Red River week is always a fun time for the Sooners. Well, it usually is anyway. This week, there’s been a cloudy, dour feeling hanging over the campus. I had to sit in class and listen to my fellow students say the Sooners “we’ll be lucky to keep it close.”
Oh, how far we have fallen in a few short weeks. Ladies and gentlemen, I realize how dire it looks right now, but please, have some pride. Have faith.
Anyway, during Texas week, I’m always reminded of my first, and only, time heading to the Cotton Bowl to experience the Red River Showdown in person. The game was great. It was very entertaining to watch. My experience getting there? Not so much.
The year was 2019. I was in my freshman year of college, and Jalen Hurts had lead the Sooners to a 5-0 start heading into the game against Texas. Wearing my crimson Baker Mayfield jersey, I made my way to the Cotton Bowl
After a polite and thoughful conversation with a few UT students on the steps leading to the stadium, I slowly but surely made my way to the upper deck. The great divide of crimson and burnt orange in the stands is something you need to see in person. It’s quite a sight.
I picked quite the game to go to that year.
CeeDee Lamb was just better than everyone else on the field that day. No one on the Texas defense could even touch him. The future Dallas Cowboys wide receiver dominated the Longhorns, scoring three touchdowns.
Sam Ehlinger was sacked nine times. I remember being amazed that he finished the game with how much of a beating he took against Alex Grinch’s defense.
When the game finally ended with an OU victory, I had to make my way home. This is where I had a bit of a problem.
I had gone down to the fairgrounds by myself on the light rail. I had no idea where I was going.
Fueled by a poor sense of direction and a dying iPhone, I got lost in the fairgrounds a few times before making my way to the train station. After waiting in a massive line, I finally got on the train to go home. I got off at the wrong stop, about 20 minutes from my house.
In defeat, I called an Uber and finally made it to my front door. Then I ran into another problem: the door was locked and I didn’t have my keys. Luckily, I had just enough power left on my phone to call my parents, whom I thought were still in the house. They were not.
I was instructed by my mom to go to Buffalo Wild Wings and get some dinner, on her. After spending the last few hours just trying to get home, I was extremely thankful.
And so, I had my usual order and enjoyed the rest of my evening watching more football. I got a much-needed ride home, and finally, I made it home.
A lot of the problems I ran into were probably self-inflicted, but I just couldn’t seem to catch a break making my way out of the stadium.
I’m sure one day I’ll try to go to this game again, but not for awhile. I had enough of the Cotton Bowl by the end of that day and I don’t think I could put myself through that again.
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