He began his life as a prize-winning show steer named Sunrise Studly and grew to become perhaps the most well-known longhorn in the world. His white splotches with splashed orange speckles will be missed. His seven-foot “horn-span” and transcendent demeanor will be missed. Traditionally perched in the southwest corner of Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in his throne of a corral, overseeing his burnt orange kingdom, Bevo XIV will be missed. And, while this is a time to mourn the loss of a legendary creature, it is also a time to celebrate his life — a life that saw 107 Texas wins, two Big 12 Championship titles and a National Championship game victory. Here we present an extensive, loving tribute to Bevo XIV.
By Rahul Naik
1. Traveling to Pasadena and witnessing the 2005 National Championship
In his first two seasons as the face of the Longhorns, Bevo XIV saw two Longhorn Rose Bowl trips and victories, one of those a National Championship. In the second trip, Bevo and the Longhorn faithful witnessed perhaps the greatest individual championship performance ever, in which Vince Young scored on fourth-and-five from the nine-yard line and accounted for 467 total yards and three touchdowns en route to a 41-38 over top-ranked USC. These two trips to Pasadena were the farthest distances the studly steer ever traveled.
2. Watching Justin Tucker’s field goal sail through the uprights at Texas A&M in 2011
Bevo XIV traveled to College Station for the last time ever in 2011 as a result of conference realignment and the Aggies’ move to the Southeastern Conference in 2012. However, his last trip was the sweetest of them all, as Justin Tucker kicked a 40-yard field goal as time expired, giving Texas a 27-25 victory over the Aggies and a celebratory dogpile in the middle of Kyle Field as dejected A&M players and fans looked on. The Longhorns overcame a 16-7 halftime deficit and handed the Aggies one of the most painful losses in their program’s history.
3. Attending George W. Bush’s second presidential inauguration
Not one to turn down a party invite, Bevo XIV attended President George W. Bush’s second inauguration in 2004. Although Bush was rejected from the University of Texas School of Law, he maintained pride in his home state and remains a fan of the Longhorns to this day.
4. 2008 Red River Rivalry
The 2008 showdown in the Cotton Bowl pitted top-ranked Oklahoma against then-No. 5 Texas. Both teams came into the game undefeated with OU favored by six and a half points. The Sooners jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the second quarter, but with the serendipitous steer on his side, Jordan Shipley returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown to bring the Longhorns within four points. UT went on to win the game 45-35 and finish the season 12-1, capped by a win over Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.
“On set for the filming of My All American starring Aaron Eckhart as Darrell K Royal. Coming soon to theaters near you”
5. Starring as himself in “My All-American”
Also an actor, renaissance steer Bevo XIV played himself in the upcoming film, “My All-American.” The movie highlights the career of former Texas receiver, Freddie Steinmark. Longhorn fans can set their sights on the beloved beeve when the movie releases on Nov. 15.
6. Bevo XIV’s first game
In his first game as the Longhorn mascot, Bevo XIV stood behind Bevo XIII, attentively observing and taking notes in preparation to set off on his own. Bevo XIII, the winningest Bevo of all-time, had seen better days, so a change was well overdue. While learning the ropes at his first game, the newly-appointed head longhorn witnessed a 65-0 Longhorn blowout victory of North Texas.
7. Receiving a sponsorship from Chevrolet
In May, earlier this year, UT and Chevrolet finalized a $4.8 million contract of sponsorship for UT in addition to a Chevrolet Silverado HD pickup, dubbed “the official truck of Bevo.”
“9 days until kickoff and my 10th anniversary as Bevo! This is a picture of myself and my man Matthew McConaughey. We were filming the opening for the…”
8. Hanging out with Matthew McConaughey
One of Bevo’s best buddies is fellow Longhorn and UT alumnus, Matthew McConaughey. The two hang out at Bevo’s ranch home and shoot the occasional commercial together.
9. Giving Jordan Shipley a friendly reminder to watch his space
In a 2009 game against Texas Tech, Jordan Shipley returned a punt for a touchdown, and his momentum carried him straight into Bevo XIV’s corral, where Shipley claims to have brushed his horn. The steer, more than 10 times Shipley’s weight, stood, defending his territory, as Shipley entered the corral and quickly saw himself out. The instance was just a small reminder at how powerful Bevo XIV was, both figuratively and literally.
10. That time Kristen Bell visited Bevo XIV
Although she did not get quite as worked up about meeting Bevo XIV as she did about meeting a sloth, Kristen Bell made it a point to meet the legendary longhorn during her visit to Austin.
11. Getting blessed by a priest
Lifelong Longhorn and Dominican priest, Fr. John Pitzer went as far as to bless Bevo XIV before UT’s 2012 game at Ole Miss to show love for his team and its lovable mascot. Now, that’s what we’d like to call a holy cow. Anyone, anyone?
12. When Bevo XIV met Reveille VIII
In June 2012, Bevo XIV hosted Texas A&M mascot Reveille VIII at his home. This came during the summer after the last game between the two Texas schools. The two mascots actually seemed to tolerate each other — and dare I say, get along — which is more than can be said about both teams’ fans.
13. Chewing a bale of hay with the Golden Hat
After the 2013 Red River Rivalry victory, Bevo XIV was pictured eating a bale of hay with the Golden Hat trophy sitting atop. That had to be one of the sweetest meals the steer had ever eaten — sweet with the taste of victory.
14. Bevo XIV’s Christmas Yule Log
One of Bevo XIV’s shining moments came at the expense of Longhorn Network, which was ridiculed for its Christmas Day Yule Log last year. The holiday special featured five hours of non-stop footage of Bevo roaming the grounds at his ranch set to the tune of holiday music. Even though some viewers deemed it over-the-top, those at LHN believed it would attract viewers, which goes to show how important the Longhorn mascot is to the program and the entire state.
David Person • Oct 16, 2024 at 12:28 am
Thanks so much for the memories! Great article.