Meet the touchdown-worthy dogs competing in Puppy Bowl XI

ByJustin Sedgwick WLS logo
Friday, January 23, 2015
Past Puppy Bowl participants battling for glory in 2012.
creativeContent-Keith Barraclough / Animal Planet / AP

Not a big fan of this year's Super Bowl Halftime show? Then you need to check out Puppy Bowl XI instead.

Animal Planet will be presenting Puppy Bowl XI during halftime of Super Bowl XLIX on February 1, where the cutest and toughest puppies will battle for gridiron glory. And you can check out the starting lineup for this year's Puppy Bowl participants, Team Ruff and Team Fluff, in the galeries below.

Vegas favors Team Ruff, a doggy football dynasty that seems to fetch the championship nearly every year. Team Ruff was marred in the infamous #trashgate controversy earlier this season after a few of the pooches got into their owners' garbage pail, so they hope a championship win will reclaim their good name.

Team Ruff

But don't count out Team Fluff, a group of talented, rabid underdogs who have a big bone to chew with Team Ruff. These dogs may have have a storied fury football legacy, but they pack in as much bark and bite as their opponents.

Team Fluff

This year's Puppy Bowl will also include a new scoreboard that provides fans with real-time updates and giggling goat cheerleaders to cheer on the puppy "maaadness" taking place on field. Veteran rufferee Dan Schachner will be officiating the game, as sideline reporter "Meep the Bird" will tweet live updates and commentary from his perch throughout the match. You can learn more about this year's Puppy Bowl at the link below.

AnimalPlanet.com/PuppyBowl