Last Sunday, the nation got ready for the arguable most sports filled event of the year—the Super Bowl. With shockingly unhealthy amounts of cheese, loud rowdy drunk people shouting at a T.V., and large men hitting each other, it’s hard to see how some people won’t enjoy the Super Bowl. But if football isn’t exactly your thing, there an amazingly cute alternative that I think everyone can get behind—the Puppy Bowl.

Going on its 14th year, the Puppy Bowl is an annual event held on Animal Channel, being counter-programming to the Super Bowl, and has been gaining views ever since it’s inception, getting 3.05 million viewers this year, up 24% to last year. The Puppy Bowl stands for the “Adopt, Don’t Shop” moment, with all the animals in the completion being rescues from 25 different states. Obviously the show contains mainly the puppy players themselves, but also features pig and bunny cheerleaders, a sloth referee, and opened with the chicken from America’s Got Talent playing the National Anthem.

Two teams played in the bone shaped stadium—team Fluff, who’s starting line up consisted of puppies Lila, Blueberry Pie, Joy, and team Ruff, with J-Paw, Petree, and Morris. With both teams set up in peak cuteness in their handkerchiefs, the game was off to a start. I could tell you all the action packed details of the game, but I won’t want to spoil it for anyone. The full show is on animal planets website here to watch for free at this link—https://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/puppy-bowl/full-episodes/puppy-bowl-xiv-pup-triots-vs-b-eagles

And if you’re not convinced yet that you must stop everything and watch the Puppy Bowl, here are a few pictures of the competing athletes.

Blueberry, Team Fluff, Miniature Poodle Chihuahua mix, 15 weeks

Checkers, Team Fluff, American Staffordshire Terrier, 13 weeks

Morris, Team Ruff, Pomeranian, 14 weeks

And finally my personal favorite,

Mr. Wigglesworth, Team Ruff, Shar-Pei, 15 weeks