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Red River Rivalry can seal fate for OU, Texas
by Jeff Martin, Special to FOXSports.com
Welcome back, Red River Rivalry. We missed you.
Technically, the annual series between Oklahoma, the nation's No. 1 team, and Texas, the most overlooked fifth-ranked team in recent memory, never ceased, but the last time it was as relevant as it is this weekend was 2004, when both were also in the top five.
In the interim, like Mom's fried chicken and the ex-girlfriend that might have been the one, we didn't know what we were missing until it was gone.
The Red River Rivalry is great again because both sides understand why it's great again.
"It's the same with a lot of the big rivalries — it's the tradition and the history," OU coach Bob Stoops said. "Another thing that adds to it is that they are great teams. It's more than just bragging rights now. It's an inside track, or one up on the other guy, on your way to a championship, hopefully.
Bowl season roundup
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Bowl recaps and analysis:
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EagleBank: Wake 29, Navy 19 | CFN
New Mexico: Colo. St. 40, Fresno St. 35
St. Petersburg: S. Florida 41, Memphis 14
Las Vegas: Arizona 31, BYU 21 | CFN
New Orleans: SMU 30, Troy 27 (OT) | CFN
Poinsettia: TCU 17, Boise St. 16 | CFN
Hawaii: Notre Dame 49, Hawaii 21 | CFN
Motor City: FAU 24, Cen. Mich. 21 | CFN
Meineke: W. Virginia 31, UNC 30 | CFN
Champs Sports: Fla. St. 42, Wis. 13 | CFN
Emerald: Cal 24, Miami 17 | CFN
Independence: La. Tech 17, NIU 10 | CFN
Papajohns.com: Rutgers 29, N.C. St. 23
Alamo: Mizzou 30, N'west. 23 (OT) | CFN
Humanitarian: Maryland 42, Nevada 35
Texas: Rice 38, W. Michigan 14
Holiday: Oregon 42, Oklahoma St. 31 | CFN
Armed Forces: Houston 34, Air Force 28
Sun: Oregon St. 3, Pittsburgh 0 | CFN
Music City: Vandy 16, BC 14 | CFN
Insight: Kansas 42, Minnesota 21
Chick-fil-A: LSU 38, Georgia Tech 3
Outback: Iowa 31, South Carolina 10 | CFN
Capital One: Georgia 24, MSU 12 | CFN
Gator: Nebraska 26, Clemson 21
Rose: USC 38, Penn St. 24 | Analysis
Orange: Va. Tech 20, Cincinnati 7
Cotton: Ole Miss 47, Texas Tech 34
Liberty: Kentucky 25, East Carolina 19
Sugar: Utah 31, Alabama 17
International: UConn 38, Buffalo 20
Fiesta: Texas 24, Ohio St. 21 | Analysis
GMAC: Tulsa 45, Ball St. 13
BCS title: Florida 24, Oklahoma 14
Photo gallery:
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"I think being in the same division has really escalated it."
"This is really big to us," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "It's really big to Oklahoma ... It's even bigger when both teams are really, really good like they are this year. It's good for college football, and it's good for the Big 12 and this part of the country that both teams are really good this year and it should match up to be a great game."
Ninety-thousand fans will divide the Cotton Bowl with their allegiances — half burnt orange, the other half crimson. And the rest of us will follow along in high-definition on our big-screen televisions, thrilled to see who will emerge unscathed.
This isn't Sam Bradford against Colt McCoy, the star quarterbacks on everyone's Heisman Trophy short lists. And this isn't Stoops against Brown, the league's two best coaches.
This is the Big 12's old money, the conference's two "face" programs proving on the national stage why they are household names, why the South is perhaps the nation's toughest division — and yes, that includes either division in the SEC.
These games don't come along every year. The rivalry does, but this game doesn't.
Notice that no one is talking about being undefeated. Notice the Sooners could care less about being No. 1. Notice the Longhorns almost giddy in the underdog role, despite the fact that the last 15 times since 1950 the schools have met as undefeated teams OU has won nine times.
This game can change all of that.
Win this game, this year, and bolster your national reputation, if that's even possible. Think about it — the Sooners would clearly be the nation's team to beat, possibly until the Big 12 Championship. If the Longhorns were to stage the upset, then they would vault into the national title discussion, entering the fray with the likes of Alabama, LSU and fellow conference mate Missouri.
And we'll all be watching.
Welcome back, Red River Rivalry. Don't stay away so long next time, OK?
Jeffrey Martin is a frequent contributor to FOXSports.com. He also writes for the Kansas City Star and the Wichita Eagle. He can be reached at reyheath@gmail.com.
Member Comments
with 1/2 of the 92,100 fans from OU and <br />Texas the NEW Cotton Bowl will really be rocking in the AM...<br /><br />BOOMER!!!!
