▁the ▁actual ▁NASA ▁space craft ▁entitled ▁ ▁" In s ight ", ▁ ▁which ▁was ▁sl ated ▁to ▁land ▁on ▁Mars , ▁being ▁the ▁first ▁university ▁mas cot ' s ▁name ▁to ▁be ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁voyage ▁to ▁another ▁planet ▁in ▁our ▁solar ▁system . ▁ ▁Ohio ▁Bob c ats ▁and ▁mas c ots ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 5 , ▁the ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Ohio ▁Athlet ic ▁Board ▁thought ▁of ▁an ▁official ▁nick name ▁for ▁Ohio ▁University ▁to ▁replace ▁" Oh io ," ▁the ▁" Green ▁and ▁White " ▁and ▁" The ▁Nam eless ▁W onders ." ▁The ▁board ▁members ▁decided ▁to ▁begin ▁a ▁contest ▁solic iting ▁name ▁suggestions ▁for ▁the ▁Athlet ic ▁teams ▁of ▁Ohio ▁University ▁and ▁offered ▁a ▁$ 1 0 ▁prize ▁for ▁the ▁suggestion ▁that ▁best ▁showed ▁the ▁fighting ▁spirit ▁of ▁Ohio . ▁H undred s ▁of ▁ideas ▁pou red ▁in , ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁" Bob cat ," ▁suggested ▁by ▁Hal ▁H . ▁Row land , ▁a ▁former ▁student ▁and ▁Ath ens ▁resident , ▁that ▁suggested ▁the ▁winning ▁name . ▁ ▁The ▁b ob cat ’ s ▁reg al ▁stat ure ▁in ▁App al ach ia ▁made ▁its ▁selection ▁a ▁highlight ▁of ▁Ohio ▁University ’ s ▁strateg ic ▁partners hip ▁with ▁the ▁region . ▁ ▁The ▁Bob cat ▁mas cot ▁first ▁appeared ▁at ▁Ohio ' s ▁Home coming ▁game ▁against ▁the ▁Miami ▁Red h aw ks ▁on ▁. ▁That ▁day , ▁the ▁Ohio ▁football ▁team ▁over c ame ▁arch rival ▁Miami ▁with ▁a ▁ 2 1 -