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A blob? A hill? What exactly is Western Kentucky University’s mascot “Big Red?” According to Sports Illustrated, Big Red is number eight on its list of the top 10 greatest mascots in college football history.
Plush, charming and utterly lovable, Big Red is celebrated on the list for its signature moves – the belly slide and belly shake.
Creator Ralph Carey didn’t want the mascot to depict a stereotypical Kentucky “hillbilly,” and he also didn’t want an animal mascot. The result? The large, fuzzy, red blob that has graced the hearts of Hilltoppers since 1979 and whose legacy will keep growing.