In years past, fraternities painted them all over the state.
Chief Highway Commissioner Paul Cobb(a gamecock)once told me he would not have Highway Patrol stop it because 'you can't stop school spirit'. I liked him for that and for other reasons. Not sure but I think he may have had the Highway Patrol at the site to control traffic. If not, it was probably done in the dark of night.
I guess those days are gone but I sure enjoyed seeing the tiger paws on I-26 coming into Columbia before the big game. Another time the City water tank was painted C(paw)LUMBIA.