The unique belt Fresno State is playing for in Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The winner of the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl will be presented on the field with a unique over-the-top championship belt following Saturday's game at SoFi Stadium between Fresno State and Washington State.

"Every bowl game has a trophy, but what they don't have is a championship belt, and that's what makes the LA Bowl so different from any other bowl game out there," says Dax Holt. "It's really an amazing prize that the team get to walk away with."

Matt Walsh and Holt came up with the concept of a customizable belt a few years ago while playing fantasy football together.

That germ of an idea mushroomed into an appearance on ABC's Shark Tank, and a deal was struck with well-known entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban.

The Dallas Mavericks owner agreed to front the two $600k for a stake in their company called "TrophySmack."

"Communication level and working with his team has exceeded every expectation," Walsh said. "He responds to emails, I'll get an response from him within the hour from when I sent him. It's pretty incredible, it's so cool."

Walsh calls Saturday's bowl game with the Bulldogs a surreal moment for him since he's a Fresno State and Craig School of Business graduate.

"Our Shark Tank episode had a great bit of me quoting one of my professors, so Fresno State is a big part of my identity and I love it," he said.

If Dax looks familiar, you may remember him as the former quick witted on-air staffer for the celebrity entertainment show "TMZ Live."

"We got to thank our wives for bringing us together," he said. "They went to pre-school together, so they have known each other for a really long time. We connected and the rest is history."

The pair is re-writing history with their startup company that is now worth millions. While they look forward to Saturday's big game as the official trophy partner of the Jimmy Kimmel LA bowl, there's little doubt who they're not so secretly rooting for.

"I know we have to try to be neutral since we are the provider of the championship belt, so I know whoever walks away with it will be very excited, but to see his excitement, to see her alma mater in there is a really cool little twist to this story," Holt said.