Austin, TX
Texas' Bevo will not travel to Atlanta for SEC Championship game
AUSTIN, TEXAS – OCTOBER 19: Texas Longhorns mascot Bevo is led onto the field prior to a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
When the Texas Longhorns take the field for the Southeastern Conference Championship game on Saturday against the Georgia Bulldogs, one notable face will be missing.
Longhorn mascot Bevo will not make the trip to Atlanta, conference spokesman Chuck Dunlap said.
AUSTIN, TEXAS – OCTOBER 19: Texas Longhorns mascot Bevo is walked into the stadium prior to a game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
“When we received the request for Bevo to be on the sideline in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, our staff looked at several alternatives including the sideline location,” Dunlap said. “The reality is there is limited space at the stadium. We can’t jeopardize the safety of Bevo or the game participants. With the narrow sidelines, location of multiple sets for television and camera carts, there is not enough space. While we want to honor tradition across the conference, the space limitation is a reality.”
The Bulldogs’ live mascot, Uga, will be in attendance for the game, the conference confirmed.
“Yes. Georgia’s bulldog requires an extremely small amount of space,” Associate Commissioner Herb Vincent said.
379105 04: Georgia Bulldogs mascot Uga VI sits in his dog house during college football game at the University of Georgia September 23, 2000 in Athens, Georgia. (Photo by Erik Lesser/Getty Images)
The No. 2 Longhorns are making their first appearance in the SEC Championship game in their first year in the conference.
“We did identify several options for Bevo, including a location at SEC FanFare but there was no opportunity for him to be in the stadium due to space,” Vincent said.
The No. 5 Bulldogs are appearing in their fourth consecutive SEC Championship game and their 12th overall. The Bulldogs are 4-7 all time in the championship game. They last won in 2022, defeating the Louisiana State University Tigers 50-30. The Bulldogs lost last year to the Alabama Crimson Tide 27-24.
The Longhorns’ lone loss
AUSTIN, TEXAS – OCTOBER 19: Trevor Etienne #1 of the Georgia Bulldogs celebrates his touchdown with teammates during the second quarter against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on October 19, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo
The two teams are no strangers to each other, despite this being the first time the two have met for the SEC Championship.
The Longhorns’ only loss this season was at the hands of Saturday’s opponent when the Bulldogs won in Austin 30-15 on Oct. 19.
That game was delayed after Longhorn fans at DKR Texas Memorial Stadium threw debris onto the field after a controversial pass interference call.
The penalty was later reversed.
The SEC issued a $250,000 to Texas for the bottle-throwing incident.
Bevo v. Uga
NEW ORLEANS, LA – JANUARY 01: “Bevo” the Texas Longhorn mascot is brought under control after jumping his pen in an attempt to attack the Georgia Bulldog mascot before the Sugar Bowl football game between the Texas Longhorns and Georgia Bulldogs at M
Prior to this season, the Longhorns and Bulldogs last faced off in the 2019 Sugar Bowl.
Both mascots were in attendance for that game in New Orleans, Louisiana. Their meeting was cut shot, however, when Bevo jumped his pen in an attempt to attack Uga.
The two were quickly separated.
The Longhorns won the game 28-21.
Austin, TX
7 Juneteenth celebrations happening in Austin this weekend
Juneteenth celebrations are happening across the city this weekend. The events will mark the 161st anniversary of the day Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay to announce that more than 250,000 enslaved people in Texas were free. The announcement on June 19, 1865, came more than two years after the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. June 19 — known as Juneteenth — became a federal holiday in 2021.
From historical bike rides to Austin’s annual parade, here are seven events taking place in Austin.
Annual Juneteenth FunRun, June 19
The city of Austin’s African American Cultural and Heritage Facility will host a fun run starting at 8:30 a.m. on Friday at East Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Leona Street, and concluding at Hargrave Street near the Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex. Participants will have one hour to complete the course. The route is the same as the parade through the African American Historical Cultural District that will start later that morning. Runners and walkers of all ages and levels can participate.
Central Texas Juneteenth Parade & Festival, June 19
The annual Juneteenth parade will take place Friday and begin at 10 a.m. at East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Leona Street and will travel down to Chicon Street before turning on Rosewood Avenue. The parade will feature floats, live music and performers.
