The 2018 Red River Showdown was an instant classic in the storied Texas-OU rivalry
There’s no easy place to start when it comes to the most memorable moments from the 2018 Red River Showdown, an instant classic in the storied Texas-Oklahoma football rivalry.
Texas prevailed 48-45 on a perfect day at the Cotton Bowl, scoring its most points in a series that dates back to 1900. Man, what a game.
You could start with Texas receiver and hometown product Lil’Jordan Humphrey willing his way for a first down on a third-and-21 play on the opening possession of the second half, referred to as “the play of the game” by UT coach Tom Herman.
You could point to Texas’ game-winning kick made by then-freshman Cameron Dicker. You could mention Oklahoma rallying from a 45-24 deficit at the end of the third quarter to even turn it into a game.
Or you could reflect back on the postgame scene. On one side, you had Texas defender Breckyn Hager acting like a budding standup comedian with his answers and cowboy hat.
On the other, it was OU quarterback Kyler Murray getting emotional following just the second loss of his high school and college careers combined. OU defensive coordinator Mike Stoops was just as disappointed, talking about what went wrong before being fired the next day.
All of it culminated into a college football game that won’t soon be forgotten.
For yours truly, the most memorable part is simply the storylines that developed from the game. The plans of writing a single story and grabbing a Fletcher’s corny dog as an afternoon snack turned into three stories and a corny dog dinner.
At the time, you couldn’t ignore the notion that Texas was “back.” Quarterback Sam Ehlinger had the best game of his career to that point, accounting for five touchdowns (two passing, three rushing).
Humphrey and Collin Johnson played like one of the best WR combos in the country.
“It would be foolish for me to not understand the big picture,” Herman said at the time. “We’ve taken some really big steps here the last few weeks. I’m not going to deny that. I’m not going to downplay that for these players. They have taken some very important steps in this program’s development and its progress, but we’re going to worry about the opinions of the people in that locker room first and foremost.”
Of course there had to be a “sidebar” on Humphrey, the local kid who shined on one of college football’s biggest stages. That play on third down had everyone talking afterward.
“All my life I played running back, so I feel like I’m just a running back who just runs routes right now,” Humphrey said. “I take great pride in [yards after catch], just being dominant and being physical to DBs. I take great pride in that.”
And then there was Murray, the future Heisman winner and No. 1 overall pick who suffered one of the few losses of his career. This is a kid who went 43-0 and won three straight state titles at Allen High School. He lost just once in three starts at Texas A&M in 2015 before transferring to OU.
Murray did all he could to rally the Sooners back in the game, scoring 14 points in a 2 minute, 33 second stretch. Murray had a 67-yard TD run and then led a three-play, 57-yard TD drive capped with a 7-yard run by Trey Sermon.
“Obviously I’m not used to losing,” Murray said, as he got emotional in a postgame news conference. “It hurts and I am disappointed.”
Murray and OU eventually avenged the loss with a 39-27 victory in the Big 12 championship later that season. But that game didn’t have the drama — or environment being around the State Fair and Cotton Bowl — as the first meeting.
One for the ages.
