For the first 38 years of its existence, the Super Bowl had the spotlight to itself one Sunday each year.

But beginning in 2005, the NFL had company on its biggest day of the season, with the arrival of Puppy Bowl, which was created to look like a football game but is really just an excuse to watch adorable puppies having the time of their lives on national television.

Puppy Bowl turns 21 this year and among the more than 100 'players' on the rosters for this year's matchup are eight dogs from the Tri-State Area.

IOWA DOGS IN PUPPY BOWL XXI

Six different pups from the Hawkeye State are in this year's big game.

They all come from AHeinz57 Pet Rescue in DeSoto.

Puppy Bowl XXI - Cece
Animal Planet
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  • Cece - Poodle/Miniature American Shepherd
Puppy Bowl XXI - Erin
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  • Erin - Mastiff/American Staffordshire Terrier
Puppy Bowl XXI - Gretel
Animal Planet
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  • Gretel - Miniature American Shepherd/Poodle
Puppy Bowl XXI - Orla
Animal Planet
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  • Orla - Mastiff/American Staffordshire Terrier
Puppy Bowl XXI - Pizzazz
Animal Planet
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  • Pizzazz - Poodle/Miniature American Shepherd
Puppy Bowl XXI - Zipper
Animal Planet
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  • Zipper - Border Collie/Australian Shepherd

MINNESOTA DOGS IN PUPPY BOWL XXI

The North Star State will be represented by a pair of pups from Pet Haven Shelter in Minneapolis.

Puppy Bowl XXI - Foxtrot
Animal Planet
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  • Foxtrot - Border Collie Mix

Vote for Foxtrot in the Pupularity Playoffs

Puppy Bowl XXI - Potato
Animal Planet
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  • Potato - American Staffordshire Terrier/American Pit Bull Terrier
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Catch Puppy Bowl XXI on Animal Planet, on Sunday, February 9th at 1:00 PM Central.

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