other bowl sponsors because it’s a win-win. Sales went up for Pop-Tarts after last year’s game, and I would expect those numbers to only increase after this outing.
Some of these bowl sponsors leave a lot to be desired. I mean, seriously, is a lawn mower company the best we can come up with for the Pinstripe Bowl held in Yankee Stadium? Does Radiance Technologies make people want to willingly travel to Shreveport, La.?
They may not be your cup of tea, but the Arizona Bowl, which was sponsored by Snoop Dogg and his and Dr. Dre’s alcoholic beverage, Gin & Juice, followed this path. It was an otherwise meaningless game between two Group of Five schools, but it had a “fun” factor because of the rapper’s involvement.
I don’t care if your bowl game is in Los Angeles, New York, Montgomery, Ala. or Sandy Hook. If you put effort into the branding of the game – not just having a promotional commercial play with a message from the company’s CEO – then people will tune in and engage. It’s as simple as it gets. You’re spending the money to have your name plastered on screen and field. Why not maximize the opportunity?
Back to Ward, yeah, not a great look. After tossing three touchdown passes in the game’s first 30 minutes, he remained on the sideline for the rest of the game. No one, as of yet, seems to know why, though there are prevailing theories. Miami head coach Mario Cristobal declined to comment on the situation after the game, which only leaves more questions than answers. Did Ward decide right then and there to sit out? Was this always the plan? Was it Ward’s decision, or was it the school’s decision?
We may never know, and that’s a disservice to Ward. It may have been the plan all along for him to play in the first half and allow Miami to evaluate its backup quarterback, sophomore Emory Williams, to see if he can be the ‘Canes’ future signal-caller. If that was the case, mission accomplished, as Williams is clearly not in the same league as Ward, who will be a top draft pick in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.
Was it NIL-related why Ward played at all? This is also something we may never know, but it would make a lot of sense. Could it be because he wanted to pass Case Keenum’s all-time Division I touchdown pass record, which he did in the first quarter to 158 all-time. We may never know. I say all this to say that I’m not going to fault the player for what went down because the coach had an opportunity to clear all of this up. Cristobal didn’t, and here we are.
This won’t affect Ward’s draft stock whatsoever. God willing and the creek don’t wise, he’ll be a top-five draft pick and a future franchise quarterback. This will be nothing more than a footnote for what was a top-notch combination of game and branding.
