JUST IN: Georgia State confirms a major decision regarding its football games against Georgia Southern
Georgia State has prohibited Georgia Southern from bringing its live bald eagle mascot, Freedom, to Saturday’s football game in Atlanta, requiring the visiting team to leave the bird in Statesboro. While the decision aligns with existing rules, some consider it unpatriotic.
Despite being just under 200 miles apart, these two in-state rivals have faced off only 10 times since 2014, with Georgia State holding a 6-4 edge in the series. This weekend’s game will mark the 11th meeting and the first under an official name: the “Georgia Grown Bowl,” sponsored by the Georgia Department of Agriculture and Georgia Grown to highlight the state’s leading industry. The winner will receive the Commissioner’s Cup, presented by Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper.
Unfortunately, Freedom, the 20-year-old bald eagle that has been Georgia Southern’s mascot since 2004, won’t be part of the event. After being rescued due to an injury that made survival in the wild impossible, Freedom has lived at Georgia Southern’s Center for Wildlife Education for the past two decades.
Georgia State has barred Georgia Southern from bringing Freedom, their live bald eagle mascot, to the upcoming football game, citing liability concerns for the ban on live mascots—a policy that apparently affects more than just the eagle.
But does this mean the Panthers have an anti-American sentiment? Some are starting to wonder…
At Georgia Southern’s home games, Freedom traditionally soars over Allen E. Paulson Stadium, but understandably, he doesn’t perform at away games. Still, the outright ban on his presence is seen by many as a weak move, especially considering that other schools, like West Virginia, have allowed Freedom without issue.
Steve Hein, Freedom’s handler and the Executive Director of the Wildlife Center, has safely managed the eagle without any incidents, making the risk of problems extremely low.
Regardless of the policy, keeping Freedom in Statesboro feels like an unnecessary and disappointing decision.