Why is Texas mascot Bevo banned from attending Peach Bowl? SEC's decision on 1,700 pounds Longhorn explored

Texas Longhorns mascot Bevo XV won’t be joining the team at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl as they face Arizona State in the next round of the College Football Playoff. This decision follows Texas’ dominant 38-24 victory over Clemson at home in the playoff opener last Saturday.

Why is Texas mascot Bevo banned from attending the Peach Bowl?

Bevo XV won’t be making an appearance at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl this year. According to the organizers, space constraints at Mercedes-Benz Stadium make it impossible to safely accommodate the massive 1,700-pound steer on the sidelines.

The Peach Bowl organizers shared in a statement on Monday:

"We love all of the great traditions of college football and no doubt Bevo is one of the best, but the unfortunate reality is there simply is not enough room on the sidelines of Mercedes-Benz Stadium," their statement read.

"With the constraints of the stadium and prioritizing the safety of Bevo, the players, all the network cameras, support staff, cheerleaders, and photographers, we unfortunately will not be able to have Bevo on the field at the CFP Quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl”

Bevo XV, whose horns span over 58 inches, has faced similar restrictions at this venue before, including during the SEC Championship game.

Texas mascot Bevo made headlines for its showdown with Georgia's mascot

Earlier this month, the Longhorn steer was also barred from entering Atlanta's stadium for the SEC Championship game against Georgia. The decision likely stems from an incident at a previous Sugar Bowl when Bevo broke through a barricade, nearly trampling Georgia’s mascot, Uga, and some bystanders at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

According to Taste of Country, this is the 15th Bevo mascot, a tradition dating back to the early 1900s. Interestingly, there are few, if any, confirmed reports of the steer having negative interactions with humans.

Texas Monthly once compiled a list of rumored Bevo incidents, including a clash with SMU cheerleaders (Bevo II) and an encounter with Baylor’s band (Bevo V).

Thus, when the Longhorns face Arizona State on New Year's Day, Texas mascot Bevo will be notably missing from the sidelines.