There's no hiding the fact that the University of Texas and the Texas Longhorns are rooted (deeply) in tradition.
From refusing to change their jerseys, to participating in the same game-day activities for at least a century, quite a few of the Horns' traditions go back well before any of us were alive.
While calling campus the "40 Acres" and having a real-life Longhorn named Bevo on campus are two beloved namesakes for Texas, there are a handful of other traditions that have stood the test of time. But when, where, and how did those traditions actually begin?
"The Eyes of Texas," which is frequently referred to as the Longhorns' fight song, is actually the University of Texas's school song.
"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 till Gabriel blows his horn."William Prather
The song was written in 1903 by then-UT President William Prather and has since been sung at the end of every sporting event (football game, volleyball match, swim meet, etc.) or University ceremony.
Now we get to the real fight song, "Texas Fight," which was first sung out at the 1923 Texas football game against the Texas A&M Aggies (yes, the Horns won, 6-0 to be exact).
"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.
Give ’em hell! Give ’em hell! Go Horns go!
And it’s goodbye to all the rest!
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.
Give ‘em hell! Give ’em hell! Go Horns go!
And it’s goodbye to all the rest!"
These days, there are a few variations that can be heard throughout Texas games, but to this day, it gives a nod to the original University school song, with a bout of shouting added on.
89 years ago, the University of Texas opened the UT Tower, a centerpiece of the campus that can be seen across all of Austin (depending on the angle you look from these days).
Since its opening in 1937, Texas has lit the tower to celebrate both on-field and off-field victories: graduations, game-day wins, and more.
Most notably, the tower lights up burnt orange and a few set windows turn their lights on, while the others remain black, to create a "1" on all four sides of the tower when the Longhorns win a National Championship.
In the early 1920s, "Big Bertha" was born as the largest bass drum in the world. In 1954, it came into possession of the Longhorn Band, also known as The Showband of the Southwest, and quickly became a part of Texas tradition.
Since then, it has been a constant presence by the end zone at Texas football games, used both before the game and during halftime, as well as sounding off every time the Horns score.
In 2022, more than 100 years after the original Big Bertha made its debut, Texas debuted Big Bertha II, an even bigger version of the original, but carrying on her tradition nonetheless.
Another sideline figure, other than Bevo and Matthew McConaughey, is Smokey the Cannon. First built by one of UT's mechanical engineering labs in 1953, Smokey was the Horns' answer to the Oklahoma Sooners blasting off gunshots during the Texas-OU games.
Now on Smokey III, the Texas Cowboys operate the cannon every game day, firing it off at the start and end of every quarter, as well as anytime the Longhorns score (before Big Bertha gets her turn).
During the 2025 season, even quarterback Arch Manning took his turn operating the "big rig" as Texas took down the then-No. 6 Sooners.
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