October in Dallas? Man, talk about a place where the record books get tossed out the window. The Texas-Oklahoma rivalry is notorious for flipping scripts faster than you can blink, and this year is no different as the Red River showdown approaches.
The Wild Ride From Top to Bottom (and Back Again)
Look, this series has seen it all. Texas once rode high, hitting the College Football Playoff semifinals two straight seasons in 2023-24, a true return to the Mack Brown era’s heights. Then they sat out the playoffs last year, just like that. Oklahoma, on the other hand, was grabbing Heisman trophies like pocket change, running things in the Big 12, before hitting a rough patch. But they still managed to crash the CFP party last December, only to exit quickly despite leading Alabama 17-0 in Norman in the first round. Now, in 2026? Texas is up, unbeaten, ranked No. 1, and a 7½-point favorite. OU is down, unranked, with two quality losses. But seriously, check back in a week, because fortunes can change at breakneck speed in this series.
History Shows Why You Can’t Count Anyone Out
You think being No. 1 and unbeaten makes Texas a shoe-in? Or that OU being unranked with two losses means they’re out of it? Nah, not in Dallas. This isn’t about logic; it’s about pure, raw rivalry. We’re talking about a series that has seen legendary moments, like Stonie Clark becoming a hero with one monumental tackle at the goal-line, or Peter Gardere stamping his legacy with four wins over OU. Players walk into the Cotton Bowl as mortals and can leave as legends in 60 minutes flat. This series, played in Dallas since 1912 and at the State Fair since 1929, is more passion play than sport. Sure, the Longhorns lead the series 65-51-5, and Texas ranks fifth in all-time football wins at 975, with OU right behind at sixth with 967. But none of that really matters when it’s game day. Texas coach Steve Sarkisian hit it right on the head, saying, “I can promise you one thing, nobody’s overlooking anybody in this game.” You gotta believe him.
Flipped Scripts and Fever Pitches
Wanna talk about flipped scripts and wild parallels? Just 12 months ago, the wounded Longhorns limped into the Cotton Bowl unranked with two losses. They’d lost to a blueblood like Ohio State on the road and got embarrassed in their SEC opener at Florida. Fast forward to this Saturday, and now it’s the flawed Sooners sneaking into that historic area unranked with two losses, after losing to heavyweight Michigan on the road and getting humiliated in their SEC opener at Georgia. The teams might be trending in opposite directions on paper, but their emotions will identically coincide this weekend. Nothing changes that. Both squads are gonna be at a fever pitch for Saturday’s 2:45 p.m. kickoff. Actually, even before that. Sarkisian acknowledged it, “There’s always a ton of emotion in pregame for whatever reason.”
So get ready for a chaotic kickoff. This isn’t just another game; it’s the Cotton Bowl. Who knows what upset is brewing, but you know it’s gonna be wild.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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