The Longhorn faithful braved the Texas heat for hours to greet the team, which won the College World Series title Saturday in Omaha, Neb., with a 12-6 victory over South Carolina.

The team, wearing black sweat pants and white Texas T-shirts, arrived late Sunday afternoon by charter bus.

The fans scattered inside the baseball stadium chanted "We're No. 1!'' as the players made their way to the third base line, where they hoisted the championship trophy over their heads.

"This is great just to see the love from the fans,'' said senior outfielder Chris Carmichael. "I wish they were there, but we can be with them now, (and) enjoy it for years to come.''

It was Carmichael's three-run homer in the fifth inning that broke open the championship game.

At one point, the crowd began cheering, "Augie!'' UT head coach Augie Garrido responded by applauding the fans.

"I'm pretty overwhelmed,'' Garrido said. "The players really deserve it and are worthy of it.''

Fans posed for photographs and sought autographs from the players.

Twelve-year-old Michael Raspberry of Dripping Springs said the team is an inspiration to him and other Little League players who dream of playing for a championship Longhorn team.

"I just wanted to come celebrate that they won the national championship,'' Raspberry said. "Texas is the best.''

Jane King, 49, and Lou Griffis, 80, both from Austin, were decked out head to toe in UT attire.

They've been seeing UT baseball games together since 1986, three years after the Longhorns' last national championship.

"We've been waiting a long time for this moment. We just came out to say thank you,'' King said as she waited in line to buy a championship T-shirt. "Why else would we be out in this 90-degree heat.''

Griffis could not stop smiling. "We just played so well this year. I'm so proud of the boys,'' she said.

Some in the crowd held homemade signs. Others played the university fight song, "The Eyes of Texas,'' from their car radios, and many bought newly printed national championship hats, T-shirts and flags.

From a newborn baby girl dressed in burnt orange and white booties, to an 80-year-old woman sporting a Texas sun visor, fans of all ages wore their Longhorn love.

Even city buses got into the fanfare. Capitol Metro buses with routes near Disch-Falk flashed "Hook 'em Horns'' on the electronic signs above their windshields.

It was the first College World Series championship for Texas since 1983 and the fourth for Garrido.

He became the first coach in NCAA baseball history to win the title with two schools and in four decades; his first three championships were with Cal State-Fullerton.

The university planned a formal celebration Tuesday night, when the team is scheduled to have its picture taken in front of the university's 307-foot tower, which will be lit orange with a white "No. 1.''