Top 10 best college football mascots 2023 feat. Georgia's UGA, Oregon's Duck, and more

College football season must be on the horizon because it is time to break down our top ten college football mascots. Mascots can range from inspirational to annoying.

Mascots range the gambit from college students forced into a sweaty costume for hours on end to real-life animals that embody the spirit of their university.

Professional sports mascots don't carry the same cache as college mascots. These mascots bring the pageantry of college football to life. Without further adieu, let's take a closer look.

Best College Football Mascots Ranked

1) Donald Duck - Oregon Ducks

Oregon ducks mascot name

How could Donald Duck not top the list of college football mascots? The Duck loves to party, talk trash, and surf the Oregon crowd.

2) UGA - Georgia Bulldogs

Georgia Bulldogs Mascots: Chick-fil-A

UGA is awesome. The Bulldog has become so much of a tradition that the name UGA has been passed down through generations of bulldogs as the college football mascots.

3) The Stanford Tree - Stanford Cardinal

Stanford cardinal mascot

Yes, the mascot is a tree. You would think that would make the Stanford mascot dull and boring. By the looks of the mascot, you would think a 4th grader made it. The tree rocks out and brings the party to life.

4) The Leprechaun - Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Notre Dame Mascot

Notre Dame is one of the classic football programs in the storied history of the game. The leprechaun is a phenomenal representation of the program--tough, hard-working, and dependable.

5) Mike the Tiger - LSU Tigers

LSU tigers Mascot

Mike the Tiger is a majestic animal. There's something about seeing that beautiful tiger on the sideline of an LSU game down in the Bayou.

6) Brutus Buckeye - Ohio State Buckeyes

Big Ten Championship - Ohio State v Wisconsin

Brutus Buckeye epitomizes the Ohio State football program. There's nothing high-tech about Ohio State. There's no flash, no bells and whistles, just a solid, sturdy college football program. The same adjectives can be used to describe Brutus.

7) Chief Osceola - Florida State Seminoles

Chief Osceola is one of the badasses amongst the college football mascots. Imagine being a Seminole football player or fan and not getting fired up at the sight of Chief Osceola riding in with a spear lit on fire. Do you not have a pulse? Chief Osceola has fired up the Florida State faithful for as long as I can remember, and his pregame routine is second to none.

8) Aubie the Tiger - Auburn Tigers

NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament - Practice Day - Birmingham

What separates Aubie the Tiger from other tiger mascots? He's awesome. That's what. Aubie is one of the college football mascots, who is never afraid to mix it up and get dirty, running down the Auburn sideline. You can regularly see Aubie mixing it up in the coed section. Auburn's mascot has rightfully risen in the ranks of college football.

9) Sparty - Michigan State Spartans

NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament - Second Round - Greenville

Would you want to pick a fight with Sparty? I think not. You're more likely to wind up at the bottom pit "This is Sparta" style. Sparty is a bit of a throwback, but who doesn't like a good classic? Give me Sparty getting the Michigan State faithful fired up any day.

10) Smokey - Tennessee Volunteers

Tennessee v Vanderbilt

What can I say, "I'm a dog lover." Smokey epitomizes the Volunteer program--loyalty. A beautiful-looking dog that is a regular at the Tennessee games, Smokey is as much a part of Tennessee culture as Peyton Manning or Rocky Top.

Do college football mascots get paid?

Mascots are those brave souls who make it their purpose to entertain the crowd. Their resistance toward the team and the game deserves to be compensated with some dollars. Although NFL mascots make around $60,000 every year, college mascots are paid through tuition. Most Division 1 mascots have a full-ride scholarship.