the phrase "boomer sooner" refers to the land run of 1889, in which the land around the modern university was settled. "boomers" were people who campaigned for the lands to be opened (or tried to enter the lands) before passage of the indian appropriations act of 1889. "sooners" were land thieves who settled before the lands were officially opened, giving them an unfair advantage on finding, fencing, and claiming farm land. if the charge of early entry was proven, they would lose their claimed land.