Fans of college football, cats, and especially both are in love with Pudge, the exotic shorthair who tours with the Bowling Green Falcons. The flat-faced feline belongs to starting long-snapper George Carlson and has been dubbed their official mascot since rising to online stardom in August 2025.
### Meet Pudge the Cat, Emotional Support Mascot
Carlson first met Pudge after doctors diagnosed his mother, Cristen, with stage four ovarian cancer in 2021. The young long-snapper was particularly close to his mother, and the news was devastating enough to interrupt his football career, according to ESPN. Cristen raised her son on a small farm and constantly brought home animals to care for, including cats. Carlson had a special affinity for the flat-faced ones like Persians and exotic shorthairs.
While still fighting her illness, Cristen went out and adopted Pudge for her son in 2023. The following year, Cristen sadly passed away due to complications from the cancer—but Carlson still had Pudge by his side.
### Pudge Boosts Team Morale and Goes Viral
Last August, after a rough practice, Carlson brought Pudge into the locker room, where the cat instantly improved morale. The resulting Instagram reel went viral, set to the sound of the Jet2Holiday meme.
The caption read: “Fall camp so rough we got a locker room cat.” Fans flooded the post with love for Pudge.
Comments included:
– “Might come to homecoming after 9 years just to see this cat,” said @uvtides.
– “Cat you mean backbone to the establishment,” wrote @ryannemarieorosco.
### Pudge Becomes a Star
In the weeks after Pudge went viral, he received his own line of merchandise, gained a dedicated security escort, and appeared in EA’s College Football 26 as the “Star of the Week” in early September. At this point, he likely has more name recognition than any of Bowling Green’s players.
On September 20, three different college football organizations joined forces with Pudge’s official Instagram account to post photos of the cat on the field at Louisville. Pudge was safely tucked in his bubble carrier backpack, strapped to a large man wearing a hat labeled “PUDGE SECURITY.” It’s clear: don’t mess with the star.
### A Humble Celebrity
Thankfully, Pudge hasn’t let the fame go to his head. He regularly greets fans for selfies at tailgate parties and even participates in the game-day Simba cam, allowing handlers to lift him for a better view.
Interviews with the feline tend to be one-sided, but in early October, Steve Hartman of CBS News profiled Pudge and credited him with turning the team’s luck around. The adorable cat has helped bring back fans, filling stadium seats with cat lovers.
“Home game attendance is up almost 60 percent this year,” Hartman reported. “That’s the largest increase of any Division One school in the country.”
“No doubt due in part to the long-snapper and the long napper, who have given everyone in this community a reason to cheer.”
On October 11, the Falcons managed an incredible rally to keep the Battle of I-75 Trophy from their rivals—an achievement fans are sure to celebrate alongside their new favorite mascot, Pudge.
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