Why do Big 8 schools abbreviate like that?

MU, KU, CU, OU, NU (sometimes). Probably someone else out there that moves the U to the end, but the Big 8 schools are the only ones off the top of my head.

 

UT?

 

I'm not sure you understand what's going on.

 

Schools west of the Mississippi tend to abbreviate that way because so many of the potential acronyms were taken already by the time they were founded.

Examples: U of Colorado became CU because UConn already was using UC. California already had UC (and Cincinnati too). U of Denver is DU because of U of Delaware. UK was taken, so it is KU for Kansas.

Etc. It is a brand thing. Which is partly why Texas is such a [penis].


MU because of Michigan having U of M. Oregon had OU before Oklahoma came to be. Don't know about NU, but I think I've supported by case.

 

Northwestern is Northwestern University, that one makes sense.

**** Texas

 

I think you're generally right, but none of the other state schools outside of the big 8 went this route. Minnesota, Arkansas, Texas, Arizona, Iowa, Idaho, Washington, Wyoming, Montana, Oregon.

Oklahoma is actually predated by Ohio University. Just thought it was interesting.

 

For some of those, they got first dibs on the abbreviation. For others, BOTH were already taken.

 

Texas is just glad Davy Crockett came down there and kept them from having to be MU, Mexico University, dadgummit

 

Hilariously well delivered.

 

If not fer Davey en a couple Broyles boys they's all speakin' Mexican and sneaking into Oklahoma.

 

Now that you mention it, maybe Davey and the Broyles boys did Mexico a favor.

 

Well hell yes they did. How would you like having to sneak into Oklahoma?