Pop-Tarts Bowl doesn’t stop with toaster trophy with elite postseason flourishes

The Pop-Tarts Bowl delivered one of the most memorable debuts in college football history last season, turning a relatively forgettable bowl game between Kansas State and NC State into an unforgettable piece of performance art ... complete with late-night snack.

But for as remarkable as the first Pop-Tarts Bowl was, it begged the question: What could the game possibly do for an encore? When you lead off with an edible mascot entering a giant toaster while holding a sign reading "dreams really do come true," where do you go from there?

The answer, as it turns out, is "even weirder". We already knew that the 2024 Pop-Tarts Bowl, featuring Miami and Iowa State on Saturday, Dec. 28, would feature a trophy that doubled as a real, functional toaster.

But the innovation hasn't stopped there. Why limit your pastry inspiration to just the postgame celebration? Why not build the whole bowl game out of Pop-Tarts?

The Pop-Tarts Bowl's next innovation: Sprinkles on the sideline

Yes, we said sprinkles. Media members got their first look at a revamped Camping World Stadium in Orlando ahead of Saturday's game, and imagine their surprise when they saw rainbow sprinkles up and down each sideline.

Apparently this design tweak required approval from the NCAA, which is a conversation we would love to have been a fly on the wall for. Of course, it's not like this affects the game in any way, and it's not like this game has any bearing on Miami or Iowa State's season, but good on the NCAA for finally not finding a way to make things worse for once.

It remains to be seen what other surprises the bowl has in store for fans on Saturday, but they should at the very least be in store for an awfully fun game. These were two teams on the fringes of College Football Playoff contention until the very end of the regular season, and unlike a lot of bowl games this month, just about all of the relevant stars are set to play — including dynamic Miami quarterback Cam Ward and the Iowa State receiver duo of Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.

Both of these teams have shown a capacity to both produce and allow big plays, so expect some fireworks both figurative and literal.