PLANO, Texas, Aug. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Among the excitement and debate that comes with preseason rankings for college football, mascots have traditionally stood as the unsung heroes that will ultimately be responsible for driving school spirit among fans through landslide victories and crushing defeats. With clipboard, stopwatch and a bag of Cheetos snacks in hand, Chester Cheetah, the iconic spokescat for the most playful snack in the world and a leading brand from PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division, today announced his official rankings of the Cheesiest College Mascots. Giving college sports fans and mascot enthusiasts nationwide a cheesier set of rankings to follow, the mischievous Cheetos spokescat has assembled this exclusive ranking to celebrate his quirky counterparts at universities and colleges around the country.

Drawing from an admittedly unscientific analysis of college mascots nationwide, rankings are based on "cheese factor" and all-around silliness. Topping the inaugural ranking is the Fighting Pickle, the official mascot of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Impressively, this top honor goes to a university without an actual athletics program, demonstrating that mascot mastery can happen anywhere.

Chester Cheetah's official Top-25 Cheesiest Mascots include:

Throughout the rankings, it comes clear that institutions of higher learning in the east dominate with regard to cheesy mascots, claiming 15 of the top-25 spots. Vegetables and fruits establish a powerful presence on the list with three top-10 rankings, proving once and for all that produce are players. Not surprising, animals claimed multiple spots, however, what becomes particularly intriguing is that all mascots representing the animal kingdom are unexpected warriors, ranging from the squirrels (Mary Baldwin College) to hens (University of Delaware) to burrowing clams (The Evergreen State College).  Finally, special accolades go to four mascots, representing colleges without collegiate football programs (Centenary College, Mary Baldwin College, Trinity Christian College and University of North Carolina School of the Arts).

Even cheesier than this list of mascots, Cheetos snacks offer a way for families and friends to add a playful twist to their daily routine. The popular snacks are available in 17 varieties and 12 different flavors, including its newest addition -- Cheetos Crunchy Salsa con Queso Cheese flavored snacks which hit store shelves earlier this year and are available in a 9.25-oz. package for a suggested retail price of $3.49.

About Cheetos
Cheetos is one of the billion-dollar brands that makes up Frito-Lay North America, the $13 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. Learn more about Cheetos by visiting www.cheetos.com or www.facebook.com/cheetos.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than $65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. Our main businesses – Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola – make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world. PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

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SOURCE Frito-Lay North America