Meet the official mascot of HucksOnline: “Huck.” Digger provides this intro to the dog that he & Spazz own in Moscow: “This is Huck. He was named Huck because (a) Hucks Online is my favorite blog; (b) Spazz and I both thought it'd be fun in case we got a black lab we could name Jim and (c) he was a rescue dog found in a huckleberry patch. Notice that reason (A) has to do with you.”

Monte, the University of Montana’s ever-gregarious mascot, is one of eight finalists in the national Capitol One Mascot of the Year contest. The university’s cuddly bear is currently in third place behind Old Dominion’s “Big Blue” and the University of Texas El Paso’s “Pay Dirt Pete.” Monte, of course, is a two-time defending champion, having claimed the title in 2002 and 2004. United Mascots on Tuesday announced the eight finalists who will advance to the playoffs. Rounding out the final eight playoff mascots is Ohio State’s “Brutus,” “Puddles the Duck” from the University of Oregon, defending champion “Bearcat” of the University of Cincinnati, “Joe Vandal” of the University of Idaho, and Western Kentucky’s “Big Red”/Chelsi Moy, Missoulian. More here. (AP file photo of Joe Vandal at basketball game this spring)

Question: Which mascot do you prefer — University of Montana’s Monte or Joe Vandal?

Above, you see the photo taken by Rich Roesler, Eye On Olympia, of a mascot for a Washington college. Roesler explains: “The state’s public colleges are putting on a full-court press in Olympia today, with mascots prowling the capitol, Cougar ice cream being handed out, and bands in the rotunda. The most feared mascot seemed to be (deleted for the sake of the question below), which male lawmakers and lobbyists seemed reluctant to hug. Go figure.

Question: What is the mascot above and which college does it represent? (Answer here)