Sweet 16 Mascots, Ranked (2025 Edition)

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With that, let’s dive into a Crisp Bounce Pass tradition and rank the remaining mascots of the Sweet 16.

16. No Mascot — Michigan Wolverines

You’d think it would be easy to  toss claws on a wolf or even play off the X-Man Wolverine, but alas, we get nothing of the sort here. They had trouble with previous iterations, which has led to an absence on the sideline.

15. Purdue Pete — Purdue Boilermakers

Purdue Pete has had a long history of looking creepy, but this current iteration is as frightening as ever. The Purdue campus is lovely, though!

14. Tony the Landshark — Ole Miss Rebels

Tony is the newest mascot on this list, and we’ve maybe already seen the last of him. Started in 2008 to honor defensive players who would put a hand “fin” over their foreheads like a shark after big plays, Tony has not been spotted at an Ole Miss sporting event since 2021. We’re hoping he gets back out there soon.

13. The Wildcat — Kentucky Wildcats

Tired: Mascots whose names are just the animal that they are.

Inspired: Mascots with headbands.

12. Shasta — Houston Cougars

Shasta is short for “she has to” and finished first in a contest among 225 mascot names. The runner-up was Raguoc, which is “cougar” backwards. So, that’s something. Here are some fun Cougar traditions.

11. The Blue Devil — Duke Blue Devils

Again, a mascot without a real name is bad, but Blue Devils are a much less common mascot, so it’s slightly more forgivable here. I also like the lil’ smirk on the Blue Devils face, which feels fitting based on how smug every Duke hater seems to think the team’s players are.

10. Aubie — Auburn Tigers

I don’t dislike Aubie, and I’m proud of the mascot’s performance in the Universal Cheerleading Association National Championships.  This is just a strong batch of mascots in the Sweet 16.

9. Wilbur — Arizona Wildcats

I can never peg the Wildcats correctly when filling out a bracket. When I believe in them, they do something like lose to Buffalo or Princeton in the first round. When I have them exiting early, they get to a Sweet 16 or Elite 8. Wilbur is the happy medium between the two. Solid mascot, great hat.

8. Albert — Florida Gators

The Gator Chomp is kind of a silly cheer, but then again, so are most college sports chants. That’s what makes ’em great. Anyway, Albert and his partner Alberta both deliver as promised, and I like the hat as a nice touch. I also snagged a picture with Albert over a decade ago (when Miami was briefly good at basketball) and he did not mind that I held up The U next to him.

7. Cosmo — BYU Cougars

Cosmo’s lineage dates back over 100 years, when BYU bought a pair of baby cougars for the whopping price of 50 cents apiece. The university soon learned housing live cougars might not be the best idea, and eventually settled on a costumed mascot. Cosmo’s little tufts of hair on its shoulders delight me. Also…this dunk!

6. Sparty — Michigan State Spartans

Sparty’s a pretty classic Spartan design, and I like the whole vibe going on. He’s supposed to represent the strength and perseverance of the fighters, and his blank face is mimicked by Tom Izzo at least eight times per game when his players don’t do what he wants.

5. Testudo — Maryland Terrapins

Had Colorado State not lost a heartbreaker at the buzzer, I think I’d still have CAM the Ram here. Testudo is the closest we’ll get to a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle in March Madness, so we’ll take it.

4. Big Red — Arkansas Razorbacks

I like the entire Arkansas crew. Big Red is the main dude; we’ve also got Sue E (clever), POЯK CHOP (cute), Ribby (baseball), and BOSS HOG (inflatable).

3. Raider Red — Texas Tech Red Raiders

I also have a picture with Raider Red from seeing Texas Tech play in 2018. It was a simpler time, but Red was welcoming and didn’t point his guns at me. I imagine he’s similarly understanding in 2025.

2. Big Al — Alabama Crimson Tide

In the 1930s, a fan called Alabama’s linemen “elephants” because of their enormous stature compared to the opposing team (that team was the Ole Miss Rebels, who we saw earlier on this list). The university thought that was a good enough back story for a mascot, and Big Al was born.

1. Smokey — Tennessee Volunteers

Smokey is a Bluetick Coonhound, selected as part of a mascot contest in 1953. The requirements: This can’t be an ordinary hound. He must be a ‘Houn’ Dog’ in the best sense of the word. Smokey very much fits the bill, and we love when the costumed mascot and live dog mascot mingle together.