Bowling Green's Pudge the cat rests on the sidelines before the game between the Bowling Green Falcons and the Cincinnati Bearcats at Nippert Stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio, on Sept. 6, 2025.

Pudge the Cat has captured the hearts of the Bowling Green fan base and the internet as a viral sensation.

Bowling Green long snapper George Carlson owns the cat and brought him around his teammates as a morale booster.

Carlson initially brought the 3-year-old exotic short-haired Persian cat around during the offseason to help lift the spirits of the team’s players after one of their teammates suffered an injury during a scrimmage.

He became an instant star after appearing during the 26-7 victory over Lafayette in the season opener.

Pudge spent part of the week on campus and interacting with students before traveling with the team for its first road game, a 34-20 loss to Cincinnati at Nippert Stadium, over the weekend.

Pudge the Cat photos

Pudge was spotted in pregame photographs alongside Carlson, inside a portable cat carrier backpack, being carried on the front side of a man whose shirt read “Pudge Security.”

Pudge apparently got ready for the game like other members of the team and was wearing a replica jersey and helmet on the sideline during the game.

What’s next for Pudge the Cat?

Pudge will more than likely make future appearances on BGSU’s sideline as the season progresses. But the school's official X account imagined what could be if it made its way on the EA Sports College Football 26 video game cover.

The university’s official X account shared graphics of Pudge on the cover of the game and a post that read “Pudge is officially IN THE GAME!! …”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pudge the Cat captures heart of Bowling Green football and the internet

Reporting by James H. Williams, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect