There’s no doubt that the rivalry between the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners is one of the best in college football.
And along with games like Michigan vs. Ohio State, Alabama vs. Auburn and USC vs. Notre Dame, it deserves that recognition.
In fact, some even believe the Texas/OU game is now automatically the best rivalry in the SEC, with KeynoteUSASports ranking it No. 1 in the conference.
“The spectacle. The tradition. The stakes. The utter mutual dislike,” KeynoteUSASports wrote. “The Red River Rivalry, formerly known as the Shootout, ticks virtually all the boxes you’d expect from a bloody college football feud. It also helps that the games are competitive. No team has won more than four straight since 2004, and eight of the last 10 Red River games have been decided by a single score. Texas leads the all-time series 63-51-5.”
Texas Longhorns running back Jonathon Brooks (24) leaps over Oklahoma Sooners defensive back Reggie Pearson (21) for a first down in the third quarter during an NCAA college football game at the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, in Dallas, Texas. This game marks the 119th rivalry matchup. / Ricardo Brazziell / KeynoteUSA NETWORK
It’s obviously a bold statement for two schools entering their first year in the conference, and one that will likely rankle SEC traditionalists a bit.
Last month, KeynoteUSA’s Paul Finebaum seemed surprised at the idea that it could usurp the Iron Bowl (Alabama vs. Auburn) or the world’s largest outdoor cocktail party (Georgia vs. Florida) when Chris Del Conte brought up the idea.
“Have you been to the Red River Rivalry yet?” Del Conte asked during an appearance on Paul Finebaum’s show at the SEC Spring Meetings. “It’s ridiculous, it’s the best thing that’s ever happened. They may talk about the Cocktail Party and the Iron Bowl, but it’s nothing like this game at the State Fair.”
Of course, the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party and the Iron Bowl have reigned as the SEC’s two biggest rivalry games for decades.
But those aren’t the only intense rivalries in the conference, either. The Egg Bowl (Ole Miss vs. Mississippi State) might be the most toxic rivalry in the country, while Alabama vs. LSU has been the most impactful game in the conference for quite some time. That’s not even taking into account Auburn vs. Georgia, Alabama vs. Tennessee or Ole Miss vs. LSU.
And now, there’s a little rivalry called the Lone Star Showdown between Texas and Texas A&M (who haven’t played in over a decade and have still managed to keep the rivalry as toxic as ever) coming up next season as well.
All that said, at the end of the day, it’s hard to argue that the Red River Rivalry is the best in the conference, either.
Setting aside the pomp and tradition argument, this game in most cases has implications for the conference title and now the College Football Playoffs every year.
And with both joining the SEC, those implications are likely to be amplified even further.
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