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Final score:
After a dominant performance throughout, Team Fluff pulled off the 93-38 victory in the highest-scoring Puppy Bowl ever. The MVP was Rory, a poodle-terrier mix who added three touchdowns for Team Fluff in the first quarter alone.
Second half:
A third touchdown by Hope put this game out of reach for Team Ruff. Team Fluff wins with a final score of 93-38.
Another touchdown for Hope gives Team Fluff an 86-38 lead. This has gotten way out of hand, as the underdogs are really taking it to the top dogs from the past two years, Team Ruff.
Daphne got flagged for trash talking, just before Hope extended Team Fluff’s lead with another touchdown, taking a 79-38 lead.
Team Ruff did manage to narrow Team Fluff’s lead, though, with a touchdown scored with one of Team Fluff’s bandanas. Interesting strategy, and it cut Team Fluff’s lead to 72-38.
Team Fluff is unstoppable. They took a 72-31 lead with another touchdown from Tucker.
A Blitz field goal for Team Fluff extended its lead to 65-31. Team Ruff will need a momentous comeback, and it’s looking unlikely.
A field goal gave Team Fluff a 62-31 lead. Things were looking grim for Team Ruff with plenty of game left.
Team Ruff’s Woody did his best to get into the end zone, but Team Fluff’s defense held firm. Team Fluff followed it up with another touchdown from Tucker, extending its lead to three scores.
Halftime show:
The halftime show featured Kitty Gaga, in her infamous meat dress, and the Chicago Rock Cats.
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First half:
Nikita scored another touchdown for Team Fluff just before the half, extending her team’s lead to 52-31.
Lots of fierce competitors on the field for both teams today.
Team Fluff keeps extending its lead with dogged determination. Nikita added two touchdowns for her team, and Team Fluff leads 45-31.
Team Fluff has taken a 38-17 lead and just continues to dominate Team Ruff in the second quarter.
The young, scrappy and hungry Alexander Hamilpup exploded onto the scene and was almost immediately flagged for taunting.
Team Ruff came surging back, adding a touchdown and a field goal to narrow Team Fluff’s lead to 28-17. We’ve got ourselves a game!
The ref isn’t necessarily calling a clean game, and Winter got away with one here. Throw the flag! That’s a hold!
Team Fluff got into the end zone for three consecutive touchdowns, taking a 28-7 lead. Team Fluff might run away with this one, and Rory, with two touchdowns, is the early favorite for MVP.
But Team Ruff answered immediately, tying things up 7-7.
Team Fluff got on the board first, as Rory ran one back for a touchdown.
Things got chippy between the two teams right off the bat, and we should be in for a competitive matchup.
Team Fluff will give everything its got on Super Bowl Sunday to redeem a 70-44 Puppy Bowl XII loss to team Ruff for the Lombarki Trophy. The game airs at 3 p.m. ET on Animal Planet.
A year ago, Star, a Chow-Chow mix ran the defense up-and-down for three scores and a takeaway in that one to win the MVP honor. But the teams have reset since then, and restocked with some very good dogs.
All participating dogs are rescue dogs from various states of all different sizes. The puppies are between 12 and 20 weeks old at the time of the filming, co-executive producer Simon Morris told Sports Illustrated.
The staff has 15 pounds of dried dog food, 500 dog treats and 250 dog toys, according to Morris. That lasts for three days of filming, which happened in October. The goal of the event is to find homes for all puppy participants
Teams will be supported by their mascots. Team Fluff is supported by Muffin the chinchilla and Team Ruff by Orlando the screech owl.
Some athletes to look out for include Smooshie, the 12-week-old Shar Pei. She looks tough for Team Ruff. Smooshie, paired with 62-pound mixed-breed Winter will be a tough stop. But Team Fluff’s Rory looks too quick to stop on offense. This game should be a real ... nail-biter.
Pregame reading
Watch these good dogs in virtual reality (SB Nation)
Puppy Bowl 2017 starting lineups are full of great dogs (SB Nation)
In honor of the Puppy Bowl, a reminder that dogs are better than cats (SB Nation)