Rivalry games are of utmost importance. The Texas Longhorns have two of perhaps the ten best rivalries in college football with the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas A&M Aggies. For the first time since 2011, they will face both this season.
Respected Texas football analysts Bobby Burton and Gerry Hamilton sparked a debate over which game is more important for the 2024 season in particular. Hamilton gave the following thoughts on On Texas Football.
“I would say Oklahoma next year because Oklahoma won. … Brent Venables and (Danny) Stutsman celebrated on social media like, I, just name it. And it’s the first game (back against Texas A&M). Now I’ll say this, if Oklahoma beat Texas a second year in a row then the (Texas) A&M game takes on even more. But the return of the rivalry, I get what you’re saying, Bobby, but that Oklahoma (game) was a heartbreaker last year.”
Burton offered a differing opinion.
“No way. I mean, dude, you’re rekindling the rivalry with (Texas) A&M. … Is there going to be a game than an A&M person wants to win more than that? … I mean, last 100 years, is there gonna be more, I mean, no. Because Texas has had eternal scoreboard for 13 years.”
Both provide compelling sides of the discussion. Even so, given the way that Oklahoma has fared in Dallas lately, winning 16 of the last 24 matchups between the teams, the Longhorns can ill afford to lose to the Sooners this season.
Texas has weathered storms after losing rivals other than Oklahoma. In 2021, the team lost to Arkansas, 40-21. It also fell to the Baylor Bears in Waco as well as Texas Tech the following season. Albeit, another win for Venables and company in Dallas could set the tone for the future of the rivalry on the field and in recruiting. That’s something Texas will need to prevent.
A win over Oklahoma could usher the Sooners into a multi-loss season with tough matchups with which to contend against Alabama and Tennessee in Norman and Ole Miss, LSU, Missouri and Auburn on the road. Getting the upper hand in Red River could elevate the Longhorns’ ceiling moving forward.
Both rivalries are critical to determining what will be a successful season. But it’s time for Texas to start consistently beating Oklahoma in Dallas before anything else.
Which game carries more weight for #Texas in '24? Playing #OU or the #Aggies?
This morning on Coffee & Football, @BobbyBurtonOTF and @GHamiltonOTF had two different answers. Listen to the clip below for their reasoning.
Who do YOU agree with and why? #HookEm pic.twitter.com/V3t2oMxT3i
— Blake Munroe (@BlakeMunroeOTF) February 12, 2024