BLOOMINGTON (WISH) — As IU football braces for its biggest game since the 1968 Rose Bowl, a memory from those old glory years may be rejoining the program. From 1965 through 1969, a mascot in a wooly and wild bison costume patrolled the Hoosier sidelines.

Now, according to IU Bloomington student body president Cooper Tinsley, Bloomington is once again abuzz over bison. The student congress has just approved a measure calling for a permanent place for one on the sidelines.

“Back in the 1960s, student government passed a similar resolution to what we just did now, declaring the bison our campus’ official mascot,” Tinsley explained in a game day interview on Daybreak.

Tinsley acknowledges a key reason the mascot did not last. “People weren’t incredibly happy with how the bison mascot looked back then.”

Tinsley hints that modern costuming should solve that problem. He also says the state’s past fueled the push for the bison, but back in the ’60’s and again, now, in the ’20’s.

“The bison is the call to our state seal and our state’s history,” Tinsley says. “The resolution that we passed on Monday kind of draws on that.”

The student measure is strictly symbolic at this point, but Tinsley is pushing it foward to those who can make a final decision. “I’ve delivered the bill itself, along with the sentiment of the student body and our excitement, to Scott Dolson, the Athletic Director. They’re taking it under consideration.”

Asked if the Bison could return sometime during the Hoosiers’ current playoff run, Tinsley says such a timeline is likely a bit too ambitious. He also says, quite diplomatically, that a makeover might be a very good idea first.

“I don’t think they want to bring out the old one, considering how non-aesthetically pleasing it is.”

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