Utah football: What is a Ute?
Utah football has been a consistent force in the Pac-12 for several years but their Ute mascot has caused many fans to wonder what a Ute is.
Especially under Kyle Whittingham, Utah football has been a quality program and force in the Pac-12. They may not be in the playoff picture but they have been a threat in the conference many times over.
With the exposure that comes with that, though, one thing fans have wondered is in regards to their nickname and mascot.
Specificially, fans want to know one thing about the Utah Utes — what is a Ute?
Utah football: What is a Ute?
The nickname for Utah athletics is actually an homage to the Ute Native American tribe which the state is named after.
There is a long history dating back many, many centuries of the Utes in the Utah area as well as in Colorado. A tribe of more than 3,000 people still lives in the state with a vibrant culture still prevalent.
The university elected to honor the tribe with their nickname for the Utah football team and the rest of their athletics programs. This is also why the logo features an encircled “U” with feathers on the left side of it. Their mascot, “Swoop”, is a red-tailed hawk that is not a reference to the Utes but, rather, an indigenous bird to the state.
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