When former Arizona women’s basketball coach Adia Barnes left to coach at SMU last spring, she finished her many social media messages with the SMU rallying cry: “Pony Up!”
She last used “Pony Up!” on June 27. Thereafter, new SMU athletic director Damon Evans and men’s basketball coach Andy Enfield, formerly of USC, moved to eliminate “Pony Up!” from the Mustangs’ sports community. Why? They didn’t think “Pony Up!” portrayed the toughness and grit they sought. They are working on something new.
In the world of college athletics, “Pony Up!” was never an instantly identifiable and respected cry. It’s not among my list of “Great Eight” college sports slogans. Here’s my select list of the singular rallying cries in college sports:
Arizona Wildcats offensive lineman Rhino Tapa’atoutai (59) leads the team in the fight song while greeting Zona Zoo students under the lights at Arizona Stadium during a short break in the training camp routine, Aug. 21, 2025.
1. Boomer Sooner: It was created in 1908, taken from Yale’s fight song “Boola Boola.”
2. Rock Chalk, Jayhawk: Kansas’ historic rallying cry originated by a KU science club in 1886.
3. Roll Tide: Alabama’s identifying slogan was derived from the school’s 1890s song “Roll Alabama Roll.”
4. Rocky Top: Tennessee’s fight song was first played at the 1972 Bluebonnet Bowl.
5. Bear Down: Arizona’s signature sports legend was derived from quarterback Button Salmon‘s final words on his deathbed, 1926.
6. Fight On: USC’s all-too-familiar sports phrase was composed by an SC dental student in 1922.
7. Hook ‘Em, Horns: In 1955, a Texas student began using the “hook ‘em” hand signal at home games, and it caught on immediately.
8. Woo Pig Sooie: Arkansas’ sports cry — “Woo” should be sung for at least eight seconds — began at a 1920s football game.
Almost all other college sports teams are stuck using simplified cheers such as “Go Ducks,” or “Go Utes” or “Go Buffs.”
