University of Texas football fans have launched a petition demanding that beloved mascot Bevo, a 1,800-pound Texas Longhorn steer, be allowed to attend the SEC championship game this weekend.
In its first SEC Championship game appearance, UT Austin will take on the University of Georgia Bulldogs Saturday in Atlanta. Although Georgia’s mascot, a bulldog named Uga XI, will be in attendance, SEC officials have banned Bevo from appearing.
“When we received the request for Bevo to be on the sideline in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, our staff looked at several alternatives including the sideline location. The reality is there is limited sideline space at the stadium,” an SEC spokesperson told the Austin-American Statesman. “We can’t jeopardize the safety of Bevo or the game participants. With the narrow sidelines, location of multiple sets for television and camera carts, there is not enough space.”
Despite the SEC’s explanation, die-hard Texas fans aren’t having it.
To that end, Longhorns backer Levi Thompson launched a Change.org petition Thursday demanding the SEC change its decision on Bevo.
“The upcoming SEC Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Georgia has been clouded by bias that prohibits our beloved mascot, Bevo, from traveling to the game,” the petition said. “This exclusion feels like an unnecessary cut, particularly when the game was already set in Georgia, the home state of our opponents, lending them a ‘home field’ advantage.
The petition has drawn 5,000 signatures as of press time.
In a followup post, Thompson also encouraged Longhorns fans to tweet at SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey and Texas Athletic Director Chris Del Conte, telling them to allow Bevo to travel to Atlanta.
Whatever the reason for the SEC’s Bevo ban, the Texas mascot and Uga don’t necessarily have the best relationship.
In 2019, Bevo charged Uga during the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, a moment forever etched into UT Austin lore.
The SEC Championship game will be televised nationally on ABC and carried on streaming services including ESPN+ and Fubo. Kick-off is at 3 p.m.
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This article appears in Nov 28-29, 2024.
