Ranking all 18 Big Ten Mascots

USA Today

29-06-2025

The Big Ten conference has some of the most aesthetiycally intriguing and iconic mascots. Whether it be the standard-bearing Oregon Duck, which somehow interprets the concept perfect, or USC, whose human and costume mascots add a unique flair to their program, each program has a distinct hype man backing them throughout their history..or, as some fanbases may come to find, none at all.
18. Indiana Hoosiers
One of two Big Ten schools without a mascot, there's a lot going against Indiana at the bottom. The first reason being that traditionally, Indian has not been a powerhouse Big Ten school for quite some time despite having some success on the gridiron. Add in the fact the the Hoosiers is very much tailored to the state's rich basketball history and that may be the reason why Indiana can't find a mascot to satisfy all fronts.
17. Michigan Wolverines
The other school surprisingly without a mascot, at the very least, Michigan has slightly more aura surrounding its program than the Hoosiers. Their rich footballing history combined with their classic maize and blue color scheme give them the edge in the mascotless race.
16. Iowa Hawkeyes
Mascot Name: Harry the Hawk
The first school with a mascot on this list, Harry the Hawk does not quite fit the intimidating nature of the team's uniforms. The beak on the head is too unwieldy and unappealing and counteracts the aesthetic of adding a uniform. It would be much higher if they figured out a more presentable beak.
15. Purdue Boilermakers
Mascot Name: Purdue Pete
The low ranking for Purdue Pete stems from the head. It's highly offputting and eliminates all of the visually appealing things going on with the rest of the outfit, including the camo pants and the hard hat. Plus, it doesn't really fit the model of what a "Boilermaker" could potentially be.
14. Illinois Fighting Illini
Mascot Name: Kingfisher
Surprisingly, a school with the nickname "Fighting Illini" does in fact have a mascot. And while Kingfisher is perfectly okay and is a much better concept than many other Big Ten schools, the clash between an intriguing mascot and an offputting team nickname is enough to scratch your head. Maybe history will be on Kingfisher's side in the long term, but for now, it's a bit befuddling for the Illini.
13. Maryland Terrapins
Mascot Name: Testudo
While some might find a turtle as a mascot somewhat confusing, I actually like the look of Testudo. It's almost as if he's half Pokemon and half Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. That aesthetic, at least in my mind, somehow works a lot better than I ever imagined. At the very least as well, it's an effort to be creative with a weird nickname.
12. UCLA Bruins
Mascot Name: Joe Bruin
Joe Bruin is just a classic middle of the pack kind of mascot that doesn't overdo anything but still might not do enough for certain people. It's a good-looking bear at best, but the color clash between the blue and gold jersey and the brown fur makes it look a bit Build-a-Bearish at worst. Not a good look for a blueblood college sports program.
11. Northwestern Wildcats
Mascot Name: Willie the Wildcat
Willie The Wildcat has an underrated feel to him. Whether it be the way the name rolls off the tongue or because off the interesting color choice of his fur, Willie might not gets the flowers he deserves for simply fitting the part of what a classic mascot should be. Cool name? Check. Cool design? Check. Most importantly, do you fit the school nickname? Check. Willie the Wildcat is about as solid as you can get for a mascot in the conference.
10. Washington Huskies
Mascot Name: Harry the Huskie
With really nothing much separating both Willie and Harry either aesthetically or stylistically, at least the Washington mascot can hang its hat on being the best ranked mascot named Harry in the conference.
9. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Mascot Name: Goldy Gopher
With an off-putting nickname such as the Golden Gophers, it must have been hard to come up with a cool concept for Minnesota. However, they somehow pulled it off with Goldy. Her two front teeth are a major selling point and add to the goofiness of the costume. However, a more intimidating look could have seen Goldy higher on this list. However, kudos to Minnesota for trying to get funky with the idea of a gopher.
8. Penn State Nittany Lions
Mascot Name: Nittany Lions
Unfortunately, bias is a large aspect as to why Penn State's Nittany Lions is this high. Despite the cool nickname and the somewhat decent looking lion costume, the teeth are too creepy and the fur and blue and white color scheme don't quite fit together. However, you can't knock the school you write about too hard and it isn't all that bad when you combine it with the school's crazy atmospheres at football and basketball games.
7. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Mascot Name: Sir Henry the Scarlet Knight
It's sometimes hard to pull off a knight mascot considering how bold you might have to go, but Sir Henry is executed to near perfection. He manages to pull off the scarlet and white color scheme better than the teams that wear them. The only points that I would take off are for the disproportionate head. It's a little bit too goofy to fit the whole knight image.
6. USC Trojans
Mascot Name: Tommy Trojan
It's one thing to have one cool mascot. Having two on the other hand, is quite the feat to pull off. USC do it in style, with the human Trojan riding in on a horse to hype up the crowd and one of the best looking "royal" mascots of the Big Ten, Tommy Trojan, to back it all up. Also, a more intimidating aesthetic is thus created, putting them a bit higher on the list than Sir Henry.
5. Ohio State Buckeyes
Mascot Name: Brutus the Buckeye
Having the coolest name in the conference, Brutus checks off a lot of boxes: a cool looking head, great design, the scarlet and grey striped shirt, and somehow, the ability to represent a kooky nickname that otherwise would not make sense in the slightest. For that, Brutus just about breaks into the top 5.
4. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Mascot Name: Herbie Husker
A mascot finally not named Harry but still begins with the letter H, Herbie is forgiven for not exactly being a Cornhusker. Perhaps the most intimidating of the human mascots in the Big Ten, Herbie is the closest thing to a everyman mascot in the conference. Plus the overalls and boots totally add to the Midwestern vibe as well the classic red cowboy hat.
3. Wisconsin Badgers
Mascot Name: Bucky Badger
Bucky Badger might just be one of the most cerebral mascots of the Big Ten. Somehow the misshapen head works and combines really nicely with the red and white pinstriped shirt. He is a classic in the conference and won't soon be forgotten in the annals of college football history.
2. Oregon Ducks
Mascot Name: The Oregon Duck
The Oregon Duck could very well make the case for the No. 1 spot on this list. To make a duck mascot more iconic than Aflac's in college sports is difficult and yet Oregon have cracked the code. Equal parts goofy and scary, it shouldn't work as well as it does. But if the Ducks continue to rise in the college sports landscape, the Duck will go down in history as one of the most unusually fascinating mascots of all time.
1. Michigan State Spartans
Mascot Name: Sparty
Nothing quite beats tradition in college sports, and Sparty the Spartan is steeped in it. Roaming the sidelines since 1955, Sparty represents the tradition of the Big Ten unlike any other program in college sports. He's more than a mascot at some times, he's an institution that is instantly recognizable to those who love college sports. Quite simply a perfect mascot to round off this list.