uga's mascot tradition
2018 Rose Bowl Game Champions
Uga V, 1990-99 “UGA IV’s Magillicuddy II” Record: 65-39-1 In the first game of 1990, Uga V officially began his reign as the Georgia mascot, taking over from his father Uga IV, who passed away at his home in Savannah on Feb. 26, 1990. Uga V was the last pup sired by Uga IV and was born on March 6, 1990. Named in honor of one of the greatest Bulldogs, Dan Magill, former Assistant Athletic Director for Public Relations and longtime tennis coach and sports information director. Surprisingly, the Seiler family became aware that Uga IV’s mate was expecting only 10 days before the litter was due. This notice came a week after Uga IV had passed away at his home in Savannah from kidney failure. There were only three pups in the litter and the last one born on March 6 was the only solid white male. Uga V had been perhaps the most well known of all the Bulldog mascots, highlighted by his appearance on the cover of the April 28, 1997, Sports Illustrated which declared him the nation’s best college mascot. Rocketed to stardom, he also appeared in Clint Eastwood’s “Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil” — filmed in his hometown of Savannah, Ga. He died on Nov. 22, 1999, just over two months after his retirement. Epitaph: “Nation’s Best College Mascot”—Sports Illustrated
Uga VI, 1999-2008 “Uga V’s Whatchagot Loran” Record: 87-27
Uga VI
In 2007, Uga VI became the winningest mascot in school history and owned a record of 87-27. The fall of 2008 would have been his 10th season after Uga VI reigned over more games than any other mascot with 114. He died on June 27, 2008. In his last game, the Bulldogs defeated Hawai’i 41-10 in the 2008 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The pregame passing of the bone ceremony from Uga V to his heftier and friskier son, Whatchagot Loran, took place at the 1999 Georgia-South Carolina contest. Only a year old at his coronation, Uga VI stood as the biggest of all the Uga mascots weighing in at 65 pounds — 20 pounds heavier than his father. His first season climaxed in a magnificent come from behind victory over Purdue at the Outback Bowl in Tampa. The 2000 season ended in Hawaii, but due to the distance and a quarantine rule, Uga VI missed the O’ahu Bowl, marking the first time the Georgia mascot had missed the postseason game since the 1969 Sun Bowl. Alongside first-year head coach Mark Richt, Uga VI saw his third consecutive 8-4 season, which included a 26-24 win at then-No. 6 Tennessee for the Bulldogs’ first win in Knoxville since 1980. Uga VI and Georgia experienced their best run in two decades during the 200205 seasons. That stretch included 44 wins, a pair of SEC titles and appearances in the Sugar, Capital One and Outback Bowls. In 2007, Uga VI passed Uga IV (77-24-4) for the most wins of any bulldog in school history.
Uga VII, 2008-2009 “Loran’s Best” Record: 16-7 The seventh in the Uga line of Georgia mascots was introduced to the Georgia people on Aug. 30, 2008, during pre-game ceremonies of the Bulldogs’ season opener against Georgia Southern. “Loran’s Best” officially became “Uga VII,” when he was introduced for the first time to the Sanford Stadium crowd prior to kickoff of the Georgia vs. Georgia Southern game. He was escorted onto the field by members of the Frank W. “Sonny” Seiler family of Savannah who have owned the continuous line of mascots
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since Uga I took up the mantle in 1956. Uga VII passed away unexpectedly on Nov. 19 of heart-related causes. It was the Thursday before the final home game of the 2009 season and the Bulldogs did not have a live mascot at the game. Instead, a wreath was placed on UGA VII’s doghouse, and the players wore a special UGA VII decal on their helmets to remember him. “Russ,” the five-year-old half brother of Uga VII, served as the Bulldog mascot for the Georgia Tech game in Atlanta and helped his squad to a 30-24 win. He was the first substitute mascot since “Otto” in 1986. Epitaph: Gone Too Soon
Uga VIII, 2010 “Big Bad Bruce” Record: 4-2 Born Sept. 12, 2009 in Savannah, Ga., Uga VIII is the grandson of Uga VI. He carried on the tradition of more than 60 years of all-white bulldogs bred by Frank “Sonny” Seiler and family. Uga VIII was named in honor of Dr. Bruce Hollett from the University’s School of Veterinary Medicine. Dr. Hollett has been a longtime caregiver for the famed line of Uga VIII English bulldogs. UGA VIII served six games in the 2010 season before he became ill and missed the AutoZone Liberty Bowl. He passed away with lymphoma on February 4, 2011. Epitaph: He Never Had a Chance
Uga IX, 2012-14 (“Russ”, 2009-2012: 16-9) Record: 44-19 “Uga IX, formerly “Russ,” the half-brother of Uga VII, served as interim Bulldog mascot for a total of 25 games. He worked nine games during the 2009 and 2010 seasons after Uga VII and VIII passed away. He roamed the sidelines at all 14 games during the 2011 season. He then served for two wins at the beginning of the 2012 season before being promoted as Uga Uga IX IX prior to the Florida Atlantic game on Sept. 15, 2012. His time as mascot included the 2011 and 2012 SEC Eastern Division championships, three road wins at Georgia Tech, a victory over Texas A&M in the 2009 Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La., and a win over Nebraska in the 2013 Capital One Bowl. He was the first substitute mascot since “Otto” in 1986. Epitaph: He endeared himself to the Georgia people. His dedication to duty when called upon was exemplary.
Uga X, 2015-Present “Que” Record: 31-10 Uga IX officially retired as the Bulldogs’ mascot at the end of the 2014 season. After a three-month “audition” in that role, his grandson “Que” was formally crowned as his successor in a collaring ceremony prior to the Georgia-Georgia Southern game on Nov. 21, 2015. Que assumed the title of Uga X at the age of 2 1/2 years. During his audition, he made appearances at the Countdown to Kickoff event in July 2015, as well as Picture Day in August, before presiding over the entirety of the 2015 football season. Que capped his inaugural season by leading the team to a 24-17 victory over Penn State at the 2016 Taxslayer Bowl.
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