Will Bevo XV Make Trip to Columbus for Texas Longhorns vs. Ohio State Buckeyes?

AUSTIN -- The No. 1 Texas Longhorns will be opening up the regular season on Saturday in Columbus against the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes.

The two teams clashed last season in Texas at the Cotton Bowl during the College Football Playoff Semifinals, a game that Ohio State won, 28-14, to advance to the National Championship.

Texas' live mascot, Bevo XV, was in attendance for that game, but he won't be making the trip up to Ohio for the 2025 opener.

Bevo XV Won't Travel to Columbus

Texas Longhorns live mascot steer Bevo XV during the College Football Playoff. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

According to reports from The Columbus Dispatch, Bevo XV won't be making the trip to Ohio State due to "logistical issues," which includes a 17-hour drive to Columbus and an early start time for the game.

“We used to do more away games than we do now,” said Ricky Brennes, executive director of Bevo's the Silver Spurs handlers, per The Dispatch. “Some of that was because way back in the Southwest Conference and then in the Big 12 there were a lot more schools in closer proximity than we have now in the SEC. Also, stadiums have been renovated and changed to where a lot of these stadiums are getting much tighter to the field than they were previously. That’s often a factor we use to determine whether we ask or get permission to go.”

Bevo XV is beloved among Texas fans and players alike. Last season, Longhorns safety Michael Taaffe ran over to celebrate in front of Bevo's inclosure after making a game-sealing tackle against the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

Texas safety Michael Taaffe celebrates with Bevo after getting the fourth-down stop to seal the win.

Longhorns beat Clemson 38-24 in the College Football Playoff.#HookEm pic.twitter.com/X491HjQsk9
— Zach Dimmitt (@ZachDimmitt7) December 22, 2024

However, not everyone agrees with Bevo's placement on the sidelines in Austin or elsewhere.

Prior to the Cotton Bowl in January, PETA released a statement to SEC commissioner Greg Sankey, calling for the removal of Bevo from his sideline inclosure for what the organization labeled as a "senseless and dangerous stunt."

The headline of the statement read "Don’t Bully Bevo! PETA Calls for Live Longhorn Mascot to Be Spared Cotton Bowl Attendance."

"Bevo deserves to spend his days grazing with his herd," PETA wrote in the statement. "Being forced into a stadium full of bright lights, screaming fans, and frightening noises is stressful—even terrifying—for sensitive, intelligent animals like longhorns, and this stress could cause Bevo to react in ways that might result in injury to himself or others, as we saw back in 2019 when he charged Uga at the Sugar Bowl."

Texas and Ohio State will kick off from Columbus on Saturday at 11 a.m. CT on FOX.