Top Live Mascots

American Universities are different when it comes to school spirit. It is my favorite atmosphere in sports because of the student sections and nonstop energy. It is similar to a European basketball or soccer game, but all drunk college students losing their mind. Part of this tradition of an electric atmosphere, is the mascots, and some schools don't just have any mascot, but an actual live animal mascots. The top tier of all mascots these guys are. Sometimes there will be a touchdown scored, and maybe the ball will get tossed in the animals cage. These mascots absolutely shit on all of the fake mascots. The top of the top, and today we are going to break down the top of the top of the top.

10. Dubs, University of Washington Huskies

    Starting off this list is Dubs, the official live mascot for the University of Washington. Dubs is an Alaskan Malamute, the strongest of all Husky Breeds. This starts at 10 because it is an absolutely beautiful animal, but they need to promote Dubs better and get him a household name with some of these other animal mascots. They are the Huskies and have a live Husky so that at least makes sense, compared to some other schools, cough cough Texas A&M. Dubs has potential, but just having debuted in 2009 he is still relatively new to this whole scene. The school needs to get more notoriety for this dog, it is not Dubs fault. I expect Dubs next go around to be top 8, but for now the good boy has to sit at 10.

9. Butler Blue, Butler University Bulldogs

   Butler Blue what a living legend. Butler Blue debuted in 2000 and now they are onto their 4th generation of Butler Blue. Butler Blue is one of a world traveler, often seeing pictures of Blue with a basketball, or even driving an Indy Car. Butler blue can often be found at Hinkle Fieldhouse on gameday, and helped them get to back to back NCAA MBB Final 4'sm in the 2000's. Keeping Butler Blue at number 9 because Blue's not the most famous bulldog, or as exotic of an animal as some others on this list. No doubt Blue is a chiller though, and if you see him around Naptown show Blue some love.

   
   

   

8. Rameses, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Tar Heels

   Rameses, the live mascot of UNC, is a Horned Dorset Sheep with horns that are Carolina Blue. If we are going off of looks this mascot is number 1. It looks like an animal you have never seen before, well because you haven't, not with blue horns. Me seeing Rameses led me to look up "what is a Tar Heel", because if Rameses was a Tar Heel we would've had to redo this list. But Rameses in fact did not produce any Tar. Having a mascot not associated with your school name will knock you down quite a bit, but the fact this thing has blue horns saved it. How could you not go on court and win for that Hornet Dorset Sheep. Number 8 you beautiful beast.

7. War Eagle, Auburn University Eagles

   Based on mythology alone the Auburn eagle would be top 2 not 2. It is reported in Auburns first ever football game vs Georgia, one of the alumni brought an Eagle that got away from athe owner, circled around the field, and eventually dropped dead and died on the field after Auburn won. The fans proclaimed the Eagle was instantaneously good luck and ever since then has been the mascot for Auburn. They got another eagle in the 1930's and they've had a live mascot since. Great story, but mascot itself is a little weak if you ask me. No doubt they're the top Eagle, but there's so many other Eagles out there as mascots. However, the mythology of it all, and the bird being released on some gamedays still to this day to circle the field, makes Auburn deserving of a spot on this list.

6. Traveler, USC Trojans

Traveler is the name of a white horse. It is rode into the football games by a guy in an armor suite, holding a sword, looking like a Trojan soldier ready for battle. It is exactly what their mascot is but add in the fact their entering on a beautiful all white horse. It has tradition going back to the 60's which is good and would be unreal to see live this pre game display. This is a whole show before the show. It certainly would get me hype. Trojan legend had it that Traveler could affect the outcomes of games. I think what TV I watch games on matters so Traveler probably could. Top tier mascot.

5. Ralphie, University of Colorado Buffaloes

   This dude Ralphie is a weapon and I don't mean in A Christmas Story when little Ralphie gets a BB gun. I'm talking about a total unit. Ralphie is a real live Buffalo, first gifted to the University in 1967, and now on the 7th generation of Ralphie. When Ralphie VII debuted running onto the football field, it drew a sold out crowd, showing how much Ralphie means to that University, In fact when they got Ralphie in 67 it debuted in a win against Baylor. The history of Ralphie, the obscurity of the animal, and the fact the mascot is what the nickname of the school is, is what makes Ralphie a top tier mascot. A weapon some would say.