A Very Juneteenth Comedy Jam, June 19
The Velveeta Room, Austin’s longest-running comedy club, will have shows highlighting Black voices Friday night at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. The 18+ event will feature comedians like Freddy Do Less and Roderick McDaniel. Tickets for both shows are around $23.
Sistas Walk And Talk: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
Texas Sistas Society will host a 3-mile walk and talk Saturday at 515 S. Pleasant Valley Road starting at 7:45 a.m. Texas Sistas Society is an Austin-based community created for Black women and women of color. Attendees are encouraged to wear Juneteenth colors: red, yellow, green or black, and to RSVP ahead of time.
The Carver Kickback: Juneteenth Edition, June 20
The George Washington Carver Museum in Austin is dedicated to creating a “space where the global contributions of all Black people are celebrated.” The museum is hosting a free celebration from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday with barbecue plates, live music, vendors and activities for all ages.
Black Auteur Film Festival, June 20
The Black Auteur Film Festival, a nonprofit dedicated to uplifting Black filmmakers in Texas, is hosting its third annual film festival to showcase short films directed by Black Texans at AFS Cinema on Saturday. One filmmaker will win the $1,000 “Best of Fest” award, and attendees can enter a raffle for a chance to win Austin Film Society memberships and movie tickets. The festival runs from 2 to 5 p.m. Tickets are $14.
Juneteenth Social Ride, June 21
Black History Bike Ride, an Austin nonprofit teaching people about the city’s Black history through cycling, is hosting its seventh annual Juneteenth ride starting at the Haskell House on Saturday at 10 a.m. Austin-based historian Harrison Eppright will serve as the ride’s guide. Registration is required for all attendees. The event is free, but donations are encouraged.
Austin, TX
Everything you need to know about Austin run clubs
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Data analyst Corey Yeung created the ATX Running Guide to help runners find community across Central Texas. What started as a personal project has become one of Austin’s most comprehensive running resources.
Looking for a Run Club? There’s a Map for That
When Corey Yeung moved to Austin three years ago, he had a simple question:
“How many run clubs are actually out there?” The answer wasn’t easy to find. While several websites listed local groups, Yeung felt none offered a complete picture. So, he decided to build one himself. What started as a spreadsheet evolved into ATX Running Guide, a website and social media platform that helps runners discover clubs throughout the Austin area.
“The list would be more useful if it were a map and search tool,” Yeung said. “The Instagram page was simply a way to communicate those free resources to the community.”
Today, the guide covers running groups from San Marcos to Hutto and serves as a one-stop resource for runners looking to connect. In this episode of KXAN’S Plus Simple Health, Corey Yeung walks us through everything you need to know about the 200-plus running clubs in Austin.
Austin, TX
Texas Volts begin first home slate Thursday at Dell Diamond
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Volts are off to a rough start in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League, but maybe a little home cooking can help them get right.
After playing their first five games on the road, the Volts open play at Dell Diamond in Round Rock at 6 p.m. Thursday against the Utah Talons, kicking off an 8-game homestand.
It’s the first season the Volts will call Dell Diamond home. In the league’s inaugural season last year, the original four teams competed with a touring schedule that included a stop at Dell Diamond. This is the first year that the AUSL, now a 6-team league, will play in home markets.
They have a roster peppered with local stars, including 2-time NCAA national champion middle infielder Leighann Goode from the Texas Longhorns. Aliyah Binford, a New Braunfels native, played collegiately for Ole Miss and former Texas State pitcher Jessica Mullins made an appearance in the Volts’ previous series against the Carolina Blaze.
Goode said there’s been a bit of a learning curve, but she credits her teammates for helping her adjust to the league.
“This group has brought me in and taught me stuff, taken me under their wings,” she said. “They’ve done an awesome job.”
Legendary Texas pitcher Cat Osterman is the team’s general manager, and the head coach is Texas State’s Ricci Woodard.
“We’re ready to rock and roll at home,” Woodard said. “I’m anxious to see what happens now that we get to play in our own place.”
Texas Tech pitcher NiJaree Canady, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2026 draft, joined the team last weekend after a brief contract holdout.
The Volts are 1-4 this season, picking up their lone win over the Oklahoma City Spark on June 10. They’ll face the Talons in a 3-game series, the Chicago Bandits for a pair June 23-24, and finish the homestand with a 3-game set against the expansion Portland Cascade on June 26-28.
Ryan Sanders Baseball, the organization that owns and operates the Round Rock Express, is an operating partner with the Volts and an investor with the AUSL.
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