Here’s a stat you don’t hear much: Two weeks into the Big 12 season and Oklahoma football has not led at any point in its two conference games.
That’s hardly the positive momentum a team looks for as it heads into perhaps its biggest game of the season. There are lots of big games throughout the season, but if you are Oklahoma, there are none bigger than the annual Red River Showdown with Texas. It doesn’t matter where the teams are in the rankings or the conference standings, if you come away the loser in this game, you hear about it for the next 365 days.
There have been numerous stories this week in sports media nationwide covering and offering opinion on the various storylines that seem to surround this classic rivalry every season. It is extremely rare that both teams come into the 118th meeting between Oklahoma and Texas outside of the top-25 rankings. Believe me, that won’t have any bearing on how physical and all-out the two teams will go at each other on Saturday.
This isn’t just another game. And the stakes often go way beyond bragging rights.
This is OU-Texas week, and as former head coach Bob Stoops, who was a direct participant in 18 of the games in this rivalry series and came away the winner in 11 of them, tells us, it doesn’t matter where you live, if you are fan of college football, you know about the Oklahoma-Texas rivalry.
This Bob Stoops OU-Texas narration is everything. ❤️
— 𝕺𝖐𝖑𝖆𝖍𝖔𝖒𝖆 𝖛𝖘. 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖂𝖔𝖗𝖑𝖉 (@soonergridiron) October 7, 2022
"This game delivers dramatic moments and career-defining plays every single year. OU-Texas is what makes College Football the greatest sport on the planet." #OUDNA | #BeatTexas | #BoomerSoonerpic.twitter.com/J5665FzAHx
Here is a smattering of other motivational chatter crossing the social media network on Red River rivalry eve:
When you’re OU-TX bound and finally get through Denton traffic 🙌#OUDNA #BeatTexas pic.twitter.com/sJKvx8FTDa
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) October 7, 2022
Is it tomorrow yet? #OUDNA #BeatTexas pic.twitter.com/Lgf1EJGy0u
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) October 7, 2022
Saturday marks the 94th straight year in Dallas and the 118th meeting overall between OU and Texas.
— Oklahoma Football (@OU_Football) October 6, 2022
More notes and nuggets in this week's Game Primer vs. Texas
📝 https://t.co/CnGzxFo3Hh | #OUDNA pic.twitter.com/FhQo44MLFZ
#TBT to the 2000 Edition of OU-Texas.
— 𝕺𝖐𝖑𝖆𝖍𝖔𝖒𝖆 𝖛𝖘. 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖂𝖔𝖗𝖑𝖉 (@soonergridiron) October 6, 2022
"And just as the Longhorns were stumbling along the ropes, Rocky delivers one right between the eyes."
"Oklahoma is turning it into a laugher early."#OUDNA | #BoomerSooner pic.twitter.com/yt9a2E60fh