Steers On The Grill And In Hog Food Heaven, Fans ‘Gobble Up’ These Nicknames
It’s one thing for LSU fans to yell out “hold that Tiger,” even tho their mascot is a Tiger. And it’s quite another thing for a fan of the Arkansas Razorbacks to roast a pig at a tailgate party.
Yet it happens – there’s a lot of good BBQ in Arkansas even when the Hogs are not playing – as well as similar things on other college campuses.
You don’t see people eating Tigers, Bears, Nittany Lions or Cougars and you certainly can’t sink your teeth into a Crimson Tide. But while there are not many of them, here is a list of college football programs whose fans actually eat their own team’s mascots.
• Arkansas Razorbacks
Schools all over the country have BBQ at tailgate parties and that’s certainly the case at Arkansas. Don’t they realize their mascot is a pig?
• Florida Gators
Alligator meat is something that is consumed more in the swamps of Louisiana than the swamps of Florida, but it does happen in the Sunshine State. Alligator meat is low in fat and cholesterol and an excellent source of protein. The tail, which consists of white meat, has a flavor that has been compared to veal.
• Colorado Buffalos
Have any Buff fans ever been to Catalina Island in California? If so, then chances are they have had a Buffalo Burger and most certainly had a Buffalo Milk cocktail. Of course, one doesn’t have to go to Catalina to get a Buffalo Burger. Several places sell them right there in Boulder, among them Mountain Sun Pub & Brewery, The Buff and Mustard’s Last Stand.
• Texas Longhorns
Now if you don’t think Texas fans love their BBQ, burgers and steaks then you don’t know your steer from you heifer. While they may not specifically eat a Longhorn, they do eat beef and Longhorns were originally Texans bred Longhorns specifically to eat them.
• Virginia Tech Hokies
The term “Hokies” actually refers to a Virginia Tech fan and the mascot is something called the “Hokie Bird.” Basically, it’s a turkey. And Hokies eat a lot of turkey, especially around Thanksgiving (tho not necessarily at the games). Originally, when the school was known as Virginia Polytechnic Institute, the team’s nickname was the Gobblers. Gobble up that one, folks.
Borderline Mascot Eating Teams
Maryland Terrapins
Ever had turtle soup? I have no actual evidence that Maryland fans have it at games, tho it is possible fans do eat it on occasion. It is important to note that Terrapin fishing is illegal in Maryland. It was long a popular food item dating back to when Andrew Jackson at it in the White House. One appealing element for tailgating Maryland fans is that the soup recipe calls for a healthy dose of sherry. Which leads us to our next team…
This Team’s Fans DRINKS Their Mascot
Purdue Boilermakers
Okay, technically the Boilermakers don’t refer to the drink, although I’ve had plenty of fans tell me a lot of them are consumed on game day. That is what they interpret their nickname to be, at least among students and fun alumni. This means while Purdue fans don’t eat their mascot, they drink it. Cheers to all you Purdue fans!
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