Chief Osceola and Renegade
by AutumnSpectacle.com staff

Colorful, flashy, exciting…all have been used to describe Florida State mascots Chief Osceola and his horse Renegade.

Probably the most appropriate, however, would be ominous.

courtesy FSU SID Chief Osceola rides Renegade in one of the Autumn Spectacle's most intense pregame rituals.

Shortly after the pregame coin flip, Osceola and Renegade emerge from the south end zone at Doak Campbell Stadium. As the crowd erupts around them, Osceola and Renegade gallop toward midfield with Osceola holding a flaming spear high in his right hand. Once reaching midfield, Osceola rears the horse back and drives the spear in the middle of the giant Seminole-head logo there.

Why ominous? Well, Osceola is symbolically delivering a dagger to the heart of every opposing player with the spear spike. And, considering the success the Florida State football squad has enjoyed at home over the past couple of decades, this tradition might be more than just a symbolic gesture.

The idea of having Chief Osceola and Renegade had been floating around the FSU community since the early 1960s when Bill Durham, a student on the school’s homecoming committee, envisioned it. His idea, however, would remain dormant until Bobby Bowden came into the head coach’s position at Florida State and started buying into Durham’s idea.

Before going any further, however, Durham and Bowden gained approval of the idea of Osceola from the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The Tribe agreed with the idea and even designed the authentic regalia donned by Osceola.

This set the stage for Osceola and his Appaloosa mount, Renegade, to make their grand appearance. And grand it was as the pair rode onto the field amidst great cheers on Sept. 16, 1978 in a game against Oklahoma State.

And ominous it was, also, as the Seminoles defeated OSU 38-20, setting the stage for plenty more Osceola/Renegade started home victories.

Advertise     Privacy Policy