A mascot is a person/animal/person-in-an-animal-suit/something else that personifies the team’s name. If your team is named the Bulldogs, then a live bulldog, or a guy dressed as a bulldog, is your mascot.
A mascot serves the purpose of being a sort-of emotional touchstone for the fans. When the bulldog is led on his walk in front of the home team cheering section, the crowd goes wild.
USC (Southern California not South Carolina) still has a guy riding around the field on a white horse called Traveker
The horse is quite popular with USC fans and quite unpopular with everyone else. USC does like to bill Traveler as “College Football’s Greatest Mascot”, but they are given to hyperbole.
The most annoying live animal mascot is undoubtedly the Notre Dame Leprechaun.
Oh, that’s a human being.
Sorry.
http://www.angelfire.com/fl3/sport/FSUc.html
Florida State University has two ‘live’ mascots:
Cheif Osceola and his stallion, Renegade
From the site:
'The highlight of every home game occurs right after the
coin toss, when Chief Osceola and Renegade gallop to
midfield and plant the flaming spear. For the Florida
game only, the Chief will dismount and brandish the
spear at the opponent, (Gators), before planting it. ’
I find it hilarious that many schools have replaced live versions of their respective mascots with people in suits. I wonder if any of the Native American mascots are really Native American? Does anyone know?
The University of Michigan had a couple of live wolverines as mascots at one time (1920s or 30s, I think). Unfortunately, wolverines are pretty nasty animals, so they ended up having to stop bringing them to games.
I was one of the caretakers for the UT mascot, Bevo, while I went to school there. It is not drugged.
LSU still has a live bengal tiger as its mascot. According to the linked article, they are trying to make the tiger’s living quarters more like a tiger’s natural habitat.
University of Central Florida (UCF) has the Knights. Live knight on horseback, hanging around the endzone.
Horses (home games only) were provided by Medieval Times dinner show, but are provided now by Arabian Nights dinner show. I think the rider is provided by the show, not the college.
At one time, the Atlanta Braves had a live Native American mascot, Chief Nocahoma. He was eventually removed to add more seats where his teepee was.
Ralphie is an awesome mascot, although it takes half a dozen guys to control her on her big run around the field.
She isn’t drugged, but they do run her straight into the back of a truck so that she can’t get loose and make mischief, because no-one could stop her! Bison weigh a ton and aren’t particularly nice.
I don’t remember what kind of living arrangement she has at CU.
Hee hee hee… I’m sorry, it’s late and I’m tired, but I’m just finding it increasingly hilarious that SMU has a mascot whose name means “Potato” in Finnish. 
Texas Tech has a student on a black horse that circles the field after every touchdown at home games.
Like all those made against UT. Go Tech!
Colleges? Pro teams? Heck, my old high school had a live animal mascot. The Bengals. And yes, it actually is. Every few years, when it starts getting too big, they give it to the zoo and get a new one.
I think I heard about the Big Chief. They keep him in the opposing teams clubhouse now, drugged of course. Wouldn’t want a wild indian running around, causing mischief.
OK. I’ll bite. Who is UCSC and what is their mascot?
University of California Santa Cruz. The Banana Slugs. Points to the student body back in the 60’s for coming up with it, and later generations for managing to keep the school administration from changing it to The Sea Lions. Regularly voted the funniest team nickname in the country.
My school, Loyola College-Maryland has a Greyhound for its mascot. We rescued it from a Greyhound rescue program and it lives with one of the Jesuit/Professors in the Jesuit quarters. He brings “Alexander” with almost every where, including classes.
Seems to me that Evergreen College (Olympia WA) with their Geoduck mascot would be right up there. Perhaps the college is too small to make the ballot.
For those unfamiliar with the name, a geoduck (pronounced gooey-duck) is a large, phallic-shaped, clam that inhabits the shorelines of Washington state.
Since the teams marching band is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their famous kick return defense, I have to ask the question…what’s up with Stanford and its mascot…a tree. I know they are the Stanford Cardinal…the color not the bird…but whats up with the tree???