The Hilltoppers and the Lady Toppers are the official names of Western Kentucky University's athletic teams. But their mascot is actually what lovable and furry character with WKU on his stomach?

It's hard to say just what Big Red is. Before the 1979 college basketball season, a student at Western Kentucky named Ralph Carey says he'd create a mascot for their teams. At first, he created a bear with the letter "W" on it, but ultimately decided against an animal, instead designing a big red blob whose first costume he built by hand for $300.

Asked by Tom Cohen · Last updated 5 years ago · 3.3K views