Pac-12 mascots share last dance, emotional hug during final title game
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Even the Oregon Duck, Wilbur and Wilma Wildcat, Benny Beaver and the other Pac-12 mascots were soaking up the final moments of the Pac-12 title game, before realignment begins and the conference becomes a shadow of itself.
The 12 schools’ mascots all danced, took a photo together and shared hugs during — and after — Washington’s victory over Oregon in the Pac-12 title game Friday in Las Vegas, seemingly understanding that it might be their final time together on the same football field.
At one point, gathered behind the corner of an end zone, the group danced to “Can’t Hold Us,” by Mackelmore and Ryan Lewis.
Then, according to sportswriter Rodger Sherman, the group continued hugging after the after they’d left the field — “when they got off stage and presumably were allowed to drop the mascot act,” Sherman wrote in a post on X — and were away from the game, with Sherman’s photo capturing Oski, the California Bears’ mascot, and Harry the Husky embracing.
The mascots even participated in the national anthem pregame, helping hold the individual United States flags on the field.
But the Pac-12’s future was a somber storyline to the Huskies’ thrilling 34-31 victory that all but clinched their spot in the College Football Playoff.
Everything started in June 2022, when USC and UCLA announced their intent to leave the Pac-12 for the Big Ten starting in 2024.
Earlier this year, Oregon and Washington said they’d leave for the Big Ten, too — ignoring the cross-country travel logistics and assembling a powerful football conference to keep pace with the SEC.
But when Arizona, Arizona State and Colorado announced plans to leave for the Big 12, and when Stanford and Cal did the same for the ACC, it left just two schools — Oregon State and Washington State — remaining in the Pac-12.
The Beavers and the Cougars agreed to a partnership with the Mountain West where they’ll get six opponents from that conference for the 2024 season, the Associated Press reported Friday.
“It is sad to see it happen, for that to be the last football game,” Washington head coach Kalen DeBoer said, according to the AP. “I think the other part was understanding how strong the conference was this year. There were eight teams, I believe, that at one point were ranked in the Top 25 and we played the best ones and one of them twice. I don’t think there’s anyone else in the country that’s gone through what we’ve gone through.”
After Washington’s win and undefeated regular season, though, it appears the conference will have a representative in the College Football Playoff.
Michael Penix Jr. completed 27 of 39 passes for 319 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while Dillon Johnson ran for 152 yards and two touchdowns.
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