Best College Mascots Ranked: Oregon Duck vs. Ohio State's Brutus

Players and coaches come and go, but the one thing that Oregon Ducks fans can rely on season after season to stay the same is their beloved mascot.

The Duck had an eventful first year in the Big Ten Conference, looking to prove its place among the best mascots in the new conference.

As Oregon’s second Big Ten season is set to begin, ESPN writer Ryan McGee ranked the best mascots in college football. He distributed mascots in four different categories: costumes, mechanized, humans and live animals.

The Oregon Ducks mascot walks the sideline during the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Ohio State Buckeyes at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

To no surprise, the Oregon Duck found itself in the rankings. The Duck ranked first in McGee’s top five in the costume rankings.

1. The Duck (Oregon)

2. Brutus (Ohio State)

3. Big Red (Western Kentucky)

4. The Stanford Tree (Stanford)

5. Keggy the Keg (Dartmouth)

McGee said that the Duck’s viral tour of Big Ten stadiums before the 2024 season would be reason enough to land its spot on the list.

“The Duck has written the book on how to be a feathered friend to one's fan base in the modern era, from holding signs over Lee Corso's shoulder on ‘College GameDay’ to the stadium entrance GIF that every human with a smartphone has either seen or used,” McGee wrote.

Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes mascot Brutus and the Oregon Duck interact during the first half of the NCAA football game at Autzen Stadium | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Ohio State Buckeyes’ mascot, Brutus, was the only other Big Ten mascot to secure a spot in any of the four categories. The Ducks and the Buckeyes have a brewing rivalry on the field, playing two games last season, including a matchup in the College Football Playoff.

But the Duck and Brutus are competing off the field for not just the best mascot in the Big Ten, but in the nation. While the Duck is known for its social media presence and wearing flashy outfits, McGee called Brutus the model for “person in clothes but with a plastic head.”

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One of the first interactions between the two occurred during last summer’s Big Ten stadium tour when the Buckeye chased the Duck away from Ohio Stadium. The duo was among the conference mascots who appeared in recent videos wreaking havoc at the Big Ten Network offices. The Duck engaged in a chaotic chess match with Harry the Husky and Purdue Pete.

This chess match got intense 😅 pic.twitter.com/BwYMx5mfdg
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) July 11, 2025

Oregon isn’t slated to play the Boilermakers or the Buckeyes in the regular season, so another 2025 link up between the Duck and Brutus or Purdue Pete might not be in the cards. The Ducks do conclude the regular season on the road at Washington, so the two longtime rivals will meet again before the postseason.

Oregon’s 2025 Mascot Matchups

Aug. 30: (Montana State) The Duck vs. the Bobcat

Sept. 6: (Oklahoma State) The Duck vs. Pistol Pete

Sept. 13: (Northwestern) The Duck vs. Willie the Wildcat

Sept. 20: (Oregon State) The Duck vs. Benny Beaver

Sept. 27: (Penn State) The Duck vs. Nittany Lion

Oct. 11: (Indiana) The Duck vs. Hoosier the Bison

Oct. 18: (Rutgers) The Duck vs. Scarlet Knight

Oct. 25: (Wisconsin) The Duck vs. Bucky Badger

Nov. 8: (Iowa) The Duck vs. Herky the Hawk

Nov. 14: (Minnesota) The Duck vs. Goldy Gopher

Nov. 22: (USC) The Duck vs. Traveler

Nov. 29: (Washington) The Duck vs. Harry the Husky