One of the things that makes college football unique is the live animal mascots that are part of the game day experience. Here are the ones getting ready for Saturday kickoffs in a few weeks.

While some animal rights organizations have tried to put a stop to animal mascots. It has become a huge tradition in college football throughout the country having an actual animal mascot on the sidelines. Yes, some of these animals have been retired in Texas. Rice University had live horned owls back in the day and Texas State also had a live bobcat. Sadly those two no longer exist, but these five are still going strong.

5. Peruna-Southern Methodist University

The most famous mascot that runs up and down the field is Ralphie for Colorado. However, Ralphie doesn't run up and down after every touchdown likes Peruna does. Fun fact, this horse is named after an old Texas elixir. It was 18% alcohol.

4. Masked Rider-Texas Tech University

The most interesting part of the Masked Rider for Texas Tech is that the horse has a different name every time it is changed. Fifteen different horses have run onto the field in Lubbock since 1954. Charcoal Cody, Midnight Raider, Fearless Champion, are just some of the names used throughout the years. It was also the first live horse mascot in college football to lead a team onto the field.

3. Reveille-Texas A&M University

Probably the least intimidating mascot on the list, but I'm a dog person so she gets bonus points. The first Reveille was a mut that some of the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets adopted. Then a graduate donated a Shetland Sheepdog after the first Reveille passed away. After that, every Reveille has been a Rough Collie. A student also takes Reveille to class, if she barks, class is dismissed. Technically not an official policy, but most professors keep the tradition alive.

2. Judge Indy and Judge Belle - Baylor University

Technically not on the sidelines anymore, but I still cannot believe that a live bear was on the sidelines until 2003 in Waco. However, I included Baylor on the list because you can still see live bears on campus at a habitat that was built in 2005. They're named Judge Indy (for Independence, Texas. The birthplace of Baylor University and Judge Belle (for the McLane Carillon bells – housed in the iconic tower of Pat Neff Hall). Still can't imagine an actual bear on the sidelines during a college football game, but Baylor pulled it off.

1. Bevo - University of Texas at Austin

Come on, it had to be Bevo at one. If you close your eyes and say Texas college football, Bevo has to pop into your mind. Fun fact, Bevo was not the first live mascot for the University of Texas. An American Pit Bull Terrier named "Pig" was the first animal on the sidelines back in 1914. The first Bevo would not make their way to University of Texas until Thanksgiving 1916. The hottest debate of this iconic mascot is the name. Three theories have taken place throughout the years.

• Named after an amber colored non-alcoholic beverage named Bevo
• Derived from beeves, the plural form of beef.
• Texas A&M Branding Longhorn with 13-0 score

The last one is the one that people tend to believe the most. Some Aggies allegedly branded the longhorn with the score of the 1915 game on the new live mascot. When some students saw the brand, they rebranded the longhorn turning the 13 into a B, the - into E, adding a V, and keeping the zero has O for BEVO. Longhorns and Aggies have debated which story is true for decades at this point.

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