Why is Georgia mascot Uga not present in Austin? Exploring infamous rivalry against Texas’ Bevo

Georgia’s beloved mascot, Uga, won’t be making the trip to Austin, Texas, this weekend, leaving fans of both the Bulldogs and Longhorns disappointed. The high-voltage SEC matchup between the No. 1 Texas Longhorns (6-0, 2-0) and the No. 5 Georgia Bulldogs (5-1, 3-1) will take place at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.

However, the infamous rivalry between these two schools’ mascots, Uga and Bevo, will be absent from gameday. Fans were looking forward to seeing both of them on the field together. Their first meeting was in the 2019 Sugar Bowl, where Bevo charged at Uga.

Uga’s owner, Charles Seiler, put rumors to rest, clarifying that the decision wasn’t based on the 2019 incident. Instead, it was about Uga XI’s age and inexperience.

"This dog hasn’t been on a plane yet and hasn’t been on a bus yet. He is really young and immature and crazy as hell, and this game just wasn’t a good fit for us," Seiler said.

Traveling five hours from Georgia to Athens was also one of the factors behind Seiler’s decision.

“That’s a lot of wear and tear on the dog," Seiler said. "Those games way out in the middle of the country are hard for us to get to. This dog that we have — well, he’s not new — but he’s only two-and-a-half...”

Fans hoping for another face-off between Uga and Bevo may still get their wish later in the season, with both Texas and Georgia vying for a spot in the College Football Playoff. The rivalry is far from over.

Georgia Bulldogs mascot history

The Bulldogs have a long-standing tradition of success in college football, but perhaps no symbol is as iconic as their mascot, Uga. Since 1956, Uga, an English Bulldog owned by the Seiler family, has graced Georgia’s home games as its mascot.

However, before Uga became the face of the Bulldogs, Georgia’s mascot history was a wild ride. The first canine mascot was Trilby, a Bull Terrier, in 1894. The university had a mix of animals, including a goat named “The Goat” in 1892, who sported a black coat with red lettering.

Uga wasn’t always able to attend every game. In those moments, temporary mascots like Bugga Lou, Argos and Otto stepped in, each leaving their own mark on Georgia’s sports culture.