There is nothing quite like a particularly off-the-rails college football rivalry game. Thanks to the fine folks at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas, we got just that in the 2020 Red River Showdown. The two teams squared off in a thrilling, four overtime contest, and by the time the dust settled and Longhorn quarterback Sam Ehlinger’s pass fell into the hands of Sooner defensive back Tre Brown’s hands, Oklahoma knocked off Texas and secured a 53-45 win.
The game was filled with drama early on, with Oklahoma benching star redshirt freshman quarterback Spencer Rattler prior to the half then inserting him back in once the teams returned from the locker room. The Sooners seemed prime to come out on top, though, as they had a 31-17 lead with just under five minutes remaining.
Then, things went off the rails. The Longhorns scored a touchdown with 3:28 left, failed to recover an onside kick, forced a fumble that the Sooners recovered, and broke up a third down pass to get the ball back. They got the ball at their own 16 with 1:52 remaining, then marched down the field and scored the game-tying touchdown with 14 seconds left, when Ehlinger jumped and found a wide open Keaontay Ingram.
TOUCHDOWN @TexasFootball 🤘🤘 pic.twitter.com/SjZgRSPbJT
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 10, 2020
Both teams found the end zone in the first overtime, with Ehlinger scampering in and Rattler lobbing one up for tight end and apparent part-time power forward Austin Stogner, who boxed out his defender beautiful and hauled in the ball for six.
😤 @TexasFootball strikes first in OT@sehlinger3 runs it in for the TD pic.twitter.com/mJmySOCnER
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 10, 2020
THE SOONERS ANSWER 🙌@SpencerRattler finds @austin_stogner to tie it up in OT pic.twitter.com/oQ1r7ASrDh
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 10, 2020
The two signal callers turned to their legs in the second overtime. Rattler started things off by getting six, but upon review, it was determined he was just short. This brought up a fourth down, where he went under center and punched it in.
Ruled just SHORT!
Do you think Rattler got in? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/bz8L53IU9E
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 10, 2020
This time he's IN!@SpencerRattler gives @OU_Football the 7 point lead in 2OT pic.twitter.com/6EXgNcO3Sc
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 10, 2020
Things weren’t quite as dramatic for the Longhorns. Ehlinger ran for a 25-yard score, and even though the officials missed a … let’s call it aggressive hold up front, Texas forced OT number three.
Ehlinger AGAIN! @TexasFootball gets the TD to send the Red River Showdown to 3OT pic.twitter.com/MIrJof3rwr
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 10, 2020
The kickers entered the fray in the third overtime. You can guess how this went, both by the fact that another overtime came and because nothing good ever happens when college kickers enter the discourse. Texas got the ball first and lined up for a 33-yard kick by Cameron Dicker, but Oklahoma’s Perrion Winfrey got his hand up and swatted the ball down.
BLOCKED IT 😱😱@OU_Football blocks the FG and the Sooners can now win with a FG! pic.twitter.com/H6NDsoZuoi
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 10, 2020
Oklahoma responded by playing for the field goal, which never ends well. Sure enough, Gabe Brkic pushed his 31-yard kick wide left, prompting an exasperated Gus Johnson to scream “COLLEGE FOOTBALL!”
WIDE LEFT
Oklahoma misses the FG and we're headed to 4OT 🤯 pic.twitter.com/iZBMd5jYhY
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 10, 2020
Overtime number four started with Oklahoma getting the ball and Rattler making one heck of a play to find Drake Stoops for six. Because of college overtime’s rules, the Sooners had to go for two and were successful, adding a little extra pressure to the ensuing Texas possession.
🗣 SPENCER RATTLER PUT THAT ON A DIME@OU_Football bounces back with the TD in 4OT 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Ul9A6gpWPy
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 10, 2020
The 2-point conversion is GOOD for @OU_Football! pic.twitter.com/WN7eoKEZso
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 10, 2020
Things got hairy for the Horns on the ensuing possession, as they got a first down but were called for a holding. As a result, they faced first-and-goal from the 19, and after an incompletion on the first play of that series, Ehlinger got picked off.
😱 @OU_Football called game pic.twitter.com/Dvrxi4OBkj
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 10, 2020
The Sooners were starving for a win over their rivals after back-to-back losses in recent weeks that knocked them out of the top-25. The fact that it happened against their biggest rivals and in such dramatic fashion surely didn’t hurt, either.