Having a moment with Oklahomas at halftime, Downs Horns nearly fell to the ground….
As he accepted his trophy for being named to the AllState Good Works Team, the Sooners defensive end voiced his opinions to the Longhorns supporters.
There was a crowd for Ethan Downs. He wished for everyone to be aware of his true feelings.
For this reason, on Monday during halftime of the Sugar Bowl, the College Football Playoff semifinal between the Texas Longhorns and the Washington Huskies, the Oklahoma defensive end threw the “Horns Down.”
As a member of the AllState Good Works Team, which honors college football players who engage in extraordinary acts of altruism and community service, Downs was accepting his award in this capacity.
Meanwhile, at halftime in the New Orleans Superdome, Texas and Washington were emerging from the locker room.
Even though the entire event was focused on the amazing individuals who play college football, Downs, a junior from Weatherford, Oklahoma, was not feeling very sympathetic toward all the Texas supporters.
Upon seeing all the burnt orange, Downs—who had two sacks of Quinn Ewers in OU’s 34-30 victory against the Horns in Dallas back in October—raised his right palm over his head, pointing his pinky and index fingers straight down.
The finest student-athletes in college football waved to what sounded like a raucous booing audience, creating an odd scene.
Downs, on the other hand, maintained his position the entire time while playing to his own audience with pride.
Downs had 29 tackles for the Sooners this season, his second as a starter, and led the team for the second straight year with 4.5 quarterback sacks. Downs was named to the second team of the Big 122023-24.023.
Downs was also a finalist for the Danny Weurffel Trophy, which honors playing accomplishments and community service. Among his many other activities, Downs has also served as a counselor for camps and other events for terminally ill patients at OU Children’s Hospital, took part in Art With a Heart to benefit the Oklahoma Children’s Cancer Association, and has spoken two elementary school children statewide representing the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Recently, Downs donated funds raised from autograph sessions (as a NIL venture) to Connections Food and Resource Center in his hometown of Weatherford, OK. Last spring, Downs — who got married this offseason — created and directed a campus-wide food drive for the OU Food Pantry, and during the summer, he took part in a mission trip to South Africa and still found time to coach a youth football camp in Edmond.
