By now, Big Al is part of the fabric of Alabama football. The fury costumed elephant is everywhere the traveling Crimson Tide circus goes.
By Saturday, he'll be into hijinks on the sideline of Jordan-Hare Stadium for the next chapter of this Iron Bowl saga.
In the grand scheme of things, however, Big Al's a relative newcomer. Alabama's been playing Auburn since 1893 and the official costume didn't debut until the dawn of the 1980s.
The history of Alabama mascots extends well beyond the modern era of Big Al.
And it gets a little weird.