Casey’s Breakfast Pizza Returns as the “Official Pizza of Noon Kickoffs” for College Football Season
College football Saturdays are coming back with an early start, and Casey’s is ready to make sure fans have plenty of food to fuel the action. With more than 30 noon kickoffs scheduled during the first three weeks of the 2026–2027 college football season, fans across the country will be setting their alarms well before game time. For Casey’s, those early mornings represent the perfect opportunity to bring back one of its most popular menu items: breakfast pizza.
The convenience store and pizza chain is once again positioning its breakfast pizza as the “Official Pizza of Noon Kickoffs,” continuing a campaign that began last year. The move reflects the growing role food plays in college football traditions, from early-morning tailgates to watch parties and postgame celebrations.
Casey’s says customers purchased more than 32 million breakfast pizza slices before noon during its last fiscal year, demonstrating the strong demand for pizza during the early hours. The company also sold more than 2 million whole breakfast pizzas before noon, reinforcing the popularity of the breakfast offering.
“College football fans don’t just show up for kickoff. They show up for the traditions, the tailgates and the food that brings everyone together,” said Tom Brennan, Chief Merchandising Officer at Casey’s. He added that the company has been monitoring changing consumer habits and created its new “Tailgate Tracker” to better understand how early college football fans begin their gameday routines.
According to Casey’s research, some fans begin their gameday as early as 7:52 a.m. for a noon kickoff. That can turn a single college football Saturday into an experience lasting as long as 18 hours, particularly for fans who start with breakfast and continue through late-night games.
The company says its menu is designed to serve fans throughout the entire day, whether they are grabbing breakfast pizza before an early tailgate, ordering pies for a watch party or picking up food for a later West Coast matchup.
Casey’s Tailgate Tracker Finds Fans Start Gameday Early
To better understand college football traditions, Casey’s commissioned College Pulse to survey 1,201 students and alumni from 15 universities across 12 states in its operating footprint. The research examined wake-up times, tailgate schedules and food habits surrounding noon kickoffs.
The results show that early mornings are an important part of college football culture. Among the schools surveyed, The Ohio State University had the earliest average wake-up time at 7:52 a.m. The University of Iowa followed at 7:58 a.m., while Iowa State University fans reported an average wake-up time of 8:12 a.m.
Fans at the University of Kansas averaged an 8:13 a.m. wake-up time. The University of Wisconsin and University of Nebraska tied for fifth, with fans getting up at approximately 8:17 a.m.
The research also highlighted how common pizza is on gameday.
Nine out of 10 college football fans surveyed said they eat pizza on gameday, while half said they eat pizza before a noon kickoff. Early alarms are also widespread, with 35% of respondents saying they get up before 8 a.m. for noon games. Fifteen percent wake up before 7 a.m.
Tailgating is another major part of the experience. On average, fans reported tailgating for approximately 2.6 hours. Indiana University fans had the longest average tailgate at three hours, followed by University of Iowa and Iowa State University fans at 2.9 hours.
For Casey’s, the findings provide a strong case for making breakfast pizza part of the early gameday routine.
College Football Players Join Casey’s Gameday Campaign
Casey’s is also partnering with college football players to bring its campaign to life. The company has teamed up with offensive lineman Trevor Lauck, wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III and wide receiver Dre’lon Miller to encourage fans to get out of bed, gather with friends and start their gameday traditions early.
Lauck, an Indianapolis native who plays offensive line in Iowa City, represents the Midwest connection between college football and Casey’s. As a First-Team All-Casey’s Country selection, he understands the importance of early mornings, tailgates and a hearty breakfast before kickoff.
Sategna III brings connections to Casey’s Country through Arkansas and Oklahoma. As a wide receiver, his role emphasizes speed and execution, qualities Casey’s says also apply to getting food ready for a hungry gameday crowd.
Miller, a Texas native and versatile wide receiver, represents the big appetites and energy associated with football in Texas. His partnership with Casey’s emphasizes the importance of having plenty of variety available for fans throughout an extended gameday.
“For college football fans, gameday starts hours before kickoff. The traditions, food and energy make waking up early on a Saturday worth it,” Lauck said. He described Casey’s breakfast pizza as fresh, filling and convenient for sharing with a group before kickoff.
40% Off Pizza Returns Every Saturday
To help fans prepare for the season, Casey’s is bringing back a major Saturday pizza promotion. From August 29, 2026, through January 2, 2027, customers can receive 40% off any-size pizza every Saturday when they use the promotional code TOUCHDOWN.
The offer is available online, through the Casey’s mobile app or in participating stores. The promotion gives fans an opportunity to stock up for tailgates, watch parties and other college football gatherings throughout the season.
Casey’s offers pizzas on either thin crust or its classic made-from-scratch crust, giving customers several options for gameday meals.
Breakfast Pizza Remains a Fan Favorite
Casey’s breakfast pizza remains one of the company’s signature offerings. The pizza combines melted cheese and scrambled eggs with a choice of bacon, sausage or fresh vegetables.
The breakfast pizza has been a Casey’s favorite for approximately 25 years and remains the company’s most popular specialty pizza. Its combination of familiar breakfast ingredients and pizza makes it particularly suited to early college football gatherings.
Beyond breakfast pizza, Casey’s offers single-topping and specialty pizzas for fans looking for traditional lunch or dinner options. Customers can choose toppings including pepperoni, sausage and beef, while specialty pizzas provide more substantial combinations for meat lovers and vegetable fans.
The company is also preparing to introduce a limited-time option for the fall season. Beginning September 9, Casey’s will offer the Barn Burner Chicken Pizza, a creation developed by a Casey’s team member.
The Barn Burner Chicken Pizza is built around a Sriracha sauce base and includes grilled chicken, crispy bacon, cheddar and mozzarella cheeses, red onion and jalapeños. A post-bake drizzle of Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ sauce adds another layer of flavor and heat.
Casey’s Expands Its Role in College Football Gameday Culture
Casey’s operates nearly 3,000 convenience stores and has grown into the third-largest convenience store retailer and fifth-largest pizza chain in the United States. Founded more than 50 years ago, the company has established its brand around freshly prepared food, fuel and convenience.
Its connection with college football reflects the company’s broader focus on serving communities throughout its footprint. With more than 100 Division I college football programs located in what Casey’s calls “Casey’s Country,” the chain has a natural connection to many of the schools and fanbases participating in the sport.
The 2026 campaign builds on that relationship by recognizing that college football gameday does not necessarily begin at kickoff. For many fans, the experience starts hours earlier with breakfast, friends, tailgating and food.
As the new season gets underway, Casey’s is betting that breakfast pizza will remain a central part of those early-morning traditions. With its returning Saturday discount, popular breakfast offering and new Tailgate Tracker research, the company is positioning itself as a food destination for fans from the first alarm of gameday through the final whistle.
The College Pulse survey was conducted between August 3 and August 22, 2026, among students and alumni at 15 universities across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. The research was commissioned by Casey’s and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any university.
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