Georgia’s beloved English Bulldog mascot, Uga XI, will not be making the trip to Austin for this weekend’s game against Texas.
According to the Austin American-Statesman, Charles Seiler, Uga’s handler, explained the decision was due to logistical challenges rather than any hesitation to reunite with Bevo, Texas’ live Longhorn mascot.
The two mascots have a history together dating back to the 2019 Sugar Bowl, where Bevo famously broke through a barricade and charged at Uga X, Uga XI’s predecessor, causing a chaotic scene. However, Seiler emphasized that this incident had no bearing on their decision this year. Instead, it was simply the logistics of long-distance travel that kept Uga from attending the matchup.
“That’s a lot of wear and tear on the dog,” he told the Statesman. “…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, and we haven’t flown him yet, and he hasn’t been on a team bus yet.”
Seiler, who is now 64-years-old, said the demands of the trip also affected him.
“Maybe when I was a younger man, I could do that,” he said. “But my wife says that’s a no-go.”
While fans may be disappointed that the beloved bulldog won’t be in attendance, Uga XI will be cheering from home.
