Bowling Green's unofficial mascot: Pudge the cat

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Pudge belongs to Bowling Green starting long-snapper George Carlson, who had no idea his orange-coated companion would turn into a campus celebrity.

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Pudge has kept the Falcons laughing these past few weeks. But a year ago, he helped carry his owner through the toughest time of his life.

Cristen, George's mom, was the one who found Pudge -- though she never got to see how famous he'd become.

In 2021, Jim and Cristen traveled to Tennessee for their son's first game with the Falcons. Cristen felt ill afterward and thought she caught COVID. But while treating her, doctors found something else: Stage 4 ovarian cancer.

The diagnosis was devastating for the Carlsons, especially for George. The two were close, talking every day after he left for college.

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Cristen helped make George's dream of playing college football possible. George was an offensive lineman in high school, but knew he'd never be big enough for the next level. So Cristen found a trainer to teach him how to long-snap.

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