The Texas Longhorns are set to compete in the SEC for the first time this season, and with their entrance will likely come players who fire off the “Horns Down” taunt.
SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey met with the media on Monday – a week before SEC Media Days kickoff. He was asked almost immediately whether “Horns Down” will be a penalty.
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SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey looks on prior to the SEC Championship game between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Dec. 2, 2023 in Atlanta. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
“I won’t be answering questions about football penalties on July 1,” he said, via On3 Sports.
In 2021, Big 12 Conference officials determined that the mocking move to taunt Texas players would be a penalty.
“If you do a Horns Down to a Texas player as an opponent, that’s probably going to be a foul,” the Big 12’s coordinator of officials Greg Burks said at the time, via SI.com. “… Please all of you note, I said ‘probably.’ We have to consider intent and consider the situation. We’ll leave it to officials.”
Dante Stills, #55 of the West Virginia Mountaineers, celebrates with the horns down signal after the game against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Nov. 3, 2018 in Austin, Texas. (Tim Warner/Getty Images)
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Not only is Texas joining the SEC, but Oklahoma is coming with them. “Horns Down” will almost certainly be used when the two teams matchup on Oct. 12.
The Longhorns start the season at home on Aug. 31 against Colorado State. The team then has a marquee matchup against Michigan on Sept. 7.
Ian Marshall, #97 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys, celebrates with the horns down sign after defeating the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium on Oct. 16, 2021 in Austin, Texas. (Tim Warner/Getty Images)
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Texas’ first SEC matchup will be against Mississippi State on Sept. 28.
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