BYU (Brigham Young University) is a private university located in Provo, Utah. The university's official mascot is Cosmo the Cougar. Cosmo is a popular figure on campus and at athletic events. The mascot is often seen performing high-energy dances and stunts to entertain the crowd. Cosmo is known for his acrobatic skills, performing backflips and other impressive moves. The cougar costume worn by the mascot represents the strength and ferocity associated with the cougar, which is the official symbol of BYU's athletic teams.

BYU Cougar ‘Cosmo’ Goes Viral For Insanely Difficult Athletic Stunt, Proves Why He’s The Coolest Mascot In College Football

BYU’s ‘Cosmo the Cougar’ is the most athletic mascot in college sports. He isn’t the most unique, he isn’t the best looking, and he isn’t necessarily the most legendary, but he is by far the coolest.

BYU’s Cosmo the Cougar. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

The cougar costume worn by the mascot represents the strength and ferocity associated with the cougar, which is the official symbol of BYU's athletic teams. Cosmo the Cougar plays a vital role in promoting school spirit and creating a lively atmosphere at BYU..

Each and every week, Cosmo the BYU Cougar is up to something.

And it’s always awesome.

Back in 2017, the legendary cougar went insanely viral for dancing alongside the BYU cheerleaders and absolutely CRUSHING it. Everything that the dance team could do, Cosmo did better.

Last season, Cosmo went full-send on a bellyflop into a tiny pool.

He even jumped through a ring of fire off of a trampoline.

Earlier this year, Cosmo flew into the stadium on a parachute. Casual.

While Cosmo has done many awesome things before, what he did on Thursday night may have been the most impressive. It wasn’t necessarily the craziest thing that he’s ever done, but it is something that the average person could not do— even without wearing a mascot suit.

As BYU hosted Utah State in Provo, Cosmo showed off his ridiculous strength and balance.

Starting on the ground level, he did a push-up, propelled himself into the air, and landed on top of two tables. His left foot and left arm were on one table, his right foot and right arm were on another.

And then Cosmo did it again, doing a push-up, jumping up and landing on a second set of tables that were stacked on top of the first. And then— after a short readjustment— HE DID IT AGAIN!

If that wasn’t cool enough, Cosmo finished with a backflip off of the tables. Take a look:

If you don’t realize how hard this is, stop what you’re doing right now. Walk over to the nearest opening. Do a push-up, and then try to propel yourself a table’s height into the air.

I guarantee you that you can’t. But if you can, try doing it twice over on a wobbly folding table.

BYU’s dancing gay cougar tops ESPN’s ‘best mascot moments of all time’

This month, ESPN counted down the 10 best mascot moments of all-time in college football, and the number one moment belonged to Charlie Bird, the gay Brigham Young University student, slaying a team dance number as Cosmo the Cougar during BYU’s game against Boise State on Oct. 6, 2017.

Bird shared the ESPN clip of his performance on his Instagram, writing, “Ya boy @cosmo_cougar took the top spot!!”

The original video of Cosmo’s dance netted hundreds of millions of views, snagged Bird a live performance gig at ESPN’s College Football Awards and compelled NBC Sports to dub 2017 to 2018 the “Year of the Mascot” in honor of Cosmo’s viral influence.

In ESPN’s countdown, the commentator says, “He just kills this dance! No violence here, just some moves — shakin’ it! Go Cosmo.”

Here’s the ESPN clip shared by Bird:

Though Bird performed as BYU’s mascot from 2015 until 2018, he came out in a newspaper op-ed after graduating. In the op-ed, he said the costume made him feel powerful despite being fearfully closeted in an NCAA member school with policies targeting LGBTQ students.

“As scary as it seemed to dance in front of 60,000 people,” Bird wrote, “an even scarier thought often crept into my mind — ‘If they knew who I really was, would they hate me?’ . The same community that made me feel like a superstar often simultaneously made me feel broken, unloved and defective.”

Since graduating, Bird says he’s worked to integrate his sexual identity into his Mormon faith.

You can see Cosmo’s entire dance here or watch ESPN’s countdown of the 10 best mascot moments of all-time in college football below: One of them involves a mascot shooting themselves in the junk with a t-shirt cannon and several others involve rival mascots fighting — good times.

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Reviews for "BYU's Mascot and Community Outreach: The Cougar's Impact Off the Field"

1. John - 2/5 - While I appreciate the effort put into creating the book "Who is BYU Mascot," I found it to be lacking in depth and substance. The book provided a brief overview of the mascot's history and characteristics, but it failed to delve deeper into the cultural significance and impact of the mascot on the university and its fans. I was hoping for a more comprehensive and insightful exploration of the subject matter.

2. Emily - 3/5 - As a fan of BYU, I was excited to read "Who is BYU Mascot" and learn more about the beloved mascot. However, I was disappointed with the book's overall organization and writing style. The information provided felt disjointed and scattered, making it difficult to follow the mascot's story coherently. Additionally, the writing lacked a certain level of polish and finesse, making for a less enjoyable reading experience. While it's an okay introductory book, I was left wanting more.

3. David - 2/5 - "Who is BYU Mascot" fell short of my expectations. I was hoping for an engaging and immersive exploration of the mascot and its role within the university community. Instead, I found the book to be repetitive and superficial. The same information was repeated multiple times throughout the book, which became tedious and monotonous. I was left wanting a more in-depth analysis of the mascot's significance and influence at BYU, but unfortunately, this book didn't deliver.

4. Sarah - 1/5 - I regret spending my time and money on "Who is BYU Mascot." It was poorly written and lacked any substantial content. The book failed to capture the spirit and essence of the mascot, leaving me disappointed and dissatisfied. I expected a more comprehensive exploration of the mascot's history, traditions, and impact, but all I got was a shallow and uninteresting read. I would not recommend this book to anyone seeking a thorough understanding of BYU's mascot.

5. Alex - 2/5 - "Who is BYU Mascot" left me underwhelmed. I was excited to learn more about the mascot and its significance, but the book provided only a surface-level overview that lacked depth and substance. The writing felt rushed and lacked engagement, making it difficult to stay invested in the information presented. I believe there are better resources available that offer a more comprehensive understanding of the mascot and its history.

From the Mountains to the Gridiron: The BYU Mascot's Role in Sports Excellence