No, Bevo? SEC tells Texas there is no room for its 1,700-pound longhorn in title game against Georgia

ATLANTA– The Southeast Conference championship match there will be no other confrontation with the mascots.

The league said there was not enough sideline space at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta to No. 2 Texas will bring its 1,700-pound Bevo XV longhorn.

The Longhorns will face No. 5 Georgia in the game for the title SATURDAY.

The teams feature two of college football’s most famous mascots. There should be enough secondary space for Georgia’s pure white English bulldog, the much smaller Uga XI.

Before the 2019 Sugar Bowl at the New Orleans Superdome, Bevo XV knocked down his barrier and began charging at Uga X, who was Uga XI’s predecessor as the Bulldogs’ mascot. Texas handlers were able to remove Bevo before the huge animal caused any damage.

This won’t be a problem in Atlanta.

“When we received the request for Bevo to be on the sideline at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, our staff reviewed several alternatives, including location on the sideline,” said SEC spokesman Chuck Dunlap. “The reality is there is limited space at the side of the stadium. We cannot jeopardize the safety of Bevo or any participants in the game.”

In addition to crowded sidelines, Mercedes-Benz Stadium also offers field suits just behind the benches.

“With the tight confines and placement of multiple stations for TV and camera carts, there is not enough space,” Dunlap said. “While we wish to honor tradition throughout the conference, space constraints are a reality.”

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