When it came time to choose an official mascot, the Chancellor proposed for the sea lion, while the student body pushed for the banana slug. According to UCSC’s official website: "After five years of dealing with the two-mascot problem, an overwhelming proslug straw vote by students in 1986 convinced the chancellor to make the lowly but beloved Banana Slug UCSC's official mascot. By the time the chancellor had left office, he was won over to the proslug camp, even to the point of featuring the Slug on his personal holiday card."

Otto the Orange — Syracuse University
Syracuse is known for its severe winters. They average nearly 120 inches of snow per year, and it’s not uncommon for it to snow on Graduation Day, in May. So, their mascot should be a Yeti or a Blizzard or even a snowflake, but instead it’s a giant Orange with arms and legs, despite the fact that there is no way an orange could grow in such a harsh climate.

Otto the Orange hasn’t always been Syracuse’s mascot. For years, they were known as the Saltine Warriors, until the Native American student organization protested against the mascot in 1978. Syracuse was without a mascot while many rogue wanna-bes vied for the students’ affection.

From Sports Illustrated, 1984:

"These free-lance mascots include the Dome Ranger, an insurance agent in an orange cowboy outfit and blue mask who reads dome poems over a local radio station before games; Dome Eddie, a gnatlike figure in orange sweats, Elton John glasses and an incandescent fright wig; and the Beast from the East, an electric-green cross between the Loch Ness monster and Klinger. Finally, there's The Orange, a juiced-up, bumbling citrus fruit from which two legs encased in furry brown booties protrude. It's known on campus as 'the official embarrassment.'"

But now Otto is embraced by all. In fact, in 1995, Chancellor Shaw appointed a committee to recommend a new mascot and the student body was outraged, signing petitions and dawning signs of support for Otto at athletic events.

Check out Otto's signature roll and subsequent dance moves! If that doesn't strike fear in the hearts of opponents I don't know what will.

Stanford Tree — Stanford University
This one might be a bit controversial, because the Stanford Tree is NOT the official mascot of Stanford. And no, the official mascot isn’t a Cardinal, either. The “Cardinal” refers to the color, and not the bird. But we couldn’t leave the Tree off this list.

The Tree was introduced by the band in 1975 and received so much attention that it became the unofficial mascot. When you think about a tree as a mascot it seems weird, but not completely bizarre. But then you look at that costume. Those big doe eyes, that huge grin, and what might be the only mascot without arms.

The other unique part of this mascot is the one who dons the costume is responsible for making the Tree for the next season.

The main thing that is bothersome about the Stanford Tree is now it seems like a more fitting mascot for rival Cal-Berkeley.

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