Monday would have been Selection day for the NCAA Tournanment, and I, like many, am really bummed out about that. As a way to capture a little bit of the magic that college baseball usually gives us this time of year, I have ranked all the past winners of the CWS in order of whose mascot would win in a smackdown. I'm back at it again, and I don't even need actual live sports to do it.
29. Stanford- 1987, 1988
https://pixabay.com/photos/tree-tops-trees-branches-bare-trees-2991743/
Mascot: Cardinal but let's not lie to ourselves, it's a tree
My Ranking: 29- As a wise woman once said "It's going down, I'm yelling timber".
28. Oklahoma- 1951, 1994
https://twitter.com/AronoffOFFICIAL/status/682690479742447618/photo/1
Mascot: Sooners
My Ranking: 28- Oklahoma is a lot ~sooner~ on this list than expected.
27. Ohio State- 1966
https://twitter.com/SECCountryUF/status/904033609144815616/photo/1
Mascot: Buckeyes
My Ranking: 27- It feels good when Ohio State isn't at the top of every ranking for once.
26. Wichita State- 1989
https://twitter.com/Crawford_MILB/status/974726240887173120/photo/1
Mascot: Shockers... a bale of wheat
My Ranking: 26- This one probably isn't very ~shocking~ since how intimidating can a bale of wheat be?
25. Wake Forest- 1955
https://twitter.com/DemonDeacons/status/1261642558188462081/photo/1
Mascot: Demon Deacons
My Ranking: 25- I'm not discrediting the power of deacons everywhere, but this one especially looks like an old man who'd bust a hip.
24. Minnesota- 1956, 1960, 1964
https://pixabay.com/photos/ground-squirrel-gopher-cute-5060965/
Mascot: Golden Gophers
My Ranking: 24- I mean this little guy looks like he might want to kill you, but other than that, gophers don't instill much fear in the hearts of their enemies.
23. Oregon State- 2006, 2007, 2018
https://pixabay.com/photos/beaver-pond-wildlife-aquatic-cute-1448389/
Mascot: Beavers
My Ranking: 23- This dude looks like he's seen things.
22. Rice- 2003
https://pixabay.com/photos/barn-owl-bird-owl-nature-wildlife-1107397/
Mascot: Owls
My Ranking: 23- So majestic.
21. South Carolina- 2010, 2011
https://pixabay.com/photos/chicken-hen-free-running-animal-3727097/
Mascot: Gamecocks
My Ranking: 21- Don't get too ~cocky~ South Carolina, your mascot is just a glorified chicken. Colonel Sanders could take care of you real fast.
20. Coastal Carolina- 2016
https://pixabay.com/photos/animal-avian-bird-feathers-macro-1867562/
Mascot: Chanticleers
My Ranking: 20- Coastal Carolina said "we want a chicken too but make it fancy". Technically, its a rooster but whatever.
19. Georgia- 1990
https://pixabay.com/photos/dog-animal-bulldog-pet-puppy-cute-1246029/
Mascot: Bulldogs
My Ranking: 19- Look at his little face.
18. Fresno State- 2008
https://pixabay.com/photos/bulldog-puppy-dog-animal-cute-pet-2144110/
Mascot: Bulldogs
My Ranking: 18- If this was a contest for sharpest dresser, this little guy would take the cake, but alas, it's not.
17. Michigan- 1953, 1962
https://pixabay.com/photos/animal-world-mammal-nature-animal-3065318/
Mascot: Wolverines
My Ranking: 17- Personally, I would run for the hills before squaring up with this jumbo rodent.
16. Virginia- 2015
https://twitter.com/ryanfagan/status/842413974469672960/photo/1
Mascot: Cavaliers
My Ranking: 16- The first of the 3 Cs.
15. Holy Cross- 1952
https://twitter.com/jihadwatchRS/status/976622823555895296/photo/1
Mascot: Crusaders
My Ranking: 15- Keep 'em coming. (P.S. Holy Cross actually dropped their knight mascot a couple years ago but still uses the crusader nickname)
14. Vanderbilt- 2014, 2019
https://twitter.com/RedditCFB/status/848915338930655233/photo/1
Mascot: Commodores
My Ranking: 14- If someone put a gun to my head and lined up these 3 Cs and told me to name who's who, absolutely no promises that I wouldn't be shot.
13. USC- 1948, 1958, 1961, 1963, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1998
https://twitter.com/KeckMedUSC/status/872889567887667201/photo/3
Mascot: Trojans
My Ranking: 13- Don't let the peace sign fool you, as you can see by their number of championships, trojans know a thing or two about winning.
12. Oklahoma State- 1959
https://pixabay.com/photos/cowboy-sunset-lake-dusk-country-283449/
Mascot: Cowboys
My Ranking: 12- You know how the saying goes- "I should've been a cowboy".
11. Pepperdine- 1992
https://twitter.com/pepperdine/status/925106050222653440/photo/1
Mascot: Wave
My Ranking: 11- I can't tell if having a body of water as a mascot is a good thing or a bad thing. Like, yes, the ocean is strong and mighty but a puddle sure isn't.
10. Texas- 1949, 1950, 1975, 1983, 2002, 2005
https://pixabay.com/photos/mascot-sports-texas-longhorn-1416220/
Mascot: Longhorns
My Ranking: 10- Omaha's not just known for CWS; we also make a mean steak.
9. Arizona- 1976, 1980, 1986, 2012
https://pixabay.com/photos/leopard-wildcat-big-cat-botswana-515510/
Mascot: Wildcats
My Ranking: 9- I can only think of "High School Musical" Jokes. Here goes nothing... I guess Arizona really has their head in the game.
8. Florida- 2017
https://pixabay.com/photos/nile-crocodile-crocodile-alligator-245013/
Mascot: Gators
My Ranking: 8- The only alligator I could get along with is the one from "Princess and the Frog".
7. LSU- 1991, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2009
https://pixabay.com/photos/animal-tiger-big-cat-safari-1868911/
Mascot: Tigers
My Ranking: 7- You can't have a mascot ranking without at least one tiger.
6. Missouri- 1954
https://pixabay.com/photos/tiger-predator-animal-tooth-roar-500118/
Mascot: Tigers
My Ranking: 6- I haven't seen "Tiger King", but even I know that Carole Baskin killed her husband and fed him to the tigers.
5. UCLA- 2013
Mascot: Bruins
My Ranking: 5- Don't let the name fool you, it's a bear.
4. Cal- 1947, 1957
https://pixabay.com/photos/leopard-wildcat-big-cat-botswana-515510/
Mascot: Bears
My Ranking: 4- It looks like this guy's already posing for his victory picture.
3. Miami- 1982, 1985, 1999, 2001
Mascot: Hurricanes
My Ranking: 3- Mother nature is no joke- she'll mess you up.
2. Arizona State- 1965, 1967, 1969, 1977, 1981
https://twitter.com/ForTheWin/status/647193240245022720/photo/1
Mascot: Sun Devils
My Ranking: 2- The devil works hard, but at least one team's mascot works harder.
1. Cal State Fullerton- 1979, 1984, 1995, 2004
https://pixabay.com/photos/elephant-safari-animal-defence-1421167/
Mascot: Titans, but they use an elephant
My Ranking: 1- Am I biased, because the titan was my high school mascot? Maybe, but come on, they're gods- what tops that? Bonus points for them also utilizing my favorite animal.
