Ohio’s Bobcat says he tried out for mascot slot with goal of tackling Ohio State’s Brutus

Mascot says he had goal of tackling Brutus Buckeye

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The man behind the Ohio University Bobcat who wrestled Ohio State’s Brutus to the ground says he tried out for the mascot job with the goal of tackling the Buckeye.

Mascot tussle before Saturday’s football game at Ohio Stadium led to an apology from Ohio University and the banning of Brandon Hanning from further affiliation with the school’s athletics department.

The 19-year-old Hanning says it was his “whole plan to tackle Brutus” when he tried out to be the Rufus Bobcat mascot. The Post of Athens was the first to report Hanning’s intentions.

Hanning was a student at Ohio last year and now attends nearby Hocking College.

Ohio State won the game 43-7.

Bobcats coach Frank Solich tells The Post: “Obviously we needed to tackle the guy with the ball, not the mascot.”

AP College Football Writer Rusty Miller contributed to this report.