When Oklahoma and Texas brought the Red River Rivalry into the SEC in 2024, they didn’t just add another date to the league calendar. They added one of college football’s most recognizable showdowns to a conference already packed with heavyweight matchups.
The question now is where that game fits among the SEC’s best. On one list, it lands at the very top.
No. 5 is the Lone Star Showdown between Texas and Texas A&M. Texas edge rusher Colin Simmons might say that rivalry means more to the Longhorns than the Red River Rivalry, but the history gap is impossible to ignore.
The matchup didn’t even exist for 13 years before returning as an SEC game in 2024. Even so, it still earns a spot in the top five, especially now that both programs are legitimate College Football Playoff contenders.
At No. 4, there’s the World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, the annual neutral-site meeting between Georgia and Florida in Jacksonville. Florida may be going through a rough stretch, but this one usually carries major weight because it features two programs that are often in the SEC title conversation and can shape the league race in a big way.
The Egg Bowl checks in at No. 3, and for good reason. Ole Miss and Mississippi State give the conference one of its purest in-state rivalries, the kind that still has real edge no matter where the programs stand.
Neither team is likely to live at the level of Oklahoma or Texas on a yearly basis, but that doesn’t make this one any less watchable. Even when both sides are down, the game tends to deliver chaos and entertainment.
The Iron Bowl comes in at No. 2, and that placement is sure to stir debate. Alabama vs.
Auburn has produced some of the most unforgettable moments in the sport, and nobody is arguing it doesn’t belong near the top. Still, outside of a handful of memorable upsets, the rivalry has leaned heavily toward Alabama since 2008.
Unless Auburn changes that quickly, it hasn’t been a true must-see every single season in the way it once was.
And at No. 1 is the Red River Rivalry, Oklahoma vs. Texas.
For a site tied to Oklahoma, there’s probably some bias baked into that choice, but the case is easy to make. Nothing matches a Cotton Bowl split perfectly between crimson and burnt orange. Nothing else gives you that kind of scene, with a marquee college football game unfolding in the middle of a state fair.
Even when one team is rolling and the other is struggling, this is still a game you circle. Either side can win it, and that hasn’t changed in 126 years, even before Oklahoma was a state.
In Other News...
Sooners May Have An Unexpected Answer To Their Run Game Problem
Oklahomas rushing attack has been one of the biggest issues since the move into the SEC, and the Sooners spent the offseason trying to fix it with a reworked approach under Kevin Wilson, Bill Bedenbaugh, Deland McCullough and Jason Witten. The hope is simple enough: find a backfield answer that can help the offense stay on schedule and make the ground game a real part of the identity again.
One name drawing attention is Lloyd Avant, who reportedly made a strong impression in spring practice and has emerged as a possible X-factor heading into fall camp. The challenge for Oklahoma is sorting out how he fits in a crowded backfield that also includes Xavier Robinson, Tory Blaylock, Jonathan Hatton Jr. and DeZephen Walker, which makes the next few weeks especially important for a unit still searching for clarity. [Read more 🡒]
Taylor Wein Just Made A Fascinating Oklahoma Breakout Prediction
At SEC Media Days in 2025, R Mason Thomas put Taylor Wein on the radar as a breakout defensive player for Oklahoma, and the call wound up looking pretty sharp once Wein delivered a strong season. A year later, Wein was the one carrying the Sooners message in front of the league, and he was asked to identify the next defender who could make a similar jump as Oklahoma keeps reshaping its front.
The name he pointed to fits the profile of a player who has been around long enough to be trusted, but not yet fully unleashed. PJ Adebawore has appeared in every game over three seasons without making a start, and the Sooners are looking for more production off the edge as they move on from Thomas. With a larger role expected in 2026 and another year of eligibility potentially in play after that, Adebawore is one of the more intriguing developmental bets on the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Brent Venables Thinks Oklahomas Tight End Room Just Took A Big Step
Oklahomas tight end room looks a lot different heading toward the 2026 season, and Brent Venables says the change has been more than cosmetic. The Sooners have rebuilt the group with transfers, and the early read from the head coach is that the room has gone from a question mark to a position that can actually move the offense forward.
Venables has been especially encouraged by the way the new setup has come together in the meeting room and on the field, with quarterback John Mateer also backing the direction of the offense. The bigger point for Oklahoma is practical: if the tight ends keep settling in, the Sooners believe it should give their run game a real boost. [Read more 🡒]