BOWLING GREEN — The stars of Bowling Green State University’s sidelines have earned their just due.
The power siblings Freddie and Frieda Falcon were named the eighth-best college mascot in America, according to a survey published this week.
The survey published by Quality Logo Products rated the best and worst for being fun and friendly, among other criteria.
“These lovable characters embody pride in their schools and enthusiasm for their teams — often with some hijinks and killer dance moves for emphasis,” the website reads.
Willie the Wildcat of Northwestern was rated as the best in America.
Memphis’ Pouncer, South Alabama’s South Paw and Miss Pawla, U.S. Air Force Academy’s the Bird, and U.S. Naval Academy’s Bill the Goat rounded out the top five.
Freddie and Frieda Falcon ranked ahead of Minnesota’s Goldy Gopher (ninth) and UCLA’s Joe and Josephine Bruin (10th).
Pistol Pete from Oklahoma State was rated as the worst mascot in America.
Second-worst was Purdue’s Purdue Pete, followed by Louisiana Lafayette’s Cayenne, UNLV’s Hey Reb!, and Hawai’i’s Vili the Warrior to round out the bottom five.
The study was conducted with a total of 1,266 participants, the website said. All 128 colleges and universities in NCAA Division I that had eligible “costumed characters” were up for selection and ranking.
According to the survey data, 3.48 percent of voters were from Ohio, and 3.24 percent were from Michigan. The participants were 55.4 percent male, 43.6 percent female, and 1 percent non-binary, with a median age of 36. Geographically, 270 voters were from the Midwest, using the U.S. Census Bureau’s definition of regions. Four hundred seventy-four voters were from the South, and California turned out the most voters by state at 12.24 percent.
First Published August 27, 2021, 4:00 p.m.
