The 2010 mascot fight between Brutus Buckeye and Rufus the Bobcat became an instant classic for football fans and alumni of both schools even if the rivalry on the field itself isn't too notable.
Ohio State University's Brutus trotted out onto the football field before the game that sunny afternoon day in September 2010 when out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ohio University's Rufus come running at him.
In videos of the incident, Brutus is seen shrugging off Rufus as he falls to the ground around the 35-yard line. Brutus then jogs to the endzone.
That's when Rufus came back with a vengeance. Rufus pounced, jumping on Brutus' back and repeatedly punching him in the mascot's nutty face.
After Brutus recovered, he got up and put his arms up in disbelief as Rufus was escorted away.
Rufus wasn't kicked out of the stadium that day, but Brandon Hanning, who wore the Bobcat costume, was sanctioned by Ohio University. While he was no longer an Ohio University student and attended Hocking College, Hanning was banned from Ohio Athletics.
It was just 30 seconds, but the moment lived on after national news outlets around the country ran reports on the story. Hanning was even interviewed by ESPN for his antics and how he pre-planned the attack.
Hanning did not respond to WOSU's multiple requests for comment.
The Buckeyes won the game 43-7. Since 1999, the Buckeyes hold a 3-0 lead over the Bobcats in football.
Ohio University’s athletic department released a statement the following Monday after the game in 2010.
"The department does not condone this behavior and apologizes for the negative effects that this had on an intercollegiate event between two proud institutions," the statement said.
Sean Stazen donned the Brutus costume that day and remembers what happened well, even if it was a bit confusing to him at the time. Stazen told WOSU he didn't expect the moment to go as viral as it did, but he often uses it as a fun fact when talking to people about his time as Brutus.
Stazen was a senior that year and in his second football season as Brutus.
Stazen said the first odd thing that day was how Hanning was not present before the game at the changing area for mascots. He said he was even more confused to see Rufus on the sidelines of Ohio Stadium when the Buckeyes trotted out, when a mascot would normally be waiting with the team they represent.
Stazen likens Hanning's attack to a scene from the 1994 movie "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective."
"The visual that came to mind was Ace Ventura when they go into Ray Finkel's room and there's the Dan Marino posters all over with the double horns and the X's and all that kind of stuff... that's what this (Hanning's) dorm room looks like, but he has pictures of Brutus everywhere like this was an elaborate plot of attack," Stazen said.
Stazen wasn't allowed to speak to the media after the game about the fight. The university responded to media requests by stating “Our mascot, Brutus Buckeye, does not speak and we would not want to break that long-standing tradition.”
Hanning told ESPN that September he didn't know exactly how it would happen, but that was the whole reason he tried out for the Rufus job.
"I told my friends about it when I tried out. That was it. They thought it would be awesome," Hanning said.
Both head coaches had comical quips about the fight following the game.
Ohio University Head Coach Frank Solich said "Obviously, we needed to tackle the guy with the ball and not the mascot."
OSU Head Coach Jim Tressel, who is now Ohio's lieutenant governor, joked that Brutus was "probable" for the Buckeyes' next game.
Stazen said Tressel taught a class for him that year and the coach came up to him the following Monday to joke about the mascot fight.
Stazen said he expects there will be some kind of fun reference made to the fight at the game on Sunday and Brutus may be keeping a closer eye on Rufus.
"Little extra attention, a little swivel on his head, but no, and I'm sure there'll be some sort of nod to it, maybe not like a very overt way, but if you're at the game on Saturday, there'll be some sort of Easter egg in how those two mascots interact," Stazen said.
The mythos around the fight has lived on in both fan circles. While Buckeye fans may roll their eyes a little, some bars in Athens display the photo. The Post, Ohio University's student newspaper, memorialized the fight in a political cartoon the next week.
An Ohio University spokesman said Rufus will be at the game this Saturday and might engage "in a little lighthearted mascot side-eye – just for old times’ sake."
An Ohio State Athletics spokesman didn't say if they'll provide Brutus with any extra security at the game.
