Texas vs. Oklahoma: A Brief History of the Red River Showdown

October 8, 2022 by Courtesy OU and UT

There is no rivalry quite like the Texas-Oklahoma series, which is being played for the 118th time today at 11 a.m. CT/12:00 p.m. ET on ABC.

Despite having lost the last four, and six of the last seven, Texas remains the only Big 12 program with a winning record against Oklahoma and leads the series, 62-50-5.

The series, which began in 1900, has been played in Dallas since 1912 and at the State Fair since 1929. Saturday marks the 100th time the game will be played at a neutral site in Dallas.

Only Texas A&M (118 times) has played the Longhorns on as many occasions. Since 1900, the only years Texas and Oklahoma have not played were 1918, ‘20, ‘21 and 1924-28.

After the series ended following a game in Austin in 1923, the tradition of the two schools playing at the State Fair of Texas began in 1929 in an old wooden structure called Fair Park Stadium. The new structure, also called Fair Park Stadium, but renamed the Cotton Bowl in 1936, was built in time for the 1930 matchup. The first Texas-OU game played at “The Cotton Bowl” was in 1937. This year’s Red River Showdown will be held in the Cotton Bowl for the 86th consecutive year.

To the victor goes the Golden Hat, a rotating trophy given annually to the winner of the Texas-Oklahoma game. A gold cowboy hat that is mounted on a large block of wood, it has been part of the rivalry since the State Fair of Texas donated it in 1941. When the hat first arrived, it was known as the “Bronze Hat” and was actually made out of bronze. The hat was reworked in the 1970s and came out gold, hence the name change to the “Golden Hat.

Oklahoma and Texas are tied with Notre Dame for fourth nationally with 931 all-time wins. OU is 931-333-53 (.727) while Texas is 931-387-33 (.701). The Sooners have played 1,317 games and the Longhorns have played 1,351.

Notre Dame also has 931 wins (931-333-42) to tie the 'Horns and Sooners. Michigan tops the list with a record of 981-352-36, followed by Alabama (947-333-43) and Ohio State (947-329-53).

This is the first time since 1998 that neither Oklahoma or Texas are ranked in the AP poll when facing each other. Before this year, OU was ranked in 21 of the 24 meetings (16 of the last 17) since that season while UT was ranked in 19 of those 24 matchups.