The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Red River Rivalry remains unique football experience
10.10.2013 | Football
Texas, Oklahoma set to square off in 108th AT&T Red River Rivalry Saturday at 11 a.m.
By Lauren Giudice, Texas Media Relations
The Red River Rivalry is one of the most unique games in college football. Young football players, including many current Longhorns and Sooners, watched the game growing up hoping that one day they would be the ones running onto the Cotton Bowl field.
On Saturday the rivalry will be renewed for the 108th time.
"It's a reason that young people go to Texas and go to OU, because they want to play in this game," said head coach Mack Brown. "Every prospect in this state will be in this game, and they probably have already chosen who they like because they choose that early in their careers usually… They'll feel the excitement around it, the number of people outside the stadium. It's just a great game and a very unique game."
The game is special for many reasons and players look forward to it all season. Despite being a regular season Big 12 game, it is played on a neutral field. The Cotton Bowl sits almost exactly midway between Austin and Norman.
Perhaps the most unique aspect of the game is the fan split in the stadium. Tickets are divided equally, so Oklahoma fans occupy the south horseshoe from the 50-yard line on and Texas fans sit on the north side of midfield.
The burnt orange and crimson split is obvious and creates a loud, intense atmosphere that is nearly impossible to replicate.
"With the fans being split in the stadium, it's just something different," said senior defensive end Jackson Jeffcoat. "The atmosphere is crazy just because when we're running out you hear the OU fans booing us and then we get to the far end and our fans are cheering us on. You never deal with anything like that anywhere else except at the Cotton Bowl."
Since 1929 the game has been a part of the State Fair of Texas. While the inside of the stadium is filled with the excitement of the football game, just outside of the Cotton Bowl walls are games, an abundance of fried food and large crowds.
UT has its own special tradition leading up to the game with the Torchlight Parade. With its inception in 1916, the parade is a pregame tradition held on Wednesday before every OU game. A parade of students holding torchlights goes down Guadalupe Street and ends with a rally on the steps of the Tower. Brown and Longhorn football players speak to students and get them excited them for the matchup.
Along with bragging rights, there are tangible perks that come with winning. The Golden Hat, a rotating trophy representing the victor, has been a part of the series since 1941. Jeffcoat said it's the team's goal to win and wear the hat after the game.
In addition to the Golden Hat, the Governor's Cup is exchanged by the Governors of Texas and Oklahoma following the game. Former Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe donated the cup for the series and it sits in the office of the year's winning Governor throughout the year.
In addition to these established traditions, this year the teams will wear special Nike Football uniforms with a gold trim, which is a tribute to the Golden Hat trophy. The numbers on the jersey are outlined in gold and feature a gold patch recognizing the series.
"It's the reason you come to Texas," said cornerback Quandre Diggs. "To play in a rivalry game like this magnitude of the game is crazy. A lot of people don't ever get to experience anything like this in their life, and we're some of the guys that do, and we've got to take advantage of it."
