A look at decade dominance

[mexahorn]

There is a lot of talk in another thread about W/L records in the series with our biggest rival. Rightfully so; they are our most hated rival, but most of what is being debated is irrelevant. The bottom line is both programs are storied, powerful and nationally recognized as being part of the college football elite. The facts are Texas has won more times than not head to head, and OU is aware of that and hates that; however, OU has taken advantage and made more of its opportunities to win titles than Texas has, and Texas is aware of that and hates that.

This rivalry is a pendulum which is what makes it a true rivalry and one that I cherish. I guess I can say I love to hate the Sooners.

Here is the list of decade dominance in this rivalry....always interesting to see it by the numbers. Since I was born in '71 I can regretfully say that OU has had the upper hand in my lifetime (though not during my college years

), BUT before anyone goes off and says the earlier years of this series don't really matter or aren't relevant are kidding themselves. Both sets of my wife's grandparents (still with us by the grace of God) went to college in the late 30's/early 40's (some to UT some to Baylor), and recall very vividly the series from the 30's on....so those numbers ARE significant.

2000-2007: OU 6-2
1990-1999: TX 7-2-1
1980-1989: OU 5-4-1
1970-1979: OU 6-3-1
1960-1969: TX 9-1
1950-1959: OU 7-3
1940-1949: TX 8-2
1930-1939: TX 6-2-1
1929: TX (series starts on regular basis)

Total tally since the series started as we know it (1929): TX 43-31-4

/ OU 7-4 in MNCs / OU 38-25 Conf titles

 

[Sooner-Tuf]

It is a fascinating rivalry that has lasted many generations. Which is of itself amazing. The OU - Texas game is the high point of the season to me. If for whatever reason the game lost significance, conference boundaries redrawn and the game wasn't played every year I would lose a large amount of interest in the game of college football.

Of course I want Oklahoma to win. But honestly when I am a spectator of any sporting event I want the team that plays the best to win.

I would say that some of the early years were probably not as significant to as many people. I'll bet it was to the participants.

I would think from the time the game was scheduled to be an every year event that interest was high. I have been attending the RRS since the 60's and I remember people there that had been going for a lot of years prior to that.

I can't honestly say there was a game that I didn't enjoy. The only time I can remember having a bad taste in my mouth was in the 1984 debacle. But even then it wasn't until we were back at the Hotel drying off that I saw the replay on TV. The weather was miserable but the game was good. I would get out of bed everyday to see something like that and for me that was the worst one.

 

[mexahorn]

Yeah...you might be right...but one of her grandfathers played for Dana Bible in 1941. You better believe those years were significant to him. He later ended up in north Africa in WWII so his following of college ball (and this series) took a hiatus for some time... but it later resumed. In reality he talks more about the A&M and Baylor (Grandma went there) games of that era, but because he talks about those times is why I say its not so distant to some of us who hear of them first hand, as crazy as that sounds.

We can always argue that something is ancient history or not "modern times". A guy my age could say the 50's aren't really that significant, or that football as we know it now truly didn't begin until integration began. Its all relative, but one thing you can't argue with are the numbers and both schools have their advantages.

 

[Sooner-Tuf]

No doubt about it. My grandfather played for OU in the late teens and early 20's. I think it was a big deal to him as well. He attended the RRS and I know he enjoyed the games just like I do. I don't think he had any dislike for UT. I know that he knew Coach Royal personally and thought well of him.

The only team he really seemed to dislike was Nebraska but like me he respected anyone that played hard. He passed away more than 35 years ago and maybe it was because we were conference rivals then with Nebraska and not Texas.

Anyways its a great series and has brought lots of good times to millions of people for a century plus. Not many events have a record like that.