DALLAS – Peruna, SMU’s miniature pony of a mascot built like a middle linebacker, had to defer to Bevo of Texas this week when it was announced that the famed Longhorn would not be allowed to travel to the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta.

“I can’t understand this,” Peruna wrote on SMU Football’s X account.

The pithy exchange was another milestone in Peruna’s newfound, growing legend as SMU returns to major college football.

Peruna does what he wants.

Even if a ram stands in his way.

Yes, legend has it that one of Peruna’s predecessors – SMU is on Peruna IX, by the way – allegedly kicked the Fordham Ram mascot – a live ram – so hard that it killed him.

This story of Peruna’s deadly antics resurfaced this week when Texas Football Life told the story about “the only mascot to ever kill another mascot,” explaining the infamous Peruna-Ram incident in 1934.

SMU’s own website retells the story in an archived post from 2011, which says Peruna killed the mascot “with a swift kick to the head when it got too close.” The alleged murder – hey, maybe it was self-defense? – is said to have happened at an SMU-Fordham game in New York City, where Peruna was driving around town in a taxi.

But here’s the catch: There’s no *actual* documentation that Peruna’s fatal encounter with the Fordham Ram ever happened.

In fact, there was a notable mascot death in 1934.

But as far as we know, it wasn’t the Fordham Ram.

The original Peruna I, launched in 1932, escaped its SMU stable one night in October 1934 and was hit by a car on Mockingbird Lane.

Peruna’s death was reported as far away as New York, where the New York Times published an Associated Press report. Peruna’s famous taxi ride to the Fordham game in New York had happened just a week earlier.

“Peruna – Southern Methodist University’s little ‘wild pig’ – rested in death tonight, just steps from the gridiron on which he pranced to glory,” the AP report said. “He had been around and seen things. Just last week he had New York City under his tiny hooves. He was there when Methodist overwhelmed Fordham’s Rams 26-14. But last night all his experience failed him. He sneaked away. He was hit by a car and fled.

Flashback Dallas’ Paula Bosse posted about the original Peruna’s death and took note of the Dallas Morning News’ exaggerated coverage of the pony’s funeral.

“As students sobbed openly and hardened football heroes struggled to hold back tears, the little pony’s body was lowered into its grave in the shadow of Ownby Oval,” the Morning News story said. “His casket was draped in red and blue, the school colors, and a giant M, the Mustang emblem, decorated the top of the casket.”

What does Peruna’s death as a pedestrian have to do with the Fordham Ram being kicked in the head?

Well, the legend that Peruna killed the ram, at least the one circulating on social media this week, says that it happened 90 years ago, in 1934. Specifically, it happened on SMU’s trip to New York City to play Fordham.

But after Peruna was killed at Mockingbird Lane, Fordham’s football program expressed “sincere condolences” for Peruna’s “unfortunate death,” according to the AP story at the time.

Even the Fordham student newspaper sent SMU a message.

“Members of the Fordham Ram staff extend their sincere condolences to the Mustangs on the untimely death of Peruna. Trust that his successor will continue to lead SMU just as nobly.”

Even the Fordham mascot – the same ram allegedly killed by Peruna – was in the landfill because of his death.

Ramesses VI reportedly tarnished “sullen his pasture,” the AP reported. “The ram was sulking all day,” his keeper said. “Maybe it’s animal intuition. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised if Rameses knew Peruna was dead.”

So whether Peruna killed a mascot or not, that didn’t happen in 1934. Just don’t get too close to him.