Part of what makes college football unique among all sports is the ferocity between schools, especially geographical rivals. Rivalry games bring out the best – and sometimes worst – in coaches, players and fans. The stadium is electric, the band plays loudly and, above all, there’s money to be made for bettors.
In speaking of those rivalry matchups, it’s hard to do much better than the Red River Showdown, a southern United States showdown between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns. Neither school has a particularly viable chance in the odds to win the national championship – although the Sooners have a shot at making the CFB playoffs – but that doesn’t reduce any of the intensity ahead of this annual spectacle.
This year, the Red River Showdown will take place October 8 at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas.
How To Watch The 2022 Red River Showdown
- Date/Time: October 8, 12 noon ET
- Location: Dallas, Texas
- Stadium: Cotton Bowl
- Where to Watch: ABC
What Is The Red River Showdown?
Red River Showdown History
The first game of this rivalry kicked off in 1900, before Oklahoma was officially an American state. Typically, the annual matchup takes place at Fair Park in Dallas during the State Fair of Texas, which only adds to the hoopla. The name of the event itself is derived from the Red River that forms part of the boundary between Texas and Oklahoma.
Texas wiped out Oklahoma in the very first Red River Showdown, winning 28-2. Overall, the Longhorns hold the edge in the series, winning 62 of 117 games. In the 2021 contest, Oklahoma outdid Texas by a score of 55-48.
Golden Hat Trophy
Y’all in TV land can call it the Red River Showdown, Red River Shootout, Red River Classic or Red River Rivalry...
— MarkWorley🏈🥎⚾️🏀⚽️🏌🏻♀️🎾🤸🏼♂️🏐🤼♂️🚣🏻♀️ (@OUSooner82) October 10, 2019
It’s #HateTexas week and this game is played for keeps and, this year, to bring The Golden Hat back to it’s rightful home in #Oklahoma. pic.twitter.com/SevFk2lAAH
The Sportsbook of the game is awarded the Golden Hat, a ten-gallon golden cowboy hat mounted on a large block of wood. The winning team gets to keep the Red River trophy until they play for it again the next year.
Red River Showdown 2022
It’s been two years since Texas has seen a bowl game. Through four weeks of the 2022 season, the Longhorns aren’t exactly trending in the right direction. Texas lost a shootout game to conference rival Texas Tech, dropping their record to 2-2.
Starting quarterback Quinn Ewers’ injury has played a big role in the school’s sluggish start, too. His status is reportedly up in the air for Week 5 vs West Virginia, but if Ewers can play in the Red River Showdown, Texas’ chances get a lot better.
On the Oklahoma side, the Sooners are coming off a close Week 4 loss to Kansas State that saw the two teams combine for 495 rushing yards. While QB Dillon Gabriel will be key to any potential victory over Texas, it’s Oklahoma’s run game, especially involving Eric Gray, that will be the X factor.
Red River Showdown Series History
| Year | Sportsbook | Score | OVER/UNDER |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Oklahoma | 55-48 | OVER |
| 2020 | Oklahoma | 53-45 (OT) | OVER |
| 2019 | Oklahoma | 34-27 | UNDER |
| 2018 | Texas | 48-45 | OVER |
| 2017 | Oklahoma | 29-24 | UNDER |
| 2016 | Oklahoma | 45-40 | OVER |
| 2015 | Texas | 24-17 | UNDER |
| 2014 | Oklahoma | 31-26 | OVER |
| 2013 | Texas | 36-20 | UNDER |
| 2012 | Oklahoma | 63-21 | OVER |
Oklahoma is 7-3 SU in the last 10 rivalry games. The OVER is 6-4 during that span, with eight of the last 10 matchups being decided by one possession (eight points) or less.
Red River Showdown 2021
Last year’s game was a doozy. Oklahoma trailed by 20 points at halftime before quarterback Caleb Williams, now at USC, orchestrated a raging second-half comeback that was sealed off with a late touchdown from Kennedy Brooks.
The win in 2021 boosted Oklahoma’s Red River win streak to three games.
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When is the Red River Showdown?
The 2022 Red River Showdown between Texas and Oklahoma will take place Saturday, October 8, at 12 noon. Check out our full preview of the game here.
Who plays in the Red River Showdown?
The Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners compete in the Red River Showdown. The rivalry is named after the river that forms part of the boundary between Oklahoma and Texas.
Who has won the most Red River Showdowns?
Texas has won 62 of 117 Red River Showdowns going back to 1900. That said, Oklahoma has dominated the series lately, winning seven of the last 10 matchups.
What is the Red River Rivalry Trophy?
The Golden Hat is awarded to the annual Sportsbook of the Red River Showdown. The trophy is a ten-gallon golden cowboy hat mounted on a large block of wood. The winning team gets to keep the Red River trophy until they play for it again the next year.
