Longhorns WR Xavier Worthy Relives Red River Memories

Xavier Worthy remembers the previous two Red River matchups and how they differed during his time with the Longhorns.

What makes the River River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma special? Is it the chance for bragging rights between two Blue Blood fan bases that possess disdain for one another? 

Is it the matchups of two states that travel outside their comfort zone to meet for an early kick every Saturday in early October in the hallowed grounds of the Cotton Bowl? 

Both answers would be serviceable, but for Longhorns receiver Xavier Worthy, it's about the ambiance only players can understand while standing on the sidelines. 

"It's the atmosphere. It's the big kina 'raw' to it," Worthy told reporters Monday during weekly pressers. "I feel it has like a good build-up and like a history behind it. ... I kind of really don't understand it still. I kind of see the history behind it. I've seen the old games with (Michael) Huff and all them, so l see it's kind of like a huge rivalry."

Yes, the rivalry is massive. It's so big that the Southeastern Conference decided to leave the Lone Star Showdown to the wayside and make Red River the pinnacle matchup each season once the No. 3 Longhorns (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) and No. 12 Oklahoma (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) join the conference next July. 

There's more than smack talk on the line for both programs. Texas has the roster to compete for a national title. Oklahoma, entering Year 2 under Brent Venables, has basically become the next big reboot of an old sitcom, looking more like the program that won championships under Bob Stoops. 

A victory gains sole control of the Big 12 heading into mid-October and likely clears the first pathway to Arlington for a conference championship in early December. The Longhorns, however, are prepping for Saturday's 11 a.m. kick at the Texas State Fairgrounds as if it's just another game. 

As for the Sooners, they want revenge after an embarrassing outing last fall.

"They're going to come in with a chip on their shoulder, as they should," said Worthy, who caught three balls for 29 yards and a touchdown in the 49-0 beatdown last season. "Like I said, everybody has a dot on us."

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The lopsided score is telling where the two programs stood last October. Plagued by horrendous defensive play and inexcusable penalties, Oklahoma finished 6-7 with a near-upset win over Florida State in the Cheez-It Bowl. Texas, which eventually found a way to shoot itself in the foot, finished 8-5 with a loss to No. 11 Washington in the Alamo Bowl.

The Longhorns would have likely prevailed thanks to a four-touchdown day from Quinn Ewers, but the score could have differed if the Sooners were at full strength. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel suffered a hand injury in the loss against TCU the week prior and watched as five players threw passes for a combined 39 yards. 

This season, he's locked in and has Oklahoma rolling, averaging 47.4 points per contest. He's been responsible for over 60 percent of those points, with 19 total touchdowns against two interceptions to accompany his 1,593 passing yards.

“Dillon is a fantastic player,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said. “He was a great player at UCF. He’s a great player obviously for OU now. We know we’re going to get the best version of him.”

Worthy knows rivalry games feature momentum swings, including ones that can lead to comebacks. In 2021, Oklahoma trailed by 21 after the first quarter before Lincoln Riley decided to make a switch at quarterback. Eventual Heisman winner Caleb Williams entered the field and ended an upset bid with a 300-yard, three-touchdown day. 

"Never underestimate your opponent," said Worthy of the comeback. "The first year, we were up and we kind of got complacent. Last year, we didn't get too complacent, so we want to carry over what we've been doing the whole season."