Red River Rivalry reminiscing: the top 5 Texas-OU games

One tunnel. A million tales.

The fabled old Cotton Bowl will host its 115^th Texas-OU Saturday and, likely, produce more enduring memories.

The stadium in Big Tex’s shadow will once again be split down the middle – half burnt orange/half crimson and cream. Familiar smells will fill the air: Fletcher’s corny dogs. Flat State Fair beer. Bevo droppings. And, who knows, maybe even a hearty underdog?

The Longhorns won the annual classic last year, but then Kyler Murray and the Sooners exacted revenge in the Big 12 Championship Game in Arlington. This year it’s still Sam Ehlinger for Texas, but a resurrected Jalen Hurts will lead OU’s high-flying offense.

To crack the elite meetings in this storied rivalry, Saturday will have to offer something particularly saucy. The Top 5 meetings in a rivalry that has spawned Barry Switzer, Adrian Peterson over Vince Young, Brian Bosworth, Earl Campbell, an unbeaten Peter Gardere and more than 100 years of braggin’ rights:

5. 2008 – Texas 45, OU 35: Colt McCoy and the No. 5 ’Horns upset No. 1 OU and quarterback Sam Bradford. Jordan Shipley capped the win with a 96-yard kickoff return.

4. 1976 – Texas 6, OU 6: The infamous spy game was boring on the field, but deliciously bitter off it. Two days before, Texas coach Darrell Royal accused Sooners’ coach Barry Switzer of spying on Longhorn practices. Oklahoma scored a touchdown in the final minute, but botched the snap on the extra point.

3. 1994 – Texas 17, OU 10: Stealing the spotlight from freshman quarterback James Brown, 335-pound defensive tackle Stonie Clark made Texas’ best defensive play in rivalry history when he dropped OU’s James Allen at the 1 as time expired.

2. 2001 – OU 14, Texas 3: In OU’s greatest defensive play in series history, Sooners’ safety Roy Williams turned Texas quarterback Chris Simms into his personal Midway ride to secure OU’s victory.

1. 1984 – Texas 15, OU 15: On a day when No. 1 (Texas) met No. 2 (Oklahoma) – the only time in this series the teams have been ranked 1-2 – it was Mother Nature who dominated. Playing in a driving rainstorm, Switzer opted for a late intentional safety that proved bone-headed when Texas took the ensuing kick and drove to the Oklahoma 17, where Jeff Ward kicked a game-tying field goal as time expired.