Continuing the family legacy, the mantle of handling and caring for UGA’s mascot passed from father to son in 2007. The first floor of their home – with direct access to the backyard – belongs to Uga, leaving the rest to Charles, Wendy, and Cecil Seiler.

With his spiked collar, snow-white fur, custom-made jersey, and Bulldog swagger is perhaps intercollegiate football’s most well-known mascot: Uga. The first purebred English Bulldog to assume the honorable role was I, who was introduced to the University of Georgia football team’s sidelines by Cecelia and Frank W. “Sonny” Seiler of Savannah, Ga., in 1956. The name “Uga” — an abbreviation for the university — was given by William Young of Columbus, a law school classmate of Seiler. 

With the introduction of the “Uga” line of bulldogs came the birth of true mascot tradition. Each of the UGA mascots is awarded a varsity letter — identical to those the athletes receive — in the form of a plaque. Each Uga jersey is custom-made at the start of each season from the same material used for the players’ jerseys, and is destroyed at the end of each season. During games, Uga takes his stand in an air-conditioned dog house on the cheerleaders’ podium to stay cool in the Southern heat. And to this day, the University of Georgia is the only major college that actually buries its mascots within stadium walls. In marble vaults near the main gate in the embankment of the South stands lie Ugas I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII and VIII, enjoying eternal rest in the electric spirit of Sanford Stadium.

Photos / Michael Hrizuk

With all of this rich history and impressive lineage to live up to comes Uga X, the most recent heir to the University of Georgia Bulldogs’ mascot duty. While it is Uga X’s birthright to inherit the throne, he still had to prove his prowess to rally the rest of the Georgia Bulldogs.

After a three-month audition period in 2014, Uga X officially took over his grandfather’s spot on the sidelines of the University of Georgia Bulldogs home football games. Uga X is the tenth bulldog (all descendants of the first) to play the part of mascot for the University of Georgia. He started his mascot career with success by leading the team to victory over Penn State in the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl. While starting on a promising note, it’s safe to say Uga X’s first year pales in comparison to his most recent year’s mascot duties. This year, Uga X was proud to lead his team as they “bulldozed” the Alabama Crimson Tide in a 33-18 victory to capture the 2021 National Championship Title to wrap a nearly perfect season.   

“Sonny” Seiler takes a moment with Uga VI (2006). Photo: Colin Douglas Gray

As it turns out, there is a lot more to being the UGA mascot than bloodline — you must have the full package. Uga X’s handler, Charles Seiler, disclosed that four main factors contributed to Uga X’s ascension: noise and heat tolerance, easy-going temperament, and ravishing good looks. Having appeared on the sidelines at 72 games, Uga X has seen and done it all. However, he still gets caught up in the moment, and deals with the excitement by literally taking a bite out of it. And by that, we are referencing the time Uga X showed his spunk and lunged at an Auburn wide receiver mid-game. Seiler described that as the receiver landed behind Uga X near the sideline, it startled the mascot, and he did his darnedest to protect the UGA sideline. For the receiver’s sake, we’re glad Uga X ran out of rope before contact. 

The original pewter bowl Seiler’s mother used to feed all the dogs since the 1950s.

As one could imagine, mascot duties are exhausting. The pageantry of NCAA Division I football is not for the faint of heart; so, Uga X makes plenty of time for recuperating and preparing for his duties. According to Seiler, his day begins when he wakes up at 6 a.m. to eat, and he promptly falls asleep again, only to wake for lunch at two. After lunch, he naps again until dinner and hangs out until bedtime at 8 p.m. This lifestyle explains why 2022 National Championship viewers noticed Uga X fast asleep on the field, mid-game. “In Indy, he got up early to do Good Morning America (6 a.m.), and then a meeting with the Butler University Bulldog (10 a.m.). So he was on his feet from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.,” explains Seiler. “So adding that into the 10 hour drive from Athens the day before and we did the last shot of ESPN GameDay just prior to kickoff (8 p.m.) makes for a long day for a dog that usually hits the sack at 8 p.m..” 

For all the Uga X fans out there, we are happy to report that Uga X has “no plans for retirement” any time soon. Go dawgs! 

 After the game is over and during the off season, how does this four-legged favorite spend his time? Uga’s owner and handler Charles Seiler shared some bonus fun and frivolous facts about his football loving fur baby with South.  

Q & A

South: Where did his given name, Que, come from? 

Charles Seiler: His breeders must name the dogs early in order to tell them apart. They claim, because he is white, his curlicue tail, Q-tips, or Cue ball. 

S: Does he have a good luck charm or his own little mascot he likes to travel with?  

CS: He has specially made kennel mats that fit his box exactly. If they lay flat, he can sleep more comfortably. We still use/have the original Pewter Bowl my mother used to feed all the dogs since the 1950s. 

S: Would you mind telling us more about the pewter bowl your mom used and how it came to be?  

CS: She needed to feed the dog, and found the bowl in a cabinet, and it matched the purpose and we’ve been using it ever since.  

S: Does he have a favorite splurge meal?  

CS: He likes Chick-fil-A, or Five Guys Burgers (he always gets any treat sparingly over his dry dog food). When Uga travels with the players, they always have a bag of food in their seat. Uga knows it and will root around to see if anything has hit the floor. Usually, the only thing that hits the floor is a banana, lettuce, tomato & pickles. 

S: What is a typical game day like for Uga and what is his favorite thing about game day? 

CS: Depends what is on the schedule. We try to limit extra game day activities to keep him from napping at the game. Up early and to sleep late. Homecoming games are extremely busy. He also gets invited to be on ESPN, College Game Day. He’s made seven appearances. As soon as we put him in his box, in his car, he knows he is going, and seems to relax about finally being on the way. We prepare for games on Wednesday, so he is on pins and needles until we leave.  

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