The Cutest Live College MascotsAnimals have long been a part of college sports. And it's no surprise that the most enduring – and adorable – of these fan-friendly, fun-loving furballs are dogs

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Rocky I, UNC-Asheville's Victorian bulldog

This athletic, affectionate pooch isn't just 85 lbs. of slobbery, black-and-white-spotted school spirit. He's also a former pound pup. Adopted from an Alabama animal shelter by two UNC-Asheville alums in 2008, the gregarious fellow immediately showed he was mascot material. After settling in with his new owner – a mathematics professor at the university who admits that his new charge has, in fact, been known to eat homework on occasion – Rocky was introduced as the school's top dog in 2009, where he has found a new leash on life cheering on Asheville's teams.