Okay, okay, not if, but if Lee Corso picks Indiana, what will he wear on Saturday?

For those who are living under a rock and somehow don’t know, ESPN College Gameday will broadcast live from Bloomington on Saturday before IU and Washington’s noon ET opener.

That means former IU football coach Lee Corso will be back in Bloomington.

And when Corso makes his matchday predictions, he traditionally wears the headgear of the mascot of the team he is picking. In fact, Saturday marks Corso’s 420th headgear prediction.

It’s not always a head covering. There were full costumes and even live animals appeared when it came time for Corso to make his call.

But there’s just one problem this weekend: Indiana doesn’t have a mascot.

As Indiana’s coach for a decade (1973-1982), Corso is familiar with this.

There have been many attempts to develop a mascot throughout the history of IU Athletics. Officially, IU states that 16 actual or proposed mascots have been associated with its athletics programs over the years. Below we summarize some of the most memorable.

Will Corso pick one of these when predicting a Hoosiers win?

Corso might remember: “Mr. Hoosier Pride,” a strange looking guy who seemed to have no real connection to IU or Hoosiers. He lasted one season in 1979.

The mascot that has lasted the longest and is probably still the most popular today is the bison. The bison once roamed throughout Indiana and appears on the state seal. From approximately 1965 to 1973, various versions of the bison mascot costume appeared.

This bison mascot costume was designed by Disney and cost IU$1,400.

A dog named Ox, Theta Chi’s mascot, unofficially served as IU’s mascot in the late ’50s and early ’60s.

So we assume Corso could be wearing a bulldog headgear? Probably not.

The next one might be even more bizarre than Mr. Hoosier Pride.

The 1950s Hoosier Schoolmaster mascot was inspired by a book of the same name by Edward Eggleston. The book explains the origin of the nickname “Hoosier” for Indiana residents.

According to an IU release, this mascot hobbled into the gym during basketball season and became more athletic as the tempo of the music increased. The mascot finished the performance with tumbling passes and stunts to get the audience excited.

There was also an owl, a raccoon, a golden eagle and even a cub, all of which spent brief periods there more than 100 years ago. And a goat, a skunk and a collie were among the many suggestions that never saw the light of day.

With mascots like that, you can see how Indiana ended up without one.

And since the selection of mascot costumes is limited, perhaps Corso will take an alternative route.

Remember those inflatable IU football players from the ’90s? Maybe Corso could put one of these backstage? Okay, probably not.

There are always the legendary IU basketball warmups. Corso was good friends with Bob Knight when they were both on campus.

Fans would surely love this look.

Perhaps the best headgear would be a Corso-era IU helmet.

There were a few different versions in its day, but the “Block I” is probably the best known.

And of course there’s Corso’s own iconic shirt and pants from his time in Indiana.

On a day when fans will “red” Memorial Stadium, perhaps this is the way to go:

For complete coverage of IU football, click HERE.

The Daily Hoosier – “Where Indiana fans gather when they’re not at the meeting.”

Related