   
   

   

   
   

4. Uga, University of Georgia Bulldogs

Uga is one of the most notable mascots in the world of NCAA sports, with one of the cooler names also in NCAA. Named after the schools acronym, Uga first debuted in 1956 and has been there ever since. Also the name of my Uncles own bulldog when I was growing up. A regular to sporting events, especially football games, Uga is no doubt the top Bulldog mascot, even picking fights with much bigger mascots such as Bevo the Longhorn. UGA also changed the game, almost the Allen Iverson of mascots. After Uga debuted we have seen Gonzaga, Butler, and Fresno State all get bulldogs, but Uga was the live bulldog trailblazer. He is a star, gets cheers when he walks through. All of those reasons are why Uga is at number 3. The commonality of the Bulldog as a mascot and the fact it is still a dog is holding Uga from the top spot, but that is once again not Uga the dogs fault. Be on the lookout for Uga at the SEC Championship game Saturday.

3. Chief Osceola and Renegade, Florida State University Seminoles

   This has gotta be one of the the cooler lesser known things in College Football. At the start of every home game since the 70's a student dressed up portraying Chief Osceola rides a horse, Renegade, to the middle of the field. This is just about 10/10 execution from Florida State. It fits the school mascot, it is a stunning horse which you do not see often like a dog, and there is tradition behind it. Also, FSU is the only school allowed represent Native American imagery, getting an exemption from the NCAA to honor Chief Osceola, a war hero from the second Seminole War. Renegade should have a stable in the stadium to watch the rest of the game and more people need to know about Renegade and Chief Osceola's pregame ritual for it to take the top spot.

   
   

2. Mike The Tiger, LSU Tigers

We are done with the pets. There are no more dogs and horses. We now have an actual tiger on the campus of LSU. There is a full habitat on campus, fully enclosed, for Mike to live in and you can see him. He used to go onto the football field in a cage to watch the games, which had to be one the cooler things playing football with a damn tiger on the sidelines. They had to sedate him to be able to go to the games, so he now just stays in his habitat and doesn't attend any games. Then first Mike the Tiger was bought in 1936 and now they are on the 7th Mike the Tiger. LSU takes unreal pride in Mike and having a tiger, and no other University has anything close to a Lion on their campus. 9.9999/10 execution here just need Mike somehow back on the field, at least a pregame roar.

1. Bevo, University of Texas Longhorns

The OG of all the mascots. First debuting in 1916, Bevo is a unit. His horns are massive, he is massive, and like we saw in the 2019 Cotton Bowl vs Georgia, he will show his dominance and go after the other teams mascot. Bevo sits in his own corral behind one of the end zones and watches the games. When Texas scored a touchdown vs Arkansas the wide receiver threw the ball into the pin with Bevo. He's on the team. There is also a statue of Bevo on campus. Absolute perfect execution of the mascot by the University of Texas. Not a household animal, tradition, well known around the country, and a recognizable yet easy to say name. "Hero's come and go but legends never die". Bevo is a legend.

Honorable mention:

Indiana University Hoosiers, IU Bison 1970's era

I don't know if it gets better than this honestly. The only problem is that the Bison is not living. In that picture it might seem real, but it's actually a person inside of their dressed up. The graphics and production at IU was way ahead of it's time in the 70's. This Bison was the official mascot for Indiana University in the 70's and would feature at football games. How did IU have the most losses in FBS when there were years an opponent had to see a 10 foot Bison on the sidelines and question if it was real or not. And best yet, Indiana used to be home to a lot of Bison so it had meaning to the University, unlike aggielands adoption. Home field advantage, meaning, unreal outfit, and horns on the scot. Best yet, this mascot was such good stuff from Indiana University in the 70's, they brought back a much more unrealistic version of it for the 2025 football season that they are undefeated in. Coincidence? No shot.

Worst Mascot Of All Time

Texas A&M Aggies

Dog

What are we doing here. Dogs. Aggies. You can not name yourself the agricultures then decide all of a sudden you want a dog. This is not how this works. Typical college station move. No Bevo so they tried to make their own live animal and it failed. This is the problem with being an Aggie is an Aggie is not a real thing. Which is fine, but pick a mascot that has a meaning to Texas or College Station. Say maybe the Armadillos. College Station is where I saw my first and only dillo, seems more fitting than having a dog. No originality, no meaning to the mascot. They did rescue a stray dog, and now it is their mascot. So spect to them for that. But being the mascot when you have no affiliation with the nickname? Brutal choice here from the Ags.