Perhaps the only way the Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma could have become even more intense, happened when both joined the powerful Southeastern Conference in July.

The series that began immediately in 1900 will rank among the best of the SEC’s older series: Alabama vs. Georgia, the Iron Bowl between Auburn vs. Alabama, the Egg Bowl with Ole Miss and Mississippi State and the matchups between Florida and Georgia in Jacksonville. , long known as the world’s largest outdoor cocktail party.

Firstly there is the atmosphere. The Cotton Bowl in Dallas is a neutral site nearly equidistant from the campuses in Norman, Oklahoma and Austin, Texas. The stadium is split with half Oklahoma crimson and half Texas burnt orange. Set during the State Fair of Texas, the game creates a vibrant scene and unique experience.

Then there is the history. While Alabama and Georgia have played many high-stakes games over the past decade, even that series doesn’t cut it long-term. Oklahoma and Texas have 10 AP national titles between them; Oklahoma has seven and Texas has three. In both cases, the winner in Dallas won the national championship.

There is also a lot at stake this year: Texas takes over the number 1 position in the game for the first time since 1984. Oklahoma. at number 18, would get a huge boost from a win.

“How could you not get excited about this game?” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said. “This is everything you want to coach and play for at this level. The spectacle, the emotion, the intensity, the opportunities, everything. On Saturday you will be the focus of college football.”

There have been plenty of stars over the years: Oklahoma has seven Heisman winners and Texas has two, many of whom have helped their causes in Red River Rivalry games.

Legendary Texas coach Darrell Royal played for Oklahoma. But the Sooners brought a lot more than just a coach from Texas — something Longhorn fans are quick to bring up. Many of Oklahoma’s best players come from The Longhorn State – Heisman winners Billy Sims, Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray are from there, as are star running backs Adrian Peterson, Greg Pruitt, Joe Washington and many others.

In the late 1960s, Texas won big with the run-based wishbone offense. Oklahoma’s Barry Switzer borrowed it, adapted it and ran it down Texas’ throat in the 1970s – with a heavy dose of running backs he recruited from Texas.

The matches were often unpredictable. For example, last year Texas was heavily favored, but Oklahoma won on a touchdown pass from Dillon Gabriel to Nic Anderson with 15 seconds left. Texas rebounded and made the College Football Playoff.

In perhaps the craziest year of the rivalry, the schools played twice in 2018. Texas won in the regular season, but Oklahoma won the rematch in the Big 12 title game, sending Murray to the Heisman.

With all that in mind, here are five key matches in the rivalry.

Oklahoma’s Spencer Rattler threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Drake Stoops – son of former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops – in the fourth overtime for the game winner.

In a game that deserved a packed house, the COVID-19 pandemic reduced the Cotton Bowl crowd by 93,000 seats to 24,000, and the state fair was canceled for the first time since World War II.

Those who showed up witnessed a barn burner.

Texas’ Sam Ehlinger, who had four rushing touchdowns, threw two scoring passes in the final 3:28 of regulation to help the Longhorns tie the game at 31 and force overtime.

But after Stoops’ touchdown catch, Oklahoma’s Tre’ Brown intercepted Ehlinger to end the game.

Oklahoma was ranked No. 1, Texas at No. 5. Oklahoma twice held an 11-point lead in the first half, then Texas pulled within 21-20 by halftime, with the play of the game sparked by Jordan’s momentum Shipley that changed. – kick-off return to the yard.

The game produced an all-time quarterback duel as Oklahoma’s Sam Bradford passed for 387 yards and five touchdowns and Texas’ Colt McCoy passed for 287 yards and a score. Texas jumped to No. 1 after the win and held the spot for three weeks.

Oklahoma ultimately won in the end. Bradford won the Heisman and McCoy finished second. And the Sooners got the BCS national championship tiebreaker to earn a berth in the national title game.

This game is best remembered for a spectacular play by Oklahoma defensive stars Roy Williams and Teddy Lehman.

Oklahoma led 7-3 late in the fourth quarter, but Texas had a glimmer of hope. After a punt, the Longhorns took possession at their 3-yard line with just over two minutes remaining. On Texas’ first play, Chris Simms fell back into the end zone. Williams jumped into the air and hit Simms as he was throwing. Lehman caught the fluttering pass and returned it two yards for a touchdown. Williams would later collect an interception to help the Sooners close it out.

Oklahoma, the defending champion, won its 18th straight game overall.

The first game between Texas coach Mack Brown and Oklahoma’s Bob Stoops was a doozy that started with cheating.

Oklahoma offensive coordinator Mike Leach wrote a mock play script before the start of the game and came up with an elaborate plan to leave it at the Texas bench during pregame warmups. It worked when the Longhorns found the script and, thinking they knew the Sooners’ game plan, lined up in the wrong places.

Josh Heupel, who would lead the Sooners to the national championship in 2000, passed for 181 yards and two touchdowns as Oklahoma raced to a 17-0 lead. Texas defensive coordinator Carl Reese eventually quashed the fake script and the Longhorns staged their biggest rally in nearly 35 years to win.

Before the game, Sooners freshman linebacker Brian Bosworth — a native Oklahoman — stated, “I hate Texas, I hate (Texas coach) Freddie Akers and I hate that burnt orange color. It reminds me of people’s vomit. ”

On a rainy, soggy day at the Cotton Bowl, No. 3 Oklahoma led the top-ranked Longhorns 15-10 late in the third quarter before a safety pulled Texas within three points. Texas was driving for the winning touchdown when an apparent Oklahoma interception was ruled out of bounds. With 4 seconds left, Texas’ Jeff Ward kicked a tying field goal. Switzer chased the game officials to yell at them.

“Oklahoma fans were angry,” Ward told the AP in 2000. “Texas fans were angry. Everyone was screaming. The rain made you feel miserable.”

Bosworth respected Texas even less for the tie as the years passed.

“They came and did the unthinkable, trying to tie the knot,” Bosworth said in 2000. “They were the No. 1 team. That was like shooting themselves in the head.”