Texas Tech still trying to catch fox in stadium

Published Sep. 19, 2013 11:50 a.m. ET

foxsports

One of the foxes who lives in or near Jones AT&T Stadium said hello to America last week. Texas Tech is trying to get them to say goodbye.

Everyone who watched Texas Tech's 20-10 win over TCU last week met a friendly, furry critter roaming the sidelines. Tech officials are trying to make sure it's never seen around the stadium again.

Lubbock Animal Services met with Texas Tech on Tuesday to discuss a plan for getting rid of the fox "problem."

"Our goal is to just find a way to safely remove the foxes and return them to their natural habitat," Blayne Beal, director of communications for Tech athletics, told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. "When that’s going to be, how that’s going to be — we don't know."

Only one fox made his national television debut last week, but there are rumors that two or three may live in the area. An animal services official told the paper that scraps of food leftover on gameday may be the biggest attraction for the foxes.

The gray fox scurried along the sidelines early in the second half, but was chased off the premises by stadium security.

Maybe it's my company allegiance talking, or maybe it's my affinity for cute, fuzzy things. Either way, excuse me while I root for the fox to stick around in this fight.