While there isn’t a wagon coming out of a tunnel and there isn’t an actual buffalo stampeding onto the field, the Big Ten has provided plenty of attractive live mascots. Interestingly, a couple of schools don’t have any mascot at all.
In 1927, the Wolverines experimented with having actual wolverines. Fielding H. Yost, the school’s AD at the time, struck a deal with the Detroit Zoo to acquire a pair. Their names were Biff and Bennie, and — after behavioral issues — they were promptly removed from the sidelines.
For 81 years, Illinois’ mascot was Chief Illiniwek. After controversy regarding the depiction of a Native American character as a form of cultural appropriation, the school retired the mascot in 2007 and hasn't adopted another one since. That’s cleared the way for the rest of the Big Ten to vie for the best of the best of the mascots. Unfortunately, when being perfectly fair, Nebraska’s mascot, Herbie Husker, really doesn’t make the cut of the top five. Though the older, creepier version would have, if he were still around.
The five best mascots in the entire Big Ten
5. Penn State’s Nittany Lion
The Nittany Lion looks like a third grader’s drawing come to life. The thing that makes this mascot one of the best in the Big Ten is that it’s terrible. It looks like someone went to Dollar General and found the cheapest cougar costume they could. There’s just something very endearing about how little effort was put into this thing.
4. Sir Henry the Scarlet Knight from Rutgers
Henry is the opposite of the Penn State mascot. It’s quite fancy and well done. He’ll sometimes wield a sword, an axe, a shield, and even the occasional eye black for certain sporting events. However, the crux of human mascots is their expression. Sir Henry’s grin looks forced. It’s also unsettling when he’s smiling while the Scarlet Knights lose 56-10 to Oregon. All of that is what makes him such a great, weird mascot.
3. Buckingham U. “Bucky” Badger from Wisconsin
This one is similar to the Penn State mascot because it’s just so low rent. It’s just a giant badger head on a human body wearing a Wisconsin sweater. A strong gust of wind could push Bucky over. That’s what makes him stand out as one of the best of the best.
2. Goldy Gopher from Minnesota
Goldy’s design is amazing. Maybe it's because of it looks like a Disney character, Chip and Dale — who share a striking resemblance to Goldy — but I’m confident Goldy is among the conference’s best. His oversized head, his buckteeth, his ears, his tail, they all work. There’s a reason Goldy has won the mascot category at the College Cheerleading and Dance Team National Championship four times.
1. Sparty from Michigan State
Sparty is the best mascot in the Big Ten. He’s everything you could want. He’s larger than life, intimidating, and has a great head-to-toe costume. When you think of Michigan State, you think of Sparty. Although others often say it, or I suppose act it out, only Sparty can live up to every mascot’s favorite hand gesture — he's number one.
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