Bevo XV, the university's live longhorn mascot, was not permitted to travel to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for this weekend's rematch against Georgia. The sheer size of the steer that weighs more than 1,700 pounds was the issue, as the SEC did not feel it had enough space for an enclosure that could humanely house Bevo for the game.

"When we received the request for Bevo to be on the sideline in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, our staff looked at several alternatives including the sideline location," the SEC said in a statement to ESPN. "The reality is there is limited sideline space at the stadium. We can't jeopardize the safety of Bevo or the game participants. With the narrow sidelines, location of multiple sets for television and camera carts, there is not enough space. While we want to honor tradition across the conference, the space limitation is a reality."