9 Of The Craziest Things In SEC History

Proud owner of 14 prestigious college football programs, producing seven consecutive national championships, twelve NFL first round draft choices, and a budget that crushes the GDP of Samoa, the Southeastern Conference collects the most coveted ratings, rankings, and revenue of any conference in college football. Here are nine of the craziest things in SEC history.

1. Harvey Updyke

en.wikipedia.org / Via favim.com

Harvey Updyke, a University of Alabama fan, poisoned Auburn University's famous Toomer's trees in 2011 "in retaliation for photos that he claimed to have seen in the Birmingham News that depicted Auburn fans rolling Toomer's Corner after announcement of former University of Alabama head-coach Paul "Bear" Bryant's death in 1983."

Updyke confessed his crime on Paul Finebaum’s radio talk-show and hung up saying, “ Roll damn Tide!”

2. Reveille VIII

harpercollins.com / Via pinterest.com

Texas A&M’s collie mascot who has her own Facebook page, is the highest-ranking member of the school’s Corps of Cadets, and who the cadets address as “Miss Rev, ma’am.” If she jumps onto the bed of a Cadet and falls asleep, the Cadet has to sleep on the floor rather than disturb her. And if her handler is in class and she barks during the professor’s lesson, the class is to be dismissed immediately.

3. Mike the Tiger

en.wikipedia.org / Via giphy.com

LSU’s tiger mascot. On home football game days, Mike's cage on wheels is parked by the opponent's locker room at the southeast end of Tiger Stadium. Opposing players must pass by Mike's cage in order to reach their locker room. (However, Mike is never forced into his trailer: if he does not go in on his own, he remains in his habitat.) With his cage topped by the LSU cheerleaders, Mike rides through Tiger Stadium before the start of home games. According to LSU folklore, LSU will score a touchdown for every one of Mike's roars on game day. Many students seek to take a picture with Mike on graduation day wearing cap and gown.

4. War Eagle

en.wikipedia.org / Via auburntigers.com

Since 1930, and continuously since 1960, Auburn has kept actual eagles as live, untethered mascots flying over the football stadium at athletic events, and a Raptor Center on Campus where they take care of them. War Eagle VII, a Golden Eagle named Nova, performs the War Eagle Flight before all Auburn home games at Jordan–Hare Stadium.

5. 2013 Iron Bowl

harpercollins.com / Via sports.politicususa.com

During the Iron Bowl, 82% of the televisions in Birmingham had been tuned to the game.

6. Tebow Mania

[e-mail] Jason Getz / Via projects.ajc.com

The Florida Gators quarterback who inspired many marriage proposals, Tebow-ing (kneeling in public places), and “Tebow Mania."

7. The Earthquake Game

en.wikipedia.org / Via brightestyoungthings.com

At LSU vs Auburn at LSU’s Death Valley Stadium in 1988, a last minute touchdown caused the nearly 80,000 fans to erupt in excitement and the crowd noise registered on a seismograph.

8. Uga

bleacherreport.com / Via saturdaydownsouth.com

Uga, UGA’s bulldog mascot, has tried to bite players on opposing teams. Uga V’s widely-known bite at Robert Baker was later recognized as ESPN’s “Play of the Year.”

9. Texas A&M’s Midnight Yell Practice

bleacherreport.com / Via s116.photobucket.com

"The Texas A&M Aggies have the most epic tradition in all of college football. Tens of thousands of fans file into Kyle Field on the eve of a contest to take part in "Midnight Yell," a customary gathering during which Aggie faithful get fired up by rehearsing their yells for the next day. This isn't a cheerleading group coming together just to shout; this is an organized monsoon of passionate Texas A&M fans itching for the game to begin."

For an all-access pass into the powerhouse teams and passionate fanbases of the legendary Southeastern Conference, read My Conference Can Beat Your Conference by ESPN’s legendary radio talk-show host Paul Finebaum.

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