OU vs. Texas Gameday Blog

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2:37 p.m. | Heartbreaker for the Sooners
Final score: No. 5 Texas 45, No. 1 Oklahoma 35.

2:21 p.m. | Big Blow by the Longhorns
After that scoring drive by Texas, sparked by a 37-yard run by running back Jordan Shipley, the Sooners are going to have to come up with some magic in the final few minutes.

2:14 p.m. | Officially a Nailbiter
I don't know about those of you at home, but it's tough to sit down for this one. There's definitely not anyone sitting in the Cotton Bowl. Not to state the obvious, but the Sooners need a big stop on defense.

1:59 p.m. | Red River Records for Sam
Sam Bradford's five touchdown passes today is a new Red River Rivalry record. The previous high was four TD passes by Jason White in 2003. Bradford's 325 passing yards are also the most ever by an Oklahoma quarterback vs. Texas. Quarterbacks coach Josh Heupel previously held the OU team record with 311 yards in the 1999 game. In that same game, Texas' Major Applewhite threw for 328 yards, which stands as the series record for most passing yards in a game on either side.

1:52 p.m. | Clutch Drive
That was a huge drive by the Sooners to take the lead back. OU converted a number of clutch third-down plays along the way.

1:40 p.m. | Barn Burner in the Making
Oklahoma is driving as the game goes to the fourth quarter. The Sooners are down by two. Needless to say, no one has left the stadium and TV ratings for this game are heading higher.

1:33 p.m. | First Time Behind
With the go-ahead field goal by the Longhorns, Oklahoma trails for the first time all season.

1:26 p.m. | Ground Yards Tough
Both offenses are having a hard time gaining any traction on the ground. Oklahoma has been held to 15 yards on 14 rushes while Texas has just five yards on 18 attempts.

1:18 p.m. | Texas Driving
Texas is driving toward the OU side of the stadium here in the third quarter. With the fans divided down the 50, the game is loud nearly every play. With the addition of the fans in the new upper decks in both end zones, the noise seems even more deafening from the field, if that was possible. The Sooners will be driving toward the more-friendly end zone in the final quarter.

1:08 p.m. | Sooners 27 for 27 in Red Zone
The latest touchdown makes Oklahoma's offense a perfect 27 of 27 in the red zone this season. The Sooners have scored an amazing 26 touchdown to one field goal in that span.

1:07 p.m. | Touchdown Sooners
Oklahoma scores to widen the lead to 28-20 with a third-down strike from Sam Bradford to Manny Johnson.

12:59 p.m. | Just Announced: 92,182
It's now official. Just prior to the start of the second half, the PA inside the press box announced an official attendance of 92,182. Below is the new top five biggest crowds to see the Sooners play:

1. 92,182 Oklahoma vs. Texas, Oct. 11, 2008
2. 88,119 Oklahoma 29, Ohio State 28 (A), Sept. 24, 1977
3. 87,188 Oklahoma 35, Texas A&M 31 (A), Nov. 11, 2000
4. 86,848 Oklahoma 34, Washington St. 14*, Jan. 1, 2003
5. 86,124 USC 23, Oklahoma 7 (A), Sept. 24, 1988
* Rose Bowl

For a complete list of OU football attendance records, visit this page.

12:53 p.m. | Perfect in the Red Zone
Both teams are making the most of their red zone opportunities so far in this one. At the half, the teams are a combined 5-for-5 when they have been in the red zone (OU 2-2, Texas 3-3).

12:44 p.m. | Points Aplenty
With both offenses holding the upper hand in the first half, it's shaping up to be a shootout here in the Cotton Bowl. You can't ask for much more from a fan perspective.

12:39 p.m. | For Your Halftime Entertainment
We thought you might enjoy a little history lesson: With the Red River Rivalry traditionally played during the first part of October, Oklahoma and Texas have met on this same date 10 times. The last time the two teams met on this date was 2003, when the Sooners posted the most lopsided victory in the history of the series, a 65-13 rout. View highlights of the 2003 contest, in addition to other OU-Texas classics, in this release we posted earlier in the week.

12:36 p.m. | Ride the Wave
You hear it all the time from OU's coaches and players: There will be momentum changes throughout the course of a big game like this, you just have to ride the wave and not get too high or too low. After a couple of big plays by the Texas offense on that last drive, the defense did a good job of buckling down and holding the Longhorns to a field goal. I'm sure the wave philosophy will continue to be preached in the locker room during halftime: OU 21, Texas 20.

