Everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes a fall Saturday at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
From the sea of burnt orange filling the stands to the traditions that have defined Longhorns football for generations, game day in Austin has a scale and energy all its own.
There’s Bevo, the longhorn steer that has been part of Texas football for more than a century. There’s the “Hook ’em Horns” hand sign, raised by fans young and old. There’s the UT Tower, standing over campus and glowing burnt orange after a Longhorns victory.
And there’s Matthew McConaughey, too.
For first-time visitors, there’s a lot to take in — from getting an up-close look at Bevo before kickoff to joining more than 100,000 fans in singing “The Eyes of Texas.”
They’re the sights, sounds and traditions that give Texas football its unmistakable identity.
Whether you’re a lifelong Longhorn or making your first trip to Austin, here are five experiences that belong on every Texas football fan’s bucket list:
Get an up-close glimpse of Bevo
Few mascots in college football are as iconic as Bevo; the Texas Longhorn steer has been a fixture at Longhorns home games since 1916. Get there early, find your way to the field-level area and take in the sight of Texas’ legendary mascot before kickoff.
Throw the ‘Hook ’em Horns’
Put your index and pinky fingers up and join more than 100,000 fans in one of the most recognizable gestures in college football. The hand sign was introduced in 1955 and has been synonymous with Texas ever since — you’ll see it everywhere on fall Saturdays in Austin.
Sing ‘The Eyes of Texas’
There are plenty of songs associated with Texas football, but none carries the same weight as “The Eyes of Texas,” which was first performed in 1903. When the entire stadium joins in, it’s one of those moments that makes you understand why college football is so special.
Hear Smokey the Cannon
You’ll know when Texas scores. Since 1953, Smokey the Cannon has provided the booming punctuation to Longhorns touchdowns at home games. Operated by the Texas Cowboys student organization, Smokey is one of the most distinctive pieces of Texas game-day tradition.
Watch the Tower turn burnt orange
After a Longhorns victory, the iconic landmark is illuminated in burnt orange — a tradition that dates back decades. Few sights better capture the connection between a university, its fans and the football team than seeing the UT Tower glowing after a big win.
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Mike Garbett is a content specialist working with McClatchy’s Content Innovation Lab.