Oklahoma coach Brent Venables gives the Horns Down after the Red River Rivalry college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the University of Texas (UT) Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. Oklahoma won 34-30. BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Horns Down: The Official Hand Sign of the Oklahoma Sooners?

Originally posted on Texas Longhorns on SI
By JD Andress | Last updated Jun 14, 2025 12:30 PM ET

A rivalry between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners that has always been heated took another step recently.

The Sooners held a slew of recruits recently on campus, and in some of the pictures recently posted to social media, the recruits can be seen flashing the "Horns down" sign, per On3.

The Horns Down logo has often been said to be the equivalent of flashing the middle finger to Texas fans, but in this instance, Texas fans took the horns down in stride.

Fans have laughed at the pictures on social media, claiming that the Longhorns live "rent free" in the Sooners head. One commenter even commented "Where is the Golden Hat".

Take a look:

Oklahoma players, coaches and recruits were all throwing ‘Horns Down’ in photoshoots last weekendhttps://t.co/lrhQftCwP2 pic.twitter.com/o7QbTCxMFN
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) June 13, 2025

The golden hat reference is trophy awarded to the winner of the annual "Red River Showdown" that is given to the winner of the contest. The Longhorns currently hold claim to the hat, after beating the Sooners 34-3 in the 2024 season. It was the second most-lopsided victory of the last three seasons, with the Longhorns winning 49-0 in 2022.

It's not just the Sooners that will flash the Horns down either. It has become a mainstay for fans of college teams all over the country, regardless of if they are playing the Longhorns or not. Texas fans are starting to realize it's a compliment.

Opposing fans are proving how influential the Texas brand is in college sports. It shows how much the Longhorns are always on their minds. Whether you hate them or love them, flashing the horns up or the horns down is always a sign that the Longhorns are in your mind, and they influenced you, whether you agree or not.

The Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners will meet on October 11 at the State Fair for the 121st time.

This article first appeared on Texas Longhorns on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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