The men’s soccer team takes on Saint Louis University tonight in St. Louis, Mo. SMU was ranked No. 1 last week by all four national college polls, but SLU has more than a home field advantage over the team.

The SLU mascot is a Billiken, a gremelin like creature whose origin is as much of a mystery as how it became affiliated with SLU.

The Saint Louis website, www.slu.com, provides a definition and brief history of the Billiken:

“Everyone agrees that the Billiken is a good-luck figure…The designer of the Billiken, Florence Pretz, a Missouri art teacher and illustrator, patented her “design for an image” of the jovial creature in 1908. However the story is told, Billikens always possess cheery personalities, broad smiles and rotund bellies. They bring luck to Saint Louis University’s sports teams and smiles to the faces of SLU fans.”

Although SMU fell to SLU last year 4-2 in the Mi Cocina Classic, Saint Louis will need more than Billiken luck tonight to beat the Mustangs. The Billikens are 3-3-1 for the season, including a 1-0 victory over Indiana.

TheMustangs’ record of 8-0-1 has allowed only two goals the entire season. Seven of SMU’s eight victories have been shutouts. SMU faces SLU tonight at Robert R. Hermann Stadium at 7p.m.