Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor, August 1, 2014
As we posted Tuesday, the Chicago Tribune conducted a poll on the Big Ten's best mascot. At the time, Herky and Brutus were well ahead of the competition and involved in a two-mascot race. Then, something crazy happened. Let's just say, Purdue fans hijacked the poll, to the point that it went from last to the runaway winner, finishing with 5,422,716 votes (74 percent).
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Regardless of what happened (bot), the poll is proof Big Ten fans are as passionate as any fan base. Check out this stat: The typical Chicago Sports poll generates between 500 and 2,000 votes, according to the Trib, and this one received seven million (!).
Well done, Big Ten fans.
Here's the top 5:
1. Purdue Pete (Purdue): 5,422,716 votes (74 percent)
2. Sparty (Michigan State): 876,059 votes (13 percent)
3. Brutus Buckeye (Ohio State): 729,461 (9 percent)
4. Bucky Badger (Wisconsin): 123,676 votes (2 percent)
5. Goldy Gopher (Minnesota): 109,705 (2 percent)
