He wasn’t on the field, but “Hoosier the Bison” remained in the hearts of Indiana Hoosiers fans for generations. And now, he’s back. Indiana announced on Tuesday that Hoosier the Bison will return as the school’s official mascot.
Hoosier will be back for the 2025-26 academic season. with his first appearance coming in Indiana’s’ 2025 college football season opener against Old Dominion on Aug. 30.
In December 2024, the Indiana University Student Body Congress passed the “Bring Back the Bison Act.” A Bison has historically been a state symbol for Indiana, with Hoosier the Bison debuting in 1966 but then being asked to leave after 1969.
Hoosier the Bison is returning to Bloomington at a time when Indiana sports are on the upswing. On the gridiron, the Hoosiers are coming off an 11-2 season highlighted by the program’s first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff in Curt Cignetti’s first year as head coach.
Meanwhile, the women’s college basketball team has made the NCAA Tournament in each of the past five seasons, and the men’s college basketball team has a new head coach in former West Virginia head coach Darian DeVries.
As Hoosier the Bison looks to stick this time around, the first matter to keep an eye on is how he’s greeted by the Indiana home crowd after a rocky departure in 1969. And as the college football season progresses, will he stir it up with other Big Ten mascots like The Oregon Duck, Bucky Badger and Sparty?
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