College football is built on traditions, but few conferences embrace them like the Southeastern Conference. At Texas, the traditions that define home game Saturdays in Austin stand shoulder to shoulder with those of every other great college football town in the SEC, creating one of the most distinctive atmospheres in the sport.
Those traditions include:
- The unmistakable presence of Bevo, the Longhorns’ beloved live mascot, at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
- Fans showing their pride through the familiar Hook ’em Horns hand sign and cheer throughout game day.
- The booming sound of Big Bertha, one of the largest bass drums in the world, adding to the pageantry of Texas football.
And, of course, Matthew McConaughey, a 1993 Texas graduate who serves as the team’s unofficial “Minister of Culture,” is a fixture on the Longhorns’ sideline.
UT’s game-day traditions reflect the history, pride and pageantry that have long defined Saturdays in Austin.
And since joining the SEC in 2024, the Longhorns are now woven into the fabric of SEC football.
Click here for the full story on each SEC school’s most iconic customs.
Mike Garbett is a content specialist working with McClatchy’s Content Innovation Lab.