College Football 2011: Ranking the Top 8 Mascots

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Who says all college football talk has to be serious?

I could spend another slideshow talking about players who may or may not pan out at the collegiate level.

However, I don't want to waste space on predictions that will likely fail to come to fruition.

Instead, here are the top eight college football mascots.

8. Goldy Gopher, University of Minnesota

How can you not like Goldy? 

He looks like a mischievous troublemaker, like that gopher in Caddyshack.

A bit too much of the cuteness factor to be a great mascot, but still respectable.

7. The Wildcat, University of Kentucky

Ferocious and sporting the Kentucky blue and white, the Wildcat represents the University of Kentucky.

An energetic feline, the Wildcat takes pleasure in beatdowns of the Louisville Cardinals in any sport. 

6. The Nittany Lion: Penn State University

The Nittany Lion proudly roams State College, Pennsylvania.

The Lion has been involved in some off-field issues and joined the list of recently arrested mascots.

This extra rowdiness keeps the Lion from cracking the top five on this list.

5. The Mountaineer, West Virginia University

The only human mascot on this list, the Mountaineer is a living embodiment to the classic mountain man (the 2011-12 Mountaineer is Brock Burwell of Harrisville, W.Va.).

Complete with fur hat and tanned hide clothing, the Mountaineer is rugged and willing to take on any challenger, like the Panthers from Pittsburgh, who often find their way into his backyard.

4. The Oregon Duck, University of Oregon

This water fowl strikes a resemblance to a famous cartoon character, but this Duck has attitude.

Don't believe me? Take into account that he wears no pants.

That takes some confidence to shake his bare tail feathers out in the open for all to see.

3. Sparty, Michigan State

THIS IS...East Lansing?

You get the point.

Sparty, the muscle-bound warrior, is an intimidating guy.

Just look at those foam-filled biceps.

I don't know why he was shin guards though. It must be a European thing, like soccer.

2. Uga, University of Georgia

Uga comes from a long line of Georgia English Bulldog mascots.

The first in the late 1950s to today's Uga VIII.

This lovable pup represents the red and black of Georgia proudly with his spiked collar, begging to be messed with.

1. Bevo, University of Texas

Look at the horns on that Longhorn.

If you mess with this bull, you get the...well, you get the idea.

If this isn't a great mascot, I don't know what is.

If your mascot can gore, stampede or trample you to death just for looking at it funny, then I would like to hear about it.

Bevo is the winner.