Texas, UCF Mascots Take One-In-A-Lifetime Mock Death Photo At Historic Big 12 Media Days

Big 12 Media Days took place in Arlington, Texas on Wednesday and it made for a one-in-a-lifetime photo. Although there may be other opportunities for the picture to occur naturally in the wild again, the exact image will never happen again.

As the Big 12 Conference enters its transitional 2023 year, it will move from 10 teams to 14. Texas A&M and Missouri moved to the SEC in 2012, which left the conference with less members than its billing.

Texas and Oklahoma are leaving for the SEC next season. To get ahead of that departure, the Big 12 added four teams— UCF, Houston, BYU and Cincinnati.

It is the only year that the Longhorns and Sooners will crossover with the Knights, Cougars, Cougars and Bearcats. As a result, some unique, one-time conference matchups will played in football this fall.

Oklahoma will play Cincinnati, BYU and UCF in 2023. It will be the only season that those teams meet while part of the Big 12.

Texas will play Houston and BYU. That same notion is true.

The Longhorns will not play the Knights in football this year, which led to the historic photo.

Texas' costumed mascot, Hook 'Em, and UCF's costumed mascot, Knightro, were together on the gridiron for the only time this year— barring remarkable seasons by both programs. There is a chance that Knightro and Hook 'Em could meet up at the Big 12 Championship if the Knights and Longhorns finish as the top-two finishers by conference win percentage in the regular season standings.

It is within the realm of possibity, but extremely unlikely. To have UCF and Texas playing for a Big 12 Championship come December would be wild.

Thus, Wednesday's photo of Knightro stabbing Hook 'Em is one that will likely live forever.

Knightro and Hook 'Em may meet again during basketball season. Should that be true, the latter would be in a basketball uniform rather than a football uniform.

They could also link up at a mascot convention or Capital One commercial — as esteemed OutKick editors Anthony Farris and Bill Graff pointed out. While that is true, the photo from Wednesday is one of one. Take it in and appreciate the historic mock death of Hook 'Em at the mercy of Knightro!