The Georgia Bulldogs have one of the most recognizable live mascots in college sports. 2019 Sports Illustrated named the Bulldogs’ mascot — “Uga” — as the best in college football history.
But the University of Georgia wasn’t always the Bulldogs, as a look at their mascot history reveals.
Georgia Bulldogs Mascot History
Uga, the University of Georgia’s famous mascot, has a long and storied history.
The tradition of a live bulldog as Georgia’s mascot began in 1956 when attorney and alumnus Sonny Seiler introduced Uga I, also known as “Hood’s Ole Dan,” at the first home game of the season against the Florida State Seminoles.
Football coach Wally Butts requested Uga to serve as the football team’s mascot, and since then, every Uga has been owned by the Seiler family.
Uga I served from 1956 to 1966, helping the team win one SEC title and the 1960 Orange Bowl.
The Bulldogs’ mascot has now reached Uga XI, nicknamed “Boom.”
Boom took over for Uga X — one of the winningest Uga’s in history — who was nicknamed “Que.” Uga X finished his career as the Georgia mascot with a 91-18 record and two national championships.
Why is Georgia the Bulldogs?
Georgia’s first football game against Auburn on February 22, 1892, in Atlanta featured a goat as the mascot for Georgia. Reports from that time describe the goat wearing a black coat with red “U.G.” letters on each side.
By 1894, the mascot had changed to a solid white bull terrier named Trilby, owned by a student from Atlanta. While there are various accounts of how the Bulldog nickname became associated with Georgia, one famous story involves Trilby.
According to an Atlanta newspaper clipping, Trilby and her 13 puppies once interrupted a practice session, barking energetically at the players. Then, one player reportedly said, “Well, Trilby has brought us a name, Bulldogs,” and the nickname caught on with the football program.
Another origin story begins with the University of Georgia’s connection with Yale University, another higher learning institution known as the “Bulldogs.”
“Many old-timers say Georgia acquired the Bulldogs nickname due to strong ties with Yale, whose nickname is also Bulldogs,” explains the University of Georgia’s website. “Georgia’s first president, Abraham Baldwin, was a Yale alumnus, and the early campus buildings were designed using blueprints from Yale’s buildings.”
Another possibility is a bit simpler: the nickname was the idea of a writer from the Atlanta Journal. It’s reported that Morgan Blake suggested the nickname in an article on November 2, 1920. Blake wrote, “There is a certain dignity about a bulldog, as well as ferocity.”
Regardless of the true origin story, the Georgia Bulldogs have one of the most storied mascots in the history of college sports.
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