12:24 p.m. | Just for Decoration
We've received a few emails regarding the thin bands you see many of today's players wearing on their arms. The bands are simply called "bicep bands". They are part of a new fad in football but serve no real purpose other than decoration. The trend began a few years back when a number of NFL players started manually trimming down their sweatbands to a narrow strip. Nike and other sporting goods companies quickly caught on and began marketing the popular bands you see today.

12:10 p.m. | Making Amends
Jermaine Gresham makes up for the last touchdown he missed out on with that 52-yard dash to the end zone. Good to see Gresham back to his big play habit against the Longhorns. He scored twice in last year's Texas game.
2007 OU-Texas Highlights

11:59 a.m. | Bradford's Feverish Pace
With his two touchdown passes thus far, Sam Bradford has set an NCAA record for most touchdown passes by a quarterback in their freshman and sophomore seasons with 56. Bradford broke Rex Grossman's (Florida) previous NCAA mark of 55 in his first two years with the Gators (2000-2001). And we're not even halfway through his sophomore campaign yet. Wow!

11:56 a.m. | Right Place, Right Time
How about the concentration by Ryan Broyles on the touchdown catch? While Jermaine Gresham was unable to haul it in, if there was an assist statistic in football, he would surely be credited with one.

11:47 a.m. | QB Observations
Just an early observation from the press box but Sam Bradford seems to have much more time to throw compared to Colt McCoy's experience in the first quarter. Kudos so far to the OU offensive and defensive lines.

11:39 a.m. | Enemy Territory
The tunnel and video screen at the Cotton Bowl cut into seating on the Oklahoma side of the stadium. As a result, two islands of crimson float in a sea of burnt orange on the Texas side of the stadium to make the number of seats equal. The lower seats are way too close to Bevo but the upper seats have a commanding view of the field (and downtown Dallas behind them).

11:35 a.m. | A.D., Again
AT&T just ran a commercial on the ABC broadcast of the game with an All-America flashback of Sooner running back Adrian Peterson. Nice to see A.D. in crimson at the OU-Texas game -- if only for a short commercial.

11:21 a.m. | Full House
We're expecting an official attendance figure later in the game but this place is packed. A number more than 92,000 is expected. It will be the largest crowd ever to watch the Sooners play in stadium. The previous largest crowd was 88,119 on September 24, 1977, vs. Ohio State in Columbus. You remember "The Kick", don't you?

11:15 a.m. | Touchdown Sooners!
Eight plays, 2:43 and the Sooners are in the end zone. Sam Bradford pass to Manny Johnson. Oklahoma has scored on every opening drive this season.

11:12 a.m. | Let's Rumble
We just returned to the press box after collecting video of the teams taking the field. It's OU vs. Texas, 2008.

10:39 a.m. | Watch the Sooners Arrive
Watch video of the Oklahoma team buses pull up to the Cotton Bowl earlier this morning:

10/11/08: OU Team Buses Arrive at the Cotton Bowl

10:37 a.m. | Favorite GameDay Signs
We made it over to the ESPN GameDay set for a little bit but were unable to see many of the signs from the perimeter. What were some of your favorite signs today? Email us and we'll post some of the best ones later on in the day.

10:19 a.m. | Teams Take the Field
Both teams are now on the field stretching and going through their pregame routines. Fans on both sides are starting to file in. It won't be long now.

9:44 a.m. | The Pride Marches Through
Sounds of Boomer Sooner resound throughout Fair Park as the Oklahoma marching band arrives at the stadium and marches down the tunnel to their seats behind the South end zone.

9:01 a.m. | Sooners Arrive
The Oklahoma team buses roll up to the stadium, greeted by a large contingent of Sooner faithful. Flashes of upside down horns and shouts of "Boomer Sooner" drown out anyone wearing orange.

8:56 a.m. | Schooner Rolls Through
Excitement is brewing for OU fans, as the Schooner just rolled up the street to the Cotton Bowl. The Sooners will be here shortly.

8:46 a.m. | Longhorns Arrive
The Texas team buses are the first to arrive at the Cotton Bowl this morning via Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

8:37 a.m. | Howdy Folks!
Welcome to the SoonerSports.com Gameday Blog. Throughout the day, you can view commentary from our staff, observations from the field at Cotton Bowl Stadium, notes from the media relations staff in the press box and fan emails and reaction during the game.

8:02 a.m. | Oklahoma vs. Texas
The top-ranked Sooners battle rival and No. 5-ranked Texas at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas on Saturday at 11 a.m. An overflow crowd of 92,000 in the newly-expanded stadium will be joined by an ABC television audience for the 2008 Red River Rivalry.

Sooner Gameday Central | Boomer Bytes | OU Football Video Library

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