A hush falls over the fans as it becomes clear it is time to sing. The band drum-rolls. The entire stadium shoots their Longhorn-shaped hands into the air and looks toward the south end of the Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The band plays the intro of the University’s fight song and the 90,000+ Longhorns loudly come together to belt the words of “The Eyes of Texas.”
My friend and me at the 2006 UT/A&M game
This is the point where I get goose-bumps. Without fail, hearing the familiar tune at a UT football game, along with the revved-up fans, Texas-Fight chants, orange-clad attendees, and the sight of the players jumping up and down in hopes of a victory, gives me chills and a feeling of excitement and pride.
It doesn’t matter whether you like football or not – there is nothing like experiencing a UT football game. I think it is something everyone should do, regardless of where you’re from or how attached to the University you are. It is not just about the game and whether or not it ends in a win – of course that’s the goal – but everything that goes along with attending a UT football game makes it so special:
Tailgating (i.e. eating bar-b-que and/or hamburgers & drinking beer) and post-partying if the game ends well; Wearing orange and cowboy boots (if you’re a cowboy-boot wearin’ kind of person); Flashing the Longhorn symbol and hollering “hook ’em” to anyone you pass; High-fiveing, hugging and yelling with 90,000 of your best friends; Eating a stadium hot dog; screaming “OU Sucks” or “Make ’em eat shit”; Seeing seas of burnt orange people roaming the streets near campus; Losing your voice by booing at the referee for any call against the home team; The JUMBOTRON; Hearing the “bang” of the canon; Paying way too much money for a ticket, food and drinks; Hearing the roar of the student section; Watching the cheerleaders and pom; Bevo.
The players warming up before kick-off
UT is an athletics powerhouse and football sits at the pinnacle. Even if you think the University and Longhorn culture spends way too much money on athletics, commercializes it, emphasizes it too much and treats the young players like celebrities, you can’t deny that attending a UT football game is AWESOME!
Hook ’em,
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My first year at UT I loved the games, but it was rare that I stayed until the end. Now, the people in my seating group absolutely REFUSE to leave until we sing “The Eyes of Texas.” And, I am so glad because there is absolutely nothing like singing that amazing song with thousands of people, especially after a sweet victory!
I like to think of DKR as my second home… 🙂
I’m one of those too that gets wayyyy to into it and doesn’t leave until the game is over. I even said to my roommate the other day, “what do you mean there’s only 2 more home games left?!”
I blame my Granddaddy for that. As a UT alum, the man LOVES his Longhorn Football. Here’s your proof: he cried when we won the National Championship game. He has his very own room in my grandparent’s house with a big screen tv, surround sound, and UT stuff everywhere. I want to get him a set of actual Longhorn horns to go over some windows on one of the walls. Anyone know where I can get some?
When my sister and I were at UT, we took our parents to a game (vs. #3 Nebraska back in ’99). A game which Texas won thanks to some heroics by Major.
My folks don’t really care about football, still don’t fully understand the rules, but they got UT football after that game.
Great post. Hook ’em