This weekend, New England athletes will be front and center in one of the most highly anticipated nationally televised sports events of the year. No, we’re not talking about that bunch from Foxboro – these star players come from the nonprofit Danbury Animal Welfare Society (DAWS) and will playing in the Puppy Bowl XV telecast on Animal Planet on Feb. 3 at 3 p.m.

DAWS entered 25 puppies for consideration in this year’s Puppy Bowl and four were chosen to be among more than 90 competitors from 50 animal shelters, with the players divided between Team Fluff and Team Ruff.

The Fairfield County athletes in this year’s event are Walnut, a Chihuahua and Dachshund mix originally from Kentucky; Scout, a Maltese mix also from Kentucky; and the brothers Panda and Cole, who were found in an abandoned house and are believed to have mixed backgrounds that include Great Pyrenees in their heritage.

Two other Connecticut-based puppies from Pack Leaders Rescue of Manchester will also be at the Puppy Bow: Smokey Blue, a Lab/Shepherd/American Staffordshire Terrier/Golden Retriever mix, and Tuff, a Toy Fox Terrier/American Staffordshire Terrier mix.

The winning side will receive the coveted Lombarky Trophy and the standout athlete earning the title of MVP – Most Valuable Pup. And unlike other New England athletes competing in another bowl game the same day, these players will not have to resort to deflating balls to score points.