July 1 officially marked a major shift in the college sports landscape with (now-former) Big 12 giants Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners joining the SEC. And let me tell ya, reporters did not wait to ask SEC commissioner Greg Sankey the important question:
Will “Horns Down” still be a penalty?
Sankey met with the media on Monday to welcome the conference’s two newest programs. And anyone who has been familiar with the Texas-Oklahoma rivalry knows that the “Horns Down” celebration has been the go-to gesture from Sooners fans — and any Longhorns opponent, really — to mock Texas. It even happened when Alabama players walked off the field following an early season loss to Texas.
Horns down from Alabama as they leave the field #FOXFieldPass pic.twitter.com/UeD9gxeCzM
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 10, 2022
But in the Big 12, it was an unsportsmanlike penalty to do the “Horns Down” gesture in games. That had SEC reporters wondering if the same policy would apply in Texas’ new conference. Sankey wasn’t exactly rushing to answer that question on Day 1.
Greg Sankey when asked if horns down will be a penalty in the SEC: “I won’t be answering questions about football penalties on July 1st.”
— Summer of George (@GeorgeStoia) July 1, 2024
Let’s hope Sankey allows the “Horns Down” to stand. It’s harmless banter, and the “Horns Up” celebration invites that response. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see the “Horns Down” get the same treatment as what we saw in the Big 12.
After all, sportsmanship is a priority.
