Advertisement

Who is Florida's best college sports mascot? Albert? Osceola? Sebastian? Pick your favorite!

Dan Rorabaugh, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
·5 min read

It's one thing to have an iconic team name. But a great mascot can fire up even those who aren't sports fans.

Florida has plenty of both in college sports. The Florida Gators have Albert and Alberta. The Miami Hurricanes have Sebastian the Ibis. The UCF Knights have Knightro. And let's not forget the greats at FAMU, FGCU and Jacksonville. Which one rises above the rest?

Before we get carried away, let's make one thing clear: Florida State's Osceola and Renegade are symbols that represent the tradition and culture of the Seminole Tribe. The rest are traditional mascots; we're grouping them together for the sake of convenience.

That said, who's the greatest mascot in Florida? Here are the candidates from the state's 13 NCAA Division I teams:

Albert and Alberta: Florida Gators

Florida Gators mascot Albert the Alligator plays with the game ball. In 1908, Austin Miller, a Gainesville native, was enrolled in law school at the University of Virginia. His father came to visit and decided to order some pennants and banners for sale in his store in Gainesville. They saw other schools and realized none had the alligator yet, so they took it. Albert is the name of the mascot that is on the sidelines. Alberta joined Albert in 1984. The #7 seed Gators are in the South Region.

A live Albert the Alligator made his first appearance at UF in 1957 before being replaced by a costumed version in 1970. He would be joined by his friend Alberta in 1986. These two have already been deemed college sports' best mascots by Sports Illustrated On Campus in 2007, and Albert starred alongside the late great Steve Irwin in a classic "This Is SportsCenter" commercial.

Osceola and Renegade: FSU Seminoles

Sep 28, 2019; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles symbols Osceola and Renegade during the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Doak Campbell Stadium.
Sep 28, 2019; Tallahassee, FL, USA; Florida State Seminoles symbols Osceola and Renegade during the game against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Doak Campbell Stadium.

In honoring the Seminole Tribe from which it derives its sports nickname, Florida State starts its football games with a student depicting the famous warrior Osceola atop Renegade, an Appaloosa horse, and throwing a flaming spear at midfield. FSU says it has worked with the Seminole Tribe to make sure the regalia is appropriate, and the tradition has held fast since 1978. ESPN's "SportsNation" voted the tradition the best in college football in 2011.

Cimarron: FSU Seminoles

A bonus entry for Florida State! Since a mounted horse doesn't really work for indoor sports, FSU also has Cimarron, a costumed horse. The mascot was developed in 2012 to participate in events that would not be appropriate for the symbols of Osceola and Renegade, such as cheerleading, off-field functions and work with the Kid's Club.

Sebastian the Ibis: Miami Hurricanes

Nov 12, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Miami Hurricanes mascot mascot Sebastian the Ibis on the sidelines against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 12, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Miami Hurricanes mascot mascot Sebastian the Ibis on the sidelines against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Like some chaos with your mascots? You're probably already a fan of Sebastian, who has been wreaking havoc on the sidelines since 1959. The ibis is a stork-like bird native to the Everglades, and it's known in Egyptian folklore as being the last to seek shelter when a storm is coming and the first to reappear after it passes. The bird's first mascot costume was sponsored by the residents of San Sebastian Hall.

Knightro: UCF Knights

Oct 22, 2021; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights mascot Knightro preform for the fans during a time out against the Memphis Tigers during the second half at Bounce House. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 22, 2021; Orlando, Florida, USA; UCF Knights mascot Knightro preform for the fans during a time out against the Memphis Tigers during the second half at Bounce House. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

Central Florida has had a fair share of other knight mascots before Knightro came to be. They started with a pegasus, then switched to Sir Wins-a-lot and his large smiling face, then a generic horse and rider. Next came Puff, a dragon costume donated by nearby Disney, who was followed by Mack the Knight. The golden-armored knight mascot first appeared in 1994, and he was officially dubbed Knightro the following year.

Rocky: USF Bulls

USF mascot Rocky D. Bull joins the fanfare on Education Signing Day with Anna Bunyak, who is headed to McNeal Elementary School in Lakewood Ranch.
USF mascot Rocky D. Bull joins the fanfare on Education Signing Day with Anna Bunyak, who is headed to McNeal Elementary School in Lakewood Ranch.

The first rendition of Rocky appeared at the USF Bookstore in 1965, while the modern, beefed-up Rocky was born in 2003. Rocky won the Capital One Mascot of the Year competition in 2013.

