Ranking all 68 of 2018 NCAA tourney teams by mascot
Having trouble with your March Madness bracket? Need something to help you decide whether to pick a favorite or that bracket-busting upset that will deliver an eventual win?
This is the list that should help push you over the edge. For a third consecutive year, we're ranking all 68 of the NCAA tournament teams based on their name or mascot.
Hopefully, it'll help you win your pool or just appreciate how many awesome monikers and mascots there are out there.
68-64 (tied). Villanova Wildcats, Kansas State Wildcats, Davidson Wildcats, Kentucky Wildcats, Arizona Wildcats
I base these rankings on a fairly informal formula made up of creativity, threat level of the mascot and the costumed critter itself. And where's the creativity here? I know these teams have been Wildcats for a while, but it doesn't mean they have to keep using one of the most common monikers. Here's an idea: Whoever goes farthest into the tournament gets to keep the nickname. Everyone else has to change it by next season.
63. Syracuse Orange
Won our last place award in 2016. Still isn't threatening.
62. LIU Brooklyn Blackbirds
61. Cincinnati Bearcats
For a third straight year: Bear or cat. Not both. Don't care if bearcats are real.
60. North Carolina Central Eagles
And now, a few of other much-used nicknames.
59. Texas Southern Tigers
58. Missouri Tigers
57. Clemson Tigers
56. Auburn Tigers
55. Georgia State Panthers
54. Penn Quakers
Too peaceful, and the mascot's a tad creepy.
Howard Smith-US PRESSWIRE
53. Providence Friars
Speaking of creepy: GAH!
52. Loyola Chicago Ramblers
Original, yes, but the origin story?
In 1926, a more informal but much more binding process finally gave Loyola's teams their nickname - Ramblers. That year, the football team traveled extensively across the United States, "rambling" from place to place for games, thus earning the nickname "Ramblers".
Eh.
51. Lipscomb Bisons
I dock serious points for typos and grammatical errors. So, apologies, Lipscomb, but the plural of Bison is …
50. Bucknell Bison
… Bison.
49. Creighton Bluejays
Bluejays don't exist. Blue jays do, though.
48. Virginia Tech Hokies
47. Houston Cougars
46. Charleston Cougars
45. Wright State Raiders
44. Buffalo Bulls
I can't look at this and not see "Bills" instead.
43. Murray State Racers
42. UCLA Bruins
41. St. Bonaventure Bonnies
Wouldn't be funny if other schools followed this naming convention? The Alabama Bammies. The Villanova Novies. The Xavier Xavies.
40. Texas A&M Aggies
Kind of like this.
39. Kansas Jayhawks
38. Tennessee Volunteers
37. Ohio State Buckeyes
TIL that this mascot is a giant nut. Classic, yes, but I'm not scared of a nut even though I'm allergic to it.
36. NC State Wolfpack
35. Nevada Wolf Pack
Seems like you can use either one?
34. Seton Hall Pirates
33. Rhode Island Rams
32. Montana Grizzlies
31. Purdue Boilermakers
Good drink, weird mascot.
30. Texas Longhorns
29. Arkansas Razorbacks
28. CSU Fullerton Titans
Elephants are awesome.
27. Alabama Crimson Tide
See above.
26. Florida State Seminoles
Flaming spears are also great.
25. Butler Bulldogs
24. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Generic, but DOGGIES.
23. Iona Gaels
22. South Dakota State Jackrabbits
21. Florida Gators
20. Michigan Wolverines
19. West Virginia Mountaineers
18. Oklahoma Sooners
How can you not love the Sooner Schooner?
(Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
17. Virginia Cavaliers
16. Xavier Musketeers
As I said last year, we need a fencing match between the Cavalier and D'Artagnan.
15. Texas Tech Red Raiders
Then, let's see this one face off against …
14. New Mexico State Aggies
… Pistol Pete!
(Photo by Sam Wasson/Getty Images)
13. North Carolina Tar Heels
Please don't @ me again, Rameses.
12. Miami Hurricanes
11. UNC Greensboro Spartans
10. Michigan State Spartans
9. Duke Blue Devils
8. Arizona State Sun Devils
7. TCU Horned Frogs
One of my all-time favorite mascots because it looks like an alien.
(AP Photo/LM Otero)
6. Marshall Thundering Herd
That nickname right there is the best. Who wouldn't want to be part of a herd that thunders?
5. San Diego State Aztecs
Jeremy Brevard-Paste BN Sports
4. UMBC Retrievers
He's named True Grit and he's a retriever dog. What more could you want?
3. Wichita State Shockers
Three straight years of top-5 finishes for the super scary giant pile of wheat.
2. Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks
1. Radford Highlanders
Have you seen what the mascot looks like?
AMAZING. Between the beard, the costume, the muscles, the headband and all the "THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!!!" jokes, this deserves the No. 1 spot.
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