The annual Red River Rivalry sequence between Texas and Oklahoma is not finishing anytime quickly, however Saturday’s showdown on the Cotton Bowl in Dallas is the last-scheduled Big 12 sport between the longtime competitors. The Longhorns and Sooners depart for the SEC on July 1, 2024, ushering in a brand new bankruptcy for one of college football’s largest annual spectacles.
There had been masses of classics between Oklahoma and Texas since their first convention matchup in 1996, and some other may well be on deck Saturday. It would be the first time the Sooners and Longhorns have met with undefeated data since 2011, and as the one Big 12 groups which might be lately ranked, a December rematch in the Big 12 Championship Game cannot be dominated out.
For now, Oklahoma and Texas get ready to invade the State Fair of Texas one final time earlier than buying and selling the Big 12 brand for that of the SEC. The Longhorns lead the all time sequence 63-50-5, however the Sooners personal a 17-11 benefit for the reason that faculties joined the Big 12.
As this era prepares to finish, here is a glance again at five of the best matchups, chronologically indexed, for the reason that competitors was convention competitors.
2001: No. 3 Oklahoma 14, No 5. Texas 3
It’s been 22 years for the reason that top-five showdown when Oklahoma defensive again Roy Williams catapulted himself into Red River Rivalry lore along with his “Superman” soar. Leading Texas 7-3 overdue in the sport and the Longhorns pinned at their very own 2-yard line, the Sooners All-American introduced himself immediately at Texas quarterback Chris Simms, hovering over working again Brett Robin earlier than disrupting Simms’ cross strive out of the top zone. The ball floated all 3 yards earlier than touchdown in the arms of Oklahoma linebacker Teddy Lehman, who trotted proper again around the objective line for the game-sealing landing. The triumph gave the Sooners consecutive wins in the sequence for the primary time for the reason that Barry Switzer era.
“I didn’t know [Williams] left his feet,” Lehman recalled of the play in a 2021 interview with ESPN. “I think I just barely kind of saw him passing by Chris Simms’ backside, as the ball kind of flipped up in the air. … The ball popped up, and I grabbed it.”
2008: No. 5 Texas 45, No. 1 Oklahoma 35
Oklahoma quarterback and eventual Heisman winner Sam Bradford handed for 378 yards and five touchdowns, the Sooners led for almost 45 mins and but it used to be a resilient Texas squad that received by means of 10 after trailing by means of as a lot as 11 on two events in the primary part. From Jordan Shipley’s 96-yard kickoff-return landing to Cody Johnson’s trio of short-yardage touchdowns, the Longhorns stored punching again as they upended the top-ranked Sooners. The Texas protection additionally did its section by means of forcing a couple of turnovers, together with an interception of Bradford that averted Oklahoma from doubtlessly re-taking a two-score lead earlier than halftime.
Both groups completed the common season 11-1 and have been in the nationwide identify dialog, but it used to be Oklahoma who won the danger to compete for the Big 12 championship regardless of Texas proudly owning the head-to-head victory. BCS scores have been used to type out a three-way tie between Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech atop the Big 12 South Division, giving the No. 2 Sooners the nod over the Longhorns and Red Raiders.
2018: No. 19 Texas 48, No. 7 Oklahoma 45
Texas seemed on its approach to a large disappointed of Oklahoma when the Longhorns held a 45-24 lead coming into the fourth quarter. Quarterbacked by means of eventual Heisman winner Kyler Murray, the Sooners offense then aroused from sleep. In a span of slightly below six mins, Oklahoma scored 3 consecutive touchdowns to erase the 21-point deficit, tying the sport at 45-all with 2:38 to spare in law.
Despite the frantic rally, there used to be greater than sufficient time at the clock for Texas to regroup and make allowance kicker Cameron Dicker to transform a Red River Rivalry hero. With 9 seconds last, Texas coated up for a 40-yard box objective strive, which Dicker booted directly in the course of the uprights. Instantaneously, the legend of “Dicker the Kicker” used to be born as the Longhorns prevailed in what used to be then the highest-scoring sport in sequence historical past.
2020: Oklahoma 53, No. 22 Texas 45 (4 OT)
Has a extra strange Red River Rivalry sport ever been contested? Oklahoma and Texas discovered themselves enjoying in entrance of a tremendously diminished crowd on the Cotton Bowl due to COVID-19 restrictions earlier than 4 overtimes have been wanted to crown a winner. The quadruple extra time end used to be as dramatic as it used to be implausible. The Sooners carried a 31-17 lead with not up to 4 mins to play earlier than the Longhorns rallied for 2 overdue touchdowns, tying the sport with simply 14 seconds left in law.
The groups then traded highlight-reel touchdowns or even ignored box targets around the first 3 overtimes earlier than Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler’s 25-yard landing cross to Drake Stoops in the fourth extra time proved to be the variation. Texas had an opportunity to power a 5th extra time, however Sooners defensive again Tre Brown intercepted Longhorns quarterback Sam Ehlinger on 2d down to finish the sport, bailing out Oklahoma from an 0-3 get started to Big 12 play. The 53-45 ultimate broke the scoring report from simply two years prior. Spoiler: That new report used to be additionally on borrowed time.
2021: No. 6 Oklahoma 55, No. 21 Texas 48
It’s no longer recency bias. Some of the hot Red River Rivalry games have simply been that excellent. The fireworks have been instant in this one. Texas vast receiver Xavier Worthy housed a 75-yard landing at the opening play from scrimmage as the Longhorns shot out to a 28-7 lead in the primary quarter. Oklahoma’s shaky get started in the end brought about trainer Lincoln Riley to bench quarterback Spencer Rattler in choose of true freshman Caleb Williams in the center of the sport. It used to be a chance that paid off.
The Sooners discovered new lifestyles with Williams in the sport. He accounted for 3 touchdowns, and by means of halfway in the course of the fourth quarter, a 21-point deficit for Oklahoma had transform a 48-41 lead. Texas tied the sport on Worthy’s 2d landing with simply 1:23 last, nevertheless it left Oklahoma with sufficient time to ship the dagger. With 3 seconds last, Sooners working again Kennedy Brooks ripped off a 33-yard landing, finishing the largest comeback in sequence historical past as the scoring report fell as soon as once more.
Just ignored the minimize
1996: Oklahoma 30, No. 25 Texas 27 (OT) — The Longhorns have been upended by means of an 0-4 Sooners squad in a sport complete of firsts. Not handiest used to be it the primary convention matchup between the 2 competitors, nevertheless it used to be additionally the primary time a Red River Rivalry sport — or any sport for the newborn Big 12 — used to be determined by means of school soccer’s newly-introduced extra time regulations.
2004: No. 2 Oklahoma 12, No. 5 Texas 0 — Even if no longer at the primary record, this vintage from the peak of the Bob Stoops vs. Mack Brown era merits point out. The height five showdown featured a breakout efficiency for Oklahoma working again Adrian Peterson. In simply his 5th school sport, Peterson rushed for 225 yards as the Sooners blanked the Longhorns for what stays tied as the lowest-scoring sport in Big 12 historical past.