Texas football has one season left in the Big 12 before jumping into SEC competition starting with the 2024-25 season.
And that means how Big 12 officials decide to deal with Texas opponents throwing out the horns down gesture — it mocks the Longhorns’ horns up celebration — could still be a point of contention.
At 2022 Big 12 media days, conference commissioner Greg Burks shared that it’s always going to come down to how the gesture is used against opposing teams.
“Let me be very clear with Horns Down,” Burks said, via ESPN’s Dave Wilson. “I have no ownership on this symbol. This symbol is the same as all other signals. It’s when you do it, who you do it to and which manner you do it.”
So, if you’re wondering how Big 12 referees will call the horns down gesture, you’ll have to pay attention to how it’s happening.
If someone gets into a Texas player’s face and flashes a horns down, it’ll likely be called for unsportsmanlike conduct. If someone does it in the end zone with their teammates celebrating a touchdown, a call is less likely.
As Saturday’s Red River Showdown between Texas and Oklahoma is upon us, we’ll see how many horns down gestures we see, and if they get flagged or not if they happen on the field.