Charles’s Top 10: College mascots I would dress up as for Halloween

With Halloween this week and being in the midst of another great year of college football, I have been asking myself the question, what college mascots would make the best costumes for this spooky night?

With there being so many to choose from, it is a question I have thought long and hard about, but at last, I have my answer. Sit back and grab some of your favorite candy as I dive into what mascots I would don for the holiday.

No. 10: Lil’ Red, Nebraska

Nebraska is one of many schools across the country to have two mascots. You would never catch me dressing up as Herbie Husker, but I most definitely would consider dressing up as Lil’ Red, the younger-looking, showstopping, nonchalant, inflatable counterpart.

Just by the angle of his hat, I know that this guy has some swagger that not many other mascots have, making him a great choice for this list.

No. 9: Gus the Gorilla, Pittsburgh State

Ever since what happened to Harambe in 2016, gorillas have always had a special place in my heart.

I could not think of a better way to honor the legend himself than dressing up as Gus, the gorilla mascot that represents Pittsburgh State. Better yet, those sunglasses for sure add extra style points to the costume, what else could someone ask for?

No. 8: YoUDee, Delaware

Do blue hens even exist?

The answer is surprisingly yes, making this costume all the better. YoUDee is a very creative name as well, and I love a good pun especially when it comes to sports.

The real selling point for me is that my favorite color is blue and my favorite food is chicken, so this seemed like a match made in heaven.

No. 7: Peter the Anteater, University of California, Irvine

Whoever had the idea to make the mascot for UC Irvine an anteater deserves an award of some kind. We see the same mascots over and over again. How many schools can you name with an anteater as the mascot?

One.

This might be the most unique mascot on the list and it for sure would make a good-looking costume as I go door to door getting myself some candy.

No. 6: Sammy the Banana Slug, University of California, Santa Cruz

The reason I said Peter the Anteater might be the most unique mascot on this list is because my guy Sammy the Banana Slug is right after him in my rankings.

Full disclosure, I actually hate slugs and absolutely despise them. However, Halloween is a scary night, so maybe someone else is as afraid of them as I am. This was enough of a reason for me to put Sammy here on my list.

No. 5: Big Red, Western Kentucky

With college football being such a history-rich sport, there are so many moments from the past for someone to choose as their favorite.

One of mine is when the Western Kentucky football team put their mascot, Big Red, on the players' helmets playing the different positions. Ever since that day, I have adored this monstrosity of a mascot, so this was one I automatically considered while constructing this list.

No. 4: The Blue Blob, Xavier

Another mascot that looks like a ball of color?

Yes, this is probably my favorite style of mascot. If I chose to do all mascots in sports you would have seen Grimace as an honorable mention for his impact on the New York Mets this year.

The Blue Blob however is in my opinion just as strong of a candidate, so I will definitely be considering this furry ball as a costume this year.

No. 3: The Nittany Lion, Penn State

Is this a little biased due to the fact I attend Penn State and have been a fan my entire life?

I will let you answer that question, but if you don’t think the Nittany Lion would make a good Halloween costume then you should answer my next question as well.

Do you even like college sports?

No. 2: Pete the Penguin, Youngstown State

Growing up playing Super Mario Galaxy on my Nintendo Wii, I fell in love with those little blue penguins. Penguins have been my favorite animal ever since, making Pete the Penguin one of my favorite mascots in college.

I went into this list wanting to put my dear friend Pete at number one, yet I knew with a clear conscience I couldn’t with what mascot I have next.

No. 1: Noble of Niagara, Niagara College

Noble of Niagara, where do I begin with you?

Easily the best name I have ever seen for a mascot, not to mention this guy is brand new to Niagara College, making his debut in September of this year.

A dragon wearing a knight costume would make the ultimate costume in my opinion, so with full confidence I put him here as I give my biggest round of applause to the school for giving us this beautiful creation.

As far as how I would go about acquiring these mascot costumes, I am at a loss. Maybe I could plan a heist of sorts and go to each of the schools kidnapping each one for my own personal enjoyment on this yearly holiday?

Until I figure out how to do that, I guess I will stick to Spirit Halloween.

Charles Wesolowski is a first-year majoring in journalism. To contact him, email cjw6772@psu.edu.