Owlsley and Hoot: Florida Atlantic Owls

Florida Atlantic Owls mascot Owlsley looks on from the court. Owlsey and Hoot are the mascots for FAU. The Owls of Boca Raton, Fl. Are the #8 seed in the East Region.
Florida Atlantic Owls mascot Owlsley looks on from the court. Owlsey and Hoot are the mascots for FAU. The Owls of Boca Raton, Fl. Are the #8 seed in the East Region.

Owlsley was created in 2011 in conjunction with the opening of FAU's football stadium. He's known to get a little snippy on social media, especially during the Owls' Final Four run in 2023. In 2019, FAU gave him a younger sidekick named Hoot.

Roary: FIU Panthers

Week 1: FIU mascot Roary the Panther poses before the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Riccardo Silva Stadium.
Week 1: FIU mascot Roary the Panther poses before the game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Riccardo Silva Stadium.

Don't confuse him with the Detroit Lions mascot of the same name. Florida International's Roary was born after the school switched from the Sunblazers to the Golden Panthers in 1987.

Venom and Lady Venom: FAMU Rattlers

Venom, the FAMU mascot, dances in front of a camera during a live broadcast of the Marching 100 on HLN-CNN on Friday, Nov. 15, 2019.
Venom, the FAMU mascot, dances in front of a camera during a live broadcast of the Marching 100 on HLN-CNN on Friday, Nov. 15, 2019.

"The world's livest mascot" is a snake with legs, which might not sit right with some animal purists out there, but Venom's moves are undeniably smooth. His female counterpart, Lady Venom, was brought back in 2021.

Wil D Cat: Bethune-Cookman Wildcats

Bethune-Cookman mascot Wil D Cat poses with the late radio host Big John (right) and then-B-CU President Edison Jackson in 2013.
Bethune-Cookman mascot Wil D Cat poses with the late radio host Big John (right) and then-B-CU President Edison Jackson in 2013.

OK, the name isn't the most creative, but you tell that to him. B-CU's Wildcat mascot comes from university founder Mary McLeod Bethune and her impression of the football team.

Azul: FGCU Eagles

#12 seeds, Florida Gulf Coast Eagles mascot Azul the Eagle reacts during the first half of a game. He has drained a 60-foot shot at halftime with one wing behind his back. His "Gangnam Style" and "Harlem Shake" dance videos went viral. He's met Florida's governor, is active across social media platforms and knows every cheerleader at FGCU. "Next to President Bradshaw, he's probably the most recognizable face on campus," said Denise Da Silveira, FGCU's assistant athletic director for corporate sales and marketing. Azul, FGCU's 12-year-old mascot, sure is one talented bird. He singlehandedly keeps fans in their seats during timeouts, when he often breaks out crazy dance moves. He flaps his wings after the Eagles score and is known to take headfirst dives at mid-court.

Azul, "blue" in Spanish, was created in 2002. He ranked No. 6 on a 2019 Yardbarker list of the greatest college sports mascots of all time: "What could be a standard bird mascot is made so much better with the simple addition of silly shoes and a permanent, asymmetrical smirk." He's also done "Gangnam Style" and "Harlem Shake" videos back in the day.

John B.: Stetson Hatters

Stetson mascot John B welcomes players before the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
Stetson mascot John B welcomes players before the 2024 NCAA Tournament.

The Stetson Hatters' mascot is named John B. after hat-creator and university namesake John B. Stetson. He made his debut in 2012, but Stetson had a much wilder mascot previously called the "Mad Hatter." That one stopped making public appearances after the 1995 design "was scaring the heck out of the little kids."

Dunk'n and Nellie: Jacksonville Dolphins

JU's current mascot is the costumed Dunk'n. But they previously had a live dolphin mascot, Nellie, who lived her whole life at Marineland Dolphin Adventure in nearby St. Augustine until her death in 2014. She was adopted as the team's mascot in 1970, and even awarded an honorary doctorate. Her legacy is carried on by a costumed sidekick for Dunk'n.

Ozzie: North Florida Ospreys

New President Moez Limayem is surprised with a jersey from Ozzie the Osprey as he speaks to media members at the UNF President's Office Monday, Aug. 1, 2022 in Jacksonville. The media meet and greet was to ask questions and understand Limayem's vision for the future. The number 7 was selected because he is the seventh president of the school.
New President Moez Limayem is surprised with a jersey from Ozzie the Osprey as he speaks to media members at the UNF President's Office Monday, Aug. 1, 2022 in Jacksonville. The media meet and greet was to ask questions and understand Limayem's vision for the future. The number 7 was selected because he is the seventh president of the school.

Ozzie the Osprey made his debut in 1988 and has gone through a few redesigns since then. He had a female counterpart named Harriet from 1994 to the mid-2000s.

Vote for the best mascot in Florida college sports

Can't see the poll? You can also cast your vote here.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Vote for best mascot in Florida college sports