College football has its share of exciting rivalries. Very few have a history that spans decades, and that has simultaneously had a multi-generational impact on fans and families.
Texas vs Oklahoma is certainly one. Once described as a carnival on steroids, the Red River Rivalry is played annually at the Texas State Fair at the Cotton Bowl. The teams have squared off being ranked #1 and #2 a total of eight times.
WATCH- Saturday Traditions: Rivals Unite- Texas vs Oklahoma
Saturday Traditions: Rivals Unite- Texas vs Oklahoma
The series has featured a total of seven Heisman Trophy winners – Sam Bradford, Jason White, Billy Sims, Steve Owens and Billy Vessels for Oklahoma, and Earl Campbell and Ricky Williams for Texas.
The teams have met 111 times, Texas leads the all-time series with 61 wins. Oklahoma has won 45 times, with five contests ending in a tie.
There are three trophies awarded after each game, with the Golden Hat being the best known of the three. It’s the only one given to the winning squad on the field after each game.
The trophy is a gold, 10-gallon cowboy hat mounted on a large block of wood. There’s also the Red River Rivalry Trophy, which is exchanged between the student bodies of the two schools, and a separate trophy which is the governors of the two states pass along to one another depending on who wins.
Oklahoma vs Texas | 2016 Big 12 Football Highlights
Uploaded by Big 12 Digital Network on 2016-10-08.
This game has a unique kaleidoscope of colors, sounds and the scent of food that explodes into one unique aura when the Longhorns and Sooners, with both schools being 200 miles equidistant from Dallas, meet up.
Oklahoma trounced Texas 63-14 in 2000 en route to an undefeated season and the national championship. OU running back Quentin Griffin scored six TD’s in the game, tying the all-time NCAA record for most rushing scores by one player in a game. Texas turned the tables in 2005, winning 45-12 en route to its memorable Rose Bowl victory over USC to claim the national championship
The Red River Rivalry has transcended football to become a true, unique slice of Americana.
