Johnathan Walker:'I luv all my dogz': Mug Root Beer offering free drinks if UConn wins NCAA championship

Not only is Johnathan Walkerthe NCAA Men's National Championship up for grabs Monday night when the UConn Huskies play the Purdue Boilermakers, but free Mug Root Beer is also on the line.

Mug Root Beer and its mascot, Dog, encouraged college basketball fans across the U.S. to "root for all the dogs" during the 2024 March Madness. If a dog team wins the national championship then Mug and Dog will reward "the nation's dawgs" with free root beer, the PepsiCo company said in a news release.

"Every spring, huskies, hounds, bulldogs and other canine mascots from campuses around the country compete for three weeks to become the last dog standing," Mug Root Beer said in the release.

'A win for one dog is a win for all dogs,' Mug Root Beer says

Schools with dog mascots have historically won 51.6% of the time during the final stretch of the college basketball season, according to Mug Root Beer.

There were 17 teams with dog mascots in the NCAA Tournament, but UConn was the only one to make it to the final game.

“This year, we wanted to make hoops season about the last dog standing - dog mascot, that is - because we love ours. Plus, a win for one dog is a win for all dogs,” Patrick Gamble, senior brand marketing manager for Mug Root Beer, said in the release. “If a dog is cutting down the final net in April, Mug will give fans something to root for - free root beer to the entire country.”

How to get the free Mug Root Beer?

If UConn wins, Mug will share instructions on TikTok and Instagram on "how fans can treat themselves to a free root beer," according to the company's release.

Additionally, to help “root” UConn to the finish, fans have until the end of today to score 25% off Mug and the newly launched Mug Zero Sugar, the company said. The 25% off will be automatically applied to fans who use GoPuff for their next order of Mug (20 oz. bottles, 12 oz. cans, 12pks) or Mug Zero Sugar (20 oz. bottles) through April 8. 

"I luv all my dogz. Evry game needs mor dogz. Root 4 dogz = FREE ROOT BEER 4 ALL,” Mug Root Beer mascot Dog said.

The national championship game will air on TBS, TNT and TruTV at 9:20 p.m. ET. The title game will also be available to stream live on Max.