Puppy Bowl XII 2016: TV Start Time, Live-Stream Schedule and Fantasy Draft Info

Every year, the Super Bowl captures the nation's attention like no other sporting event; however, another bowl on the same day attracts football and non-football fans alike.

Animal lovers, especially those who prefer dogs, can get their sports fix before the Big Game with Puppy Bowl XII.

The event will begin a few hours before the Super Bowl. The Puppy Bowl Pregame show will start 30 minutes before the battle at Geico Stadium between #TeamRuff and #TeamFluff. Afterward, viewers can adopt the 49 puppies taking part in the game.

Let's take a look at all the viewing information you need, as well as some fantasy draft info.

Date: Sunday

Time (ET): 3 p.m. (Puppy Bowl Pregame Show at 2:30 p.m.)

Channel: Animal Planet (Check local listings)

Live Stream: Puppy locker room cam on AnimalPlanet.com

The main objective in the game is for the "players" to compete for the coveted Most Valuable Puppy (MVP) Award.

Here's a cool commercial from Pedigree that gives a sneak peek into how some of the pups are preparing for the game:

When it comes to the game, it will be hard to root against either team because, well, they're all puppies trying to play football. However, if you're participating in a Puppy Bowl Fantasy Draft, here are five rules to follow in order to pick the best team, per Tim Moynihan of Wired.com. (There's a sixth, but it involves cheating, and we can't condone that.)

1. "Draft with your head, not your heart": As Moynihan writes, you can't get sucked in by cuteness—go for the athletic-looking ones.

2. "Definitely draft at least one terrier": Terriers or terrier-mixes have dominated the competition, winning four of the 11 MVP awards, per Moynihan. When in doubt, go for Darby, the sole terrier in the event.

3. "Know the high-scoring breeds": Terriers aren't the only breed that can play well; as Moynihan states, three puppies have scored four touchdowns in a game—"Henry (an English springer spaniel mix), Falcor (a clumber spaniel) and Aberdeen (an Australian shepherd mix)." Ranger, an English springer, is the only puppy in the bowl representing those breeds.

4. "Consider the underdog": If there was a beagle in the lineup, Moynihan said it could be the biggest sleeper pick, but alas there is not. That leaves Stella, a dachshund/chihuahua mix, as the dark horse(dog) of the bowl, since she is a combination of two of the most aggressive breeds around.

5. "Avoid lazy dogs": This should be obvious, but Moynihan gives great insight when deciding which dogs fall into this category:

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Some puppies just aren’t built for the big game. Bulldogs, Havanese and Great Danes are all super-chill, making them awesome pets but awful draft picks. That means Countess, Boris and Bijoux almost certainly are fantasy-roster duds. They probably won’t have that competitive fire. Evidence: Boris wouldn’t even get up for his team photo.

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Based on Moynihan's advice, except the part about looks because you can't totally ignore puppy cuteness, here's a list of the top five potential performers in Puppy Bowl XII:

1. Darby, Ruff, Jack Russell Terrier: MVP front-runner.
2. Ranger, TBA, Springer Spaniel: Has multiple-touchdown potential. 
3. Stella, Ruff, Dachshund/Chihuahua Mix: She's not going to chase her tail or fall asleep on the field.
4. Tate, Ruff, Beagle: I mean, look at him.
5. Miss Sassy, Fluff, Boston Terrier: The bowl is actually taped in October, and while we can't confirm (again, because we don't condone cheating), there have been rumblings Miss Sassy makes a play or two.

Once you and your friends have drafted your puppies, you can assign points for touchdowns, tackles or even bathroom breaks. The great thing about this game is you are allowed to set your own rules.

Whether you win or lose a fantasy matchup, or just watch for fun, Puppy Bowl XII is bound to entertain—all while supporting a good cause in puppy adoption.

It's a win-win situation for all, but judging by the top five picks, the members of Team Ruff have the advantage.