The colors burnt orange and white have long been associated with the University of Texas at Austin and its athletics teams, known as the Texas Longhorns. Burnt orange specifically has become an iconic part of the school’s identity and a point of pride for students, alumni, and fans. But why exactly did UT choose burnt orange as one of its official colors? The story behind the adoption of burnt orange offers an interesting glimpse into the history and traditions of one of the largest universities in the United States.
The Early Years at UT
The University of Texas at Austin was established in 1883 after the Texas State Legislature consolidated several smaller colleges into one university. In the early years, the school did not have official colors or a mascot. School colors were not adopted until a later period. Various colors were used for the school’s visual identity including gold, yellow, red, white, and even pink.
It was not until around 1900 that the UT community began rallying around burnt orange as a school color. At the time, many public schools were adopting colors and mascots as a way to build institutional pride and identity. For UT students and alumni, burnt orange seemed like a fitting choice.
Linking Burnt Orange to Texas Tradition
One of the main reasons UT adopted burnt orange was its connection to the history and landscape of Texas. Burnt orange was seen as emblematic of the beautiful sunsets over the Texas hills and prairies. When the sun dips below the horizon in Texas, it often creates a spectacular burnt orange glow in the sky. Choosing burnt orange allowed the university to forge a link between the school’s image and the natural beauty of the Lone Star State.
Burnt Orange vs Tangerine
In the early 20th century, UT students also wanted to distinguish their school colors from the colors of rival schools. Legend has it that some UT students dumped buckets of orange paint into Austin’s Town Lake to boldly proclaim their school pride. However, at the time, the shade of orange used by UT was often referred to as “tangerine” and had more yellow undertones. This was too similar to the orange tones used by the University of Virginia and Princeton University. To further separate UT from these eastern schools, UT began shifting to a darker, burnt orange hue that had a more reddish, Texan look. The university eventually made it official: burnt orange would be one of its core colors.
Link to Longhorn Cattle
The adoption of burnt orange also coincided with the selection of the Longhorn steer as UT’s mascot. Longhorn cattle were an iconic part of Texas’ ranching heritage and selecting the distinctive animal connected the university to Texan culture. Longhorns had burnt orange coloring on their sides and around their horns, further cementing the link between the school color and the new mascot. So burnt orange allowed UT to tie its image both to the Texas landscape and its livestock.
How Burnt Orange Became a Fan Tradition
While burnt orange was officially a UT color, it took several decades for it to become the phenomenon it is today. For many years, not all UT fans wore orange, and the school’s teams often used white or grey uniforms. Orange slowly became more prominent through some key events:
- In 1928, UT Coach Clyde Littlefield wanted fans to wear orange to a rivalry game against Texas A&M to create a “sea of orange.” UT won the game, associate orange with success.
- In 1962, Coach Darrell Royal changed the football team’s uniforms to burnt orange and fans followed suit by wearing the color.
- In 1969, The UT Tower was illuminated in orange lighting, further cementing the color’s prominence.
Over many football seasons and with Coach Royal’s encouragement, wearing burnt orange became a full-fledged fan tradition and symbol of Longhorn Pride. The color soon spread beyond sports and became the central part of UT’s overall identity.
Psychology of Burnt Orange
Beyond just tradition, there may also be psychological factors that help explain why burnt orange caught on so strongly at UT. Research has shown that color can impact mood, emotions, and attitudes. The bold, reddish-orange hue is associated with qualities like enthusiasm, determination, aggression, and confidence. For players and fans, wearing burnt orange may evoke a sense of boldness, competitiveness, and passion. This can create a stronger emotional connection and sense of identity. So the particular tone of burnt orange seems to energize Longhorns in a way other colors may not.
Official Standards for Burnt Orange
With burnt orange becoming so important to the UT community, the university had to standardize the exact shade and ensure consistency. In 1967, UT adopted an official burnt orange standard based on the Pantone Matching System. The official burnt orange consists of red and yellow tones balanced precisely for an eye-catching color. The official standard is Pantone 159. Today, all UT merchandise, uniforms, and visual branding use this specific burnt orange color.
Conclusion
For the University of Texas and its loyal Longhorns fans, burnt orange is much more than just a color. Over decades, burnt orange became an integral part of the school’s tradition and identity. It links UT to the Texas landscape, heritage, and culture. Burnt orange also provides a unifying symbol that evokes Texan pride and a competitive spirit. The iconic burnt orange shade will likely continue inspiring passionate enthusiasm at UT Austin for generations to come. While the color was not UT’s original choice, it has become the definitive color representing Longhorn spirit.
References
| Source | Overview |
|---|---|
| UT Austin Traditions | Overview of UT Austin history and evolution of burnt orange tradition |
| UT Brand Guidelines | Official standards for UT burnt orange color |
| Texas Monthly – Burnt Orange | Article on background of burnt orange and its ties to UT identity |
| Psychology Today – Color Psychology | Research findings on emotional impacts of orange color |
