“Horns Down” Meaning in College Football

Decoding the Hook ‘Em hand gesture and its associated penalties

Co-authored by Amy Bobinger, BA

Last Updated: December 11, 2025 Fact Checked

What does “Horns Down” mean?

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Origin of Horns Down

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Controversy

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How Players & Fans Feel

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Video

Horns Down is a hand symbol that flips the Texas Longhorns’ traditional “Hook ‘Em Horns” upside-down. It’s common among rivals of the Texas college team—but why? Whether you’re new to the world of college sports or you just want to know more about Horns Down, we’ve got you covered. We’ll explain what Horns Down means, where it came from, and the controversy around whether it should be penalized.

What does Horns Down mean in Texas football?

Horns Down is a hand sign used to taunt the Texas Longhorns. It takes the traditional Longhorns Hook ‘Em Horns sign (pinky and forefinger pointing up) and turns it upside-down. It’s commonly used by teams like Texas A&M and the University of Oklahoma and is sometimes considered unsportsmanlike conduct.

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What does “Horns Down” mean?

“Horns Down” is a hand symbol used by rivals of the Texas Longhorns. The University of Texas Longhorns use the “Hook ‘Em Horns” as their hand sign—thumb tucked in and index and pinky fingers pointing straight up—to resemble their Longhorn mascot. Teams that play against the Longhorns often invert that sign—index and pinky finger pointing down—as a sign of their rivalry.^{[1]
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- The Longhorns’ main rivals are the Oklahoma Sooners, Arkansas Razorbacks, and Texas A&M Aggies, but Horns Down is used by a number of other teams that play the Longhorns, as well.

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Where did “Horns Down” originate?

“Hook ‘Em Horns” was first used in 1955 by UT Austin students Henry “HK” Pitts and Harley Clark. The hand sign caught on instantly. Rivals soon adopted the Horns Down in response—the Daily Texan published a picture of a Baylor fan doing the Horns Down gesture in 1963. ^{[2]
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Controversy Around the “Horns Down” Penalty

Players can be penalized for using Hands Down in a taunting way. Typically, it’s only a penalty if it’s directed at another player in a taunting way. If players use it in a more general way, like directed at fans or as part of a group on the sidelines, it typically isn’t penalized.
- The issue of Horns Down as a penalty has sparked a lot of debate. Horns Down earned widespread attention in 2018 when a receiver for the West Virginia Mountaineers earned a 15-yard taunting penalty after doing a double Horns Down immediately after scoring a touchdown. The same team was penalized at the end of the game when the quarterback threw Horns Down after scoring the winning two-point conversion.^{[3]
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- The debate surfaced again in 2024 when the Longhorns joined the SEC. The SEC is known for fierce rivalries, and several teams have unique hand signs that are often mocked by other teams. The SEC has stated that they will look at the intent behind how Horns Down is used and will only penalize it when it’s used as an unsportsmanlike taunt against a player.^{[4]
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How do Texas players and fans feel about Horns Down?

Most accept Horns Down as a part of college sports rivalries. Horns Down is meant as a taunt to the Longhorns, so using it can provoke intense emotions. But college sports has a long history of intense rivalries, so most players and fans are used to it.^{[5]
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- Bottom line: Horns Down is considered a pretty controversial subject in the world of college sports. But as long as there are college rivalries, there will probably always be people throwing Horns Down.