Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK
The Rivalry is Back: Oklahoma-Texas Game Takes its Old Nickname
OU and Texas announced on Monday that their historic rivalry game will once again be titled the "Red River Rivalry".
The two squads have met 118 times dating back to 1900, before Oklahoma was a state. The matchup was originally known as the Red River Shootout before the name was changed to the Red River Rivalry in 2005.
In 2014, the matchup's title shifted to the Red River Showdown until this season, when the name will return to its mid-2000s moniker. Fans on social media were happy with the change, lamenting the 'Showdown" piece of the game's former name.
This season, Allstate will also sponsor the contest, moving away from AT&T, the rivalry's previous backer.
"Our annual iconic matchup with the Longhorns each October features more than a century of tradition between our two programs, so it's fitting that we revive the 'Rivalry' name," OU athletic director Joe Castiglione said in a statement. "On the field, we're certainly arch-rivals, with both our teams bringing fierce competition year after year."
The OU Daily reported Monday that OU and Texas have begun negotiations with the State Fair of Texas to renew the current contract in downtown Dallas.
After an abysmal performance in their matchup against Texas last season, the Sooners will look to rebound against the Longhorns in 2023. OU and Texas will meet on Oct. 7 at their typically stomping grounds, the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, where the two squads have played every year since 1929.
There have only been 17 matchups between the two historic programs outside of the Dallas area. The Red River matchup was played in Oklahoma six times between 1901 and 1922.
Texas leads holds the all-time series lead with a 63-50-5 advantage. Since 1948, however, the matchup has favored Oklahoma, with the Sooners holding a 39-34 advantage since then.
2023 will mark the final Red River Rivalry game in the Big 12, as both Texas and Oklahoma are slated to join the SEC in 2024.
This year's game will be broadcast on ABC on Oct. 7, with the kickoff time still to be announced.
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