The Red River rivalry between Oklahoma and Texas opens a new chapter in the SEC

Perhaps the only way the rivalry between Oklahoma and Texas could have become more intense was when both joined the mighty SEC in July.

The series that began in 1900 will immediately rank among the best of the SEC's older ones – Alabama vs. Georgia, the Auburn vs. Alabama Iron Bowl, the Egg Bowl with Ole Miss and Mississippi State, and the Florida-Georgia matchups in Jacksonville. Long known as the largest outdoor cocktail party in the world.

Firstly, there is the atmosphere. The Cotton Bowl in Dallas is a neutral site located nearly equidistant from the campuses in Norman, Oklahoma and Austin, Texas. The stadium is split half Oklahoma Crimson and half Texas Burnt Orange. The game takes place during the State Fair of Texas, creating a lively scene and a unique experience.

Then there is the story. Although Alabama and Georgia have played many high-stakes games over the last decade, this series also doesn't hold up in the long run. Oklahoma and Texas have a combined 10 AP national titles – Oklahoma has seven and Texas has three. In each case, the winner in Dallas won the national championship.

There's a lot at stake this year as well – Texas takes the No. 1 ranking into play for the first time since 1984. Oklahoma, the No. 18 seed, would get a huge boost from a win.

“How could you not be excited about this game?” Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables said. “That’s everything you want to train and play for at this level. The pageantry, the emotions, the intensity, the opportunity, everything. They will be the focus of college football this Saturday.”

There have been plenty of stars over the years – Oklahoma has seven Heisman winners and Texas has two, and many have championed their causes at Red River Rivalry games.

Legendary Texas coach Darrell Royal played for Oklahoma. But the Sooners brought much more than just a coach with them from Texas — something Longhorn fans are quick to bring up. Many of Oklahoma's best players came from the Longhorn State – Heisman winners Billy Sims, Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray are from there, as are star running backs Adrian Peterson, Greg Pruitt, Joe Washington and many others.

In the late 1960s, Texas won a major victory with the run-based Wishbone offense. Oklahoma's Barry Switzer borrowed it, tweaked it, and let it run down his throat in Texas in the 1970s, with a heavy dose of the running backs he recruited from Texas.

The games were often unpredictable. For example, last year Texas was heavily favored, but Oklahoma won by a touchdown pass Dillon Gabriel to Nic Anderson with 15 seconds left. Texas rebounded and reached the College Football Playoff.

In perhaps the craziest year of the rivalry, the schools played twice in 2018. Texas won in the regular season, but Oklahoma won the rematch in the Big 12 title game, advancing Murray to the Heisman.

With that in mind, here are five important games in the rivalry.

2020: Oklahoma 53, Texas 45 (4 OT)

Oklahoma's Spencer Rattler threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Drake Stoops – son of former Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops – in the fourth overtime for the game-winner.

In a game that deserved a full house, the COVID-19 pandemic reduced attendance at the 93,000-seat Cotton Bowl to 24,000 and the state fair was canceled for the first time since World War II.

Those who showed up witnessed a barn fire. Texas' Sam Ehlinger, who had four rushing touchdowns, threw two scoring passes in the final 3:28 of regulation to back that up The Longhorns finish the game with 31 points and force overtime.

But after Stoops' touchdown catch, Oklahoma's Tre' Brown intercepted Ehlinger and ended the game.

CFB Week 7 Best Bets: Texas vs. Oklahoma, Penn State vs. USC

2008: Texas 45, Oklahoma 35

Oklahoma was ranked No. 1, Texas was No. 5. Oklahoma had an 11-point lead twice in the first half, only for Texas to get within 21-20 by halftime, with the game influenced by Jordan Shipley's momentum, which increased to 96 points switched -yard kickoff return.

The game produced an all-time quarterback duel as Oklahoma's Sam Bradford passed for 387 yards and five touchdowns and Texas' Colt McCoy passed for 287 yards and a score. Texas jumped to No. 1 after the win and held that spot for three weeks.

In the end, Oklahoma won. Bradford won the Heisman and McCoy came in second. And the Sooners were awarded the BCS national championship tiebreaker to secure a spot in the national title game.

2001: Oklahoma 14, Texas 3

This game is best remembered for the spectacular play of Oklahoma defenders Roy Williams and Teddy Lehman.

Oklahoma led 7-3 late in the fourth quarter, but Texas had a glimmer of hope. After a punt, the Longhorns gained possession at their 3-yard line with just over two minutes left. On Texas' first play, Chris Simms fell back into the end zone. Williams jumped into the air and hit Simms as he threw. Lehman caught the fluttering pass and returned it 2 yards for a touchdown. Williams would later collect an interception to help the Sooners put the game away.

Oklahoma, the reigning national champion, won its 18th straight game overall.

1999: Texas 38, Oklahoma 28

The first matchup between Texas coach Mack Brown and Oklahoma's Bob Stoops was a doozy that started with tricks.

Oklahoma offensive coordinator Mike Leach wrote a fake play script early in the game and concocted an elaborate plan to place it near the Texas bench during pregame warmups. It worked when the Longhorns found the script and thought they knew the Sooners' game plan and lined up in the wrong spots.

Josh Heupel, who would lead the Sooners to the national championship in 2000, had 181 passing yards and two touchdowns as Oklahoma took a 17-0 lead. Texas defensive coordinator Carl Reese eventually threw out the wrong script and the Longhorns staged their biggest rally in nearly 35 years to win.

CFB Week 7 Super Six: Will Texas, Ohio State or Penn State suffer their first loss?

1984: Oklahoma 15, Texas 15

Before the game, freshman linebacker Brian Bosworth – an Oklahoma native – stated: “I hate Texas, I hate (Texas coach) Freddie Akers and I hate that burnt orange color. It reminds me of people’s vomit.”

On a rainy, humid day in the Cotton Bowl, No. 3 Oklahoma led the top-ranked Longhorns 15-10 late in the third quarter before a safety pulled Texas within three points. Texas was going for the game-winning touchdown when an apparent Oklahoma interception was ruled out of bounds. With four seconds left, Texas' Jeff Ward hit a game-winning field goal. Switzer chased after the game officials to yell at them.

“Oklahoma fans were angry,” Ward told the AP in 2000. “Texas fans were angry.” Everyone was screaming. You felt miserable because of the rain.

Bosworth respected Texas less and less for the draw over the years.

“'They came and did the unthinkable and tried to end the whole thing,' Bosworth said in 2000. “They were the No. 1 team. It was like shooting yourself in the head.”

Reporting by The Associated Press.

(Want great stories delivered straight to your inbox? Create your FOX Sports account or log in, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized daily newsletter.)

CONSEQUENCES Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience