The first thing you’ll want to do is make sure your cream cheese is softened to room temperature. This is important because cold cream cheese will be much harder to combine with the other ingredients.
Add the softened cream cheese, sour cream, shredded cheddar, ranch seasoning, green onions, bacon bits, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce to the bowl of a stand mixer.
Mix everything together until well combined.
Once everything is combined, lightly spray your clean hands with cooking spray. This will help prevent the cheese mixture from sticking to you.
Transfer the mixture onto a clean cutting board, piece of parchment paper, or clean countertop.
Using your hands, gently form the mixture into an oval football shape.
It doesn’t have to be perfect! You can continue adjusting and smoothing the cheese ball until you’re happy with the shape.
Once your football is formed, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
I left mine in the refrigerator overnight, which worked perfectly.
After the cheese ball has chilled, it’s time to add the delicious coating.
Combine the chopped pecans, bacon bits, and chopped green onions in a shallow dish.
Remove your football cheese ball from the refrigerator and unwrap it.
Gently press the cheese ball into the coating mixture, using your hands as needed to press the bacon, pecans, and green onions onto the surface.
Continue until the entire outside is evenly coated.
Now for the part that turns an ordinary cheese ball into the cutest football-shaped appetizer!
Take your slices of white cheese and cut them into thin strips. I used a pizza cutter, which made this incredibly easy.
Arrange one longer strip vertically down the center of the football and add several smaller strips across it to create the look of football laces.
And that's it!