College mascots are made to pump up crowds at football games. They high-five little kids, do the worm at basketball games and act as symbols of unquestionable joy for a campus. But on one night of the year, mascots carry the potential to be wicked scary. We’re talking Wicked Witch of the West scary. Here are 12 mascots that will surely give you goose bumps on Halloween. So if you see any of these characters, run.
Super Frog
Texas Christian University, home of the horned frogs, must have spawned their frightening amphibious mascot through mutation or radiation poisoning. Frogs were considered cool costumes and great pets until TCU added horns on one, grew it to human size and started feeding it steroid sandwiches. Seriously, I think I saw this play out in a Marvel comic book once, and it ended with the giant lizard eating all of us.
Traveler and Sparty
Trojans and Spartans (a la University Southern California and Michigan State University) duked it out like there was no tomorrow back in ancient Greece. Spartans were raised as trained assassins, and we still read epic poems about the Trojans because of their heroism. Unless you want your Halloween to end in bloodshed, I suggest you avoid these guys at all costs.
Lobo Louie
The University of New Mexico’s mascot Lobo Louie is normally as tame as a wolf can be, but on Halloween wolves reach a totally different level of lunacy. Suddenly they see a bright, full moon and start howling. (Put two and two together.) All I’m saying is look around and check to see if the moon is bright when Lobo Louie’s lurking.
The Demon Deacon
Wake Forest’s Demon Deacon looks normal enough with his classy bow tie, Lincoln top hat and clean white gloves. Exactly why it should come as no surprise that the look only serves as a façade for the real demon side that waits to cause mascot mischief on Halloween. Seriously, who even is this guy?
Sparky The Sun Devil
My heart pounds looking at this image of Arizona State’s devious mascot. The sun devil replicates the vintage angry devil look with horns and a pitch fork; add in the creepy French mustache and you arrive at most frightening childhood cartoon villain—times 10.
Cayenne
A cayenne pepper that somehow also resembles a used-car salesman with his suave orange hair, brows and pearly white teeth. What more is there to say? Thanks, University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
Billiken
The Saint Louis University Billiken is something concocted out of an elementary school art class. The misshaped head, those bunny ears and gaping eyes. The Billiken might be very pleasant and cordial on Halloween, but I doubt it. Most likely Billiken will try to cast a crazy spell on you.
WebstUR
Most college students don’t look forward to crossing any spider during a stressful day of class. So when the University of Richmond makes said spider human size and gives it permanently angry eyebrows, people will understandably start crying for their mommies.
Paladin
Oh, great. Here comes a chivalrous knight in shining armor to your rescue.
Nope: It’s Furman University’s paladin arriving on Halloween to joust you for all your miniature Twix bars—all of them.
Yosef and The Mountaineer
Appalachian State and West Virginia University’s mascots are both mountaineers, seemingly hard-working, salt-of-the-earth type mascots. However, if you find yourself venturing into the woods and your only salvation is by way of these woodsy-folk, politely decline and find your own way back to civilization. We’ve all seen enough scary movies to know what happens next.
