Countdown To Kickoff: 1928 Texas Longhorns (Burnt Orange Is Born!)

[Blake Munroe]

We continue our countdown series, where every day from now until kickoff we take a look back at the Texas team that matches the countdown number.

Today, that means the 1928 Texas Longhorns.

The 1928 season was one of the most important years in Texas football history, and not just because the Longhorns won the Southwest Conference championship.

This was the first Texas team to wear the darker burnt orange uniforms that would eventually become the iconic Texas Orange look fans know today. Before that, the brighter orange jerseys had a tendency to fade badly over time, leading to opposing fans jokingly calling Texas the “yellow bellies.” Head coach Clyde Littlefield wanted a tougher, darker shade that held up better.

Texas finished 7-2 overall, won the SWC championship, outscored opponents 122-32, allowed just 32 total points all season, and posted five shutouts in nine games.

They also closed the season like champions, shutting out Baylor, TCU and Texas A&M in three straight games to secure the conference crown.

And here’s another piece that makes 1928 special: it helped preserve the sound of Texas football history.

In May of that year, members of the Longhorn Band and the University Men’s Chorus traveled to San Antonio to make what are considered the earliest known recordings of “The Eyes of Texas” and “Texas Taps,” later known as “Texas Fight.” The songs were pressed onto a Victor 78 rpm record just days after the 25th anniversary of “The Eyes of Texas.”

So in a lot of ways, 1928 helped shape both the look and the sound of Texas football.

99 days out.

[LonghornLegends]

SMU 6-2 what a score lmao! Crazy how much football has changed/evolved!!

[Tuco Ramirez]

It’s odd that we kept playing Vanderbilt in those years.

[jbseamus83]

@Blake Munroe The graphics are fantastic! Keep it up! Love the idea of this countdown looking at each of the years.  It's really cool