Sticky_Ricky10/10/2008 11:26:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
I've always believed in the philosophy that says "defense wins championships", and I still do, but this year might just prove to be an exception. It's been noted that the SEC teams play a tough brand of defense - and that's true - overall. However, it's difficult to find an offensive powerhouse in that conference that compares to the O that's being played in the Big 12 this year. The QB's at OU, UT, Texas Tech and Mizzou are all sure-fire pro prospects. I can't recall a time when the conference has been so loaded with talent on the offensive side of the ball. I'm soooo pumped about OU/TX tomorrow!! It will be a great show. <br /><br />OU 48 - TX 23<br /><br />BOOMER SOONER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BMRSNR4EVR10/10/2008 10:07:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
What ever happened to the Red River "Shootout"? What is this p.c. "Rivalry" crap!
2pc4me10/9/2008 20:44:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
hahahaha, thrilling 3-2 win. SEC SUCKS. It's funny, that's the first time I've ever said a conference sucked. Anyway, I see people can't sleep due to the game. Get this, I'm military and I took 10 days leave just to get ready for the game. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. COME ON SATURDAY!!! I'm like a freakin kid at Christmas.
AsnCsdad10/9/2008 19:29:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
as for the sec i only saw one game this year it was a thrilling 3-2 win by auburn over miss st. boy was it exciting
teddystally6910/9/2008 16:27:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
the big ten needs to keep on puffin on penn st. the only real contender in that dreadful conference this year. do we all really need to waste our breath about oh st? dont they prove it for us on saturday? i get such tired head talkin bout oh st
teddystally6910/9/2008 16:21:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
mcBRICKosu you are the big joke. how can you knock a conference that makes up half of the top 10 football teams in the nation? And three of the top five??
flyking10/9/2008 12:49:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
mcbrinkosu you are smoking something good to make a retarded statement like that. SEC struggle to score 3 points a quarter. big 12 would run through the SEC like shi* through a goose.
26oldhabbits10/9/2008 12:40:00 PM(Report inappropriate content)
prezidentBUSH<br />**** u, man. u post a dating site UNIFORMEDMATE.COM no sports celebs are hanging out there.<br />Just some single women there. Of course, they are very hot and beautiful. But i don't care about this. I only like sports celebs.
krosnest0710/9/2008 11:30:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
mcbrinkosu is a tool! How he can even read is a modern miracle!
Hookem_Bevo10/9/2008 11:05:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
The Big XII is a joke. How this clown can compare the Big XII to the SEC is hilarious.
mcbrinkosu10/9/2008 11:03:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
equate,<br /><br />Cle23 is another tool looking for a response from people. We all ignore him as he know he is not playing with a full deck of cards.
Hookem_Bevo10/9/2008 10:38:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
prezidentBUSH<br />"Who care? I just saw those guys are dating with several hotties on the HOT SEXY&MILITARY dating site<br />'UNIFORMEDMATE,.COM'.<br />MOST of them are HOT girls."<br />You may go there and check if it is just a rumor.<br /><br />Hey man, what are you talking about? **** u. Is that true? I have checked that site. Some sports celebs are hanging out there.
The_50year_oracle10/9/2008 10:20:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
prezidentBUSH<br />"Who care? I just saw those guys are dating with several hotties on the HOT SEXY&MILITARY dating site<br />'UNIFORMEDMATE,.COM'.<br />MOST of them are HOT girls."<br />You may go there and check if it is just a rumor.<br /><br />Hey man, what are you talking about? **** u. Is that true? I have checked that site. Some sports celebs are hanging out there.
The_50year_oracle10/9/2008 10:04:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
equate.....CLE23 is just your typical 12 year old, remember he was one here the day AFTER USC pounded the suckeyes sputing off about them they were the best team in the history of football. Of course he didn't acknowledge the lose because beanie didn't play.
SoonerFree10/9/2008 10:04:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
CLE23 Wrote:<br />this story made me laugh.<br /><br />texas? national champs? not unless usc decides to give them another one.<br />I seem to remember that Texas beat the snot out of Ohio State that year as well, in the Horse-shoe no less. So it appears several great teams gave Texas the NC. I am an OU fan and still recognize the faulty logic applied to the Texas NC. Next.<br /><br />and oklahoma? they're all good against the wimpy big 12. but they always get clobbered when it matters most.<br />So Ohio state chokes in the last two NC's and Oklahoma loses when it matters most? Tell me you're joking.<br /><br />the real best team in cfb is ohio state.<br />they're great year in and year out.<br />OU, Texas and two other Big XII teams are better than Ohio State this year. Get over yourself.<br /><br />take away a few fluke losses and we practically never lose.<br />Gotta love that logic. Spoken like a true homer. "Take away the losses and we never lose." You're a real genius aren't you.<br /><br />and remember, terrell pryor and beanie wells have never lost a game together. NEVER. and they never will.<br /><br />end transmission.<br />They will never lose until they do. And believe me, OSU has more loses in store, dolt.
equate10/9/2008 9:45:00 AM(Report inappropriate content)
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