Puppy Bowl 2017: Watch The Pawsitively Adorable Sneak Peek

Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl adoption extravaganza returns to the field on Sunday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. for its 13th year with a new class of contenders.

The starting lineup consists of 78 puppies from 34 rescue organizations throughout the U.S., divided between Team Ruff and Team Fluff. These furry competitors will vie for the Lombarki Trophy, a plush fire hydrant whose summit sports a stuffed football, courtesy of Petco.

A sneak peek of the upcoming game pays homage to previous champions, such as Aberdeen and Falcor, as well as the Puppy Bowl's inaugural MVP, Bandit.

Initiated in 2005 as a canine copy of the Super Bowl, the bite-size battle for cuteness is narrated by sportscaster Scott Graham, who is best known for his play-by-play broadcasts of the Philadelphia Phillies. Per tradition, viewers will be treated to the Kitty Half-Time Show, featuring a 30-minute presentation of kittens playing amid lights, laser pens and balls of yarn.

Learn more about Puppy Bowl XIII and how to adopt the participating puppies on the Animal Planet adoption page.

Watch the official Puppy Bowl XIII Sneak Peek

Photo credit: Animal Planet via YouTube