Oklahoma Football Hot Links: Red River Shootout Edition

It’s finally Red River game day at the Cotton Bowl, Sooner fans! The Oklahoma Sooners will clash against the Texas Longhorns in arguably the greatest rivalry in college football. Toss the records out for this one because anything can happen. Check out the weekly Scene Setter as Toby Rowland preps you for the big Showdown:

And before you bunker down and watch how it all plays out, catch yourself up on what else has been happening in today’s edition of the Hot Links. We’ve already seen two top ten teams get upset this week. Also, what should you call the OU-Texas rivalry? And have you really lived if you haven’t had a bacon wrapped churro? Find out in the links!

OU Links:

• Ladies and gentleman, this is where the Sooner Magic happens.

• Check out these storylines heading into the game today. Who will or won’t play? And will OU lose a second consecutive regular season game for first time since ‘99?
• So what exactly does this game mean to the leaders of this team? And how will the team respond to such adversity? Talk about defining moments.
• Have you ever wondered which name for the OU-Texas rivalry is most popular? Personally, I’m a fan of ‘Red River Rivalry,’ only because I come from an English background and I’m a sucker for neat alliteration.
• If you’re looking for a microcosm of the perception surrounding the state of Oklahoma football, then look no further than this article. Interesting takes by both young and long time fans.

National Links:

• If you’re the suspicious type, you might buy into the bad luck of Friday the 13th. Well, last night was more than unlucky for two top ten teams, as 2nd ranked Clemson fell to Syracuse and 8th ranked Washington State was dominated by Cal. The playoff picture couldn’t be more muddy right now, and after last week, that’s just fine in Norman.
• Syracuse Head Coach Dino Babers is starting to become known for his passionate post-game speeches, and after defeating the Clemson Tigers last night, he delivered yet another great one:

• Of course I hated it when OU lost to Clemson (twice), but honestly, Head Coach Dabo Swinney is just a class act. Personally, I think he’s one of the better guys in coaching. Check out what he did after his Tigers lost to the Orange.
• If you need to refresh yourself with a history lesson on the iconic Big Tex, Morgan Moriarty has you covered.
• Lots of wild plays happen in college football, and Cal added to that ever-growing list last night with this touchdown:

• The Texas State Fair is known for two things: football and food. The sustenance choices can get a little crazy, especially the deep fried items. Test yourself with this quiz to see how well you know the menu!

‘Stick to Sports!’:

• So Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that virtual reality will be used within the popular social media platform. On a related note, I recently watched the movie Gamer, and I just had some dark visions of the future after reading about VR on Facebook. I don’t know, maybe I’m just a crotchety get-off-my-lawn type in a young person’s body, but this just seems dangerous.

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