UT Football Traditions University of Texas at Austin

There's nothing like it
“Hook ’em, horns!” It’s the chant that echoes through the city of Austin every fall. Texans love their steak and their stars but — above all — Texans love Longhorn football.
If you’ll be joining us for football season this year, we want to fill you in on a few University of Texas at Austin football traditions.

Bevo
Nothing says “hook ‘em” like a burnt-orange longhorn steer as the mascot at every home game. Since the mascot’s inception at the Thanksgiving Day game in 1916, there have been 15 Bevos. Bevo was originally named Bo, but after that first game, campus magazine editor Ben Dyer declared, “His name is Bevo, and long may he reign!”

Big Birtha
An enormous bass drum created for the University of Chicago in 1922, Big Bertha’s been the heart and soul of the University of Texas at Austin band since 1955. Now over a century old, Big Bertha’s dimensions (8 feet in diameter, 41 inches wide and over 10 feet high when mounted on her carriage) make her a focal point at many public appearances both during and after Longhorn football season.

Burnt Orange + White
While the Longhorns’ colors have become a staple in Austin’s fall wardrobe, the university has not always worn burnt orange and white. During the first football game, the team wore gold and white. For some years, different athletic teams tried various color combinations before finally putting the matter to a vote, where burnt orange and white won out.

"The Eyes of Texas" + "Texas Fight"
A saying often used by former UT President William Prather, “The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You” was writing by famous musical alum John Sinclair and is now sung as part of every home football game and other events on campus.

I once did know a president
A-way down South, in Texas.
And, always, everywhere he went,
He saw the Eyes of Texas.
The Eyes of Texas are upon you,
All the livelong day.
The Eyes of Texas are upon you,
You cannot get away.
Do not think you can escape them
At night or early in the morn —
The Eyes of Texas are upon you
’Til Gabriel blows his horn.
Sing me a song of Prexy,
Of days long since gone by.
Again I seek to greet him,
And hear his kind reply.
Smiles of gracious welcome
Before my memory rise,
Again I hear him say to me,
“Remember Texas’ Eyes.”

“The Eyes of Texas” is frequently followed by another traditional song, “Texas Fight,” otherwise known as “Taps,” which is played following touchdowns and extra points at Texas football games, as well as on thousands of other school occasions.

Texas Fight, Texas Fight,
And it’s goodbye to A&M.
Texas Fight, Texas Fight,
And we’ll put over one more win.
Texas Fight, Texas Fight,
For it’s Texas that we love best.
Hail, Hail, The gang’s all here,
And it’s good-bye to all the rest! (YELL)
Yea Orange! Yea White!
Yea Longhorns! Fight! Fight! Fight!
Texas Fight! Texas Fight,
Yea Texas Fight!
Texas Fight! Texas Fight,
Yea Texas Fight!
The Eyes of Texas are upon you,
All the livelong day.
The Eyes of Texas are upon you,
You cannot get away.
Texas Fight, Texas Fight,
For it’s Texas that we love best.
Hail, Hail, The gang’s all here,
And it good-bye to all the rest!

Hook 'em, horns
It's the slogan and hand signal of The University of Texas at Austin. The gesture is meant to imitate the head and horns of UT mascot, Bevo. It's often also used as an exchange on campus and a rally cry at home games.

Smokey the Cannon
Amidst Big Bertha, Bevo and the football team itself stands Smokey, the famous replica Civil War cannon fired at the kickoff for every home game for Texas football and a few select road games since 1954. In the off-season, visitors can find Smokey displayed in the Red McCombs Red Zone (north end zone) atrium.