The Longhorns' star defender dismisses the Red River Shootout’s intensity, sparking controversy by claiming the renewed Texas A&M showdown now carries more weight than the struggling Sooners
Texas defensive end Colin Simmons made some comments recently that are going to rub a lot of Oklahoma fans the wrong way.
When asked if the Red River Shootout is the best rivalry in college football, Simmons basically shrugged it off.
"It's hard when you beat OU two years in a row," Simmons said. "The atmosphere says Rivalry, but when you're on the field, playing against [Oklahoma], it doesn't say rivalry."
He went even further: "I'd say Texas A&M is more of a rivalry than OU. Our first time playing Texas A&M [was] joining the SEC... The OU game been going on for so long, it's like, when you come back to a rivalry, it feels like 'OH.'"
Look, he’s not entirely wrong.
Oklahoma hasn’t held up its end of the bargain lately. Brent Venables is just 1-3 all-time against Texas, and the Sooners haven’t scored a touchdown in the last two Red River games.
That’s embarrassing.
When you’re not competitive and you’re not winning, it’s hard for the game to feel like a true rivalry to the other side.
Texas has won three of the last four meetings, so from their perspective, it makes sense why the fire doesn’t feel the same.
For context, before Venables arrived, Oklahoma absolutely owned this rivalry. From 2000 through 2021 (including the 2018 Big 12 Championship), OU went 16-8 against the Longhorns.
The Sooners were the ones doing most of the punching. Now the roles have flipped, and Texas expects to win. That’s why Simmons feels the way he does.
His point about Texas A&M is also fair. After 13 years apart, there was real built-up hatred when the Lonestar Showdown was renewed in the SEC. Even though Texas won both games, A&M was competitive and the games had that nasty edge that makes rivalries special.
That being said, this should be bulletin board material for Oklahoma.
The Red River Shootout, at its absolute peak, can still be the best rivalry in college football. The State Fair of Texas setting, the stadium split perfectly at the 50-yard line, and the pure hatred between the two states divided by the Red River is unmatched when both sides are bringing it.
But for it to reach that level again, both programs need to be national championship contenders. Texas has been there the last couple of years. Oklahoma has to step up and get back to that standard.
If the Sooners play this the right way, they’ll take Simmons’ comments as fuel. There should be a serious chip on the shoulder going into this year’s game in Dallas. The atmosphere already delivers every single year.
It’s on the players and coaches to bring the intensity and competitiveness that matches it.
This year's matchup should have a little more juice after Parker Livingstone transferred from Texas to Oklahoma this offseason, even though he had a breakout season in 2025 with the Longhorns.
For Livingstone, this game should be personal. He has made it known that he felt like he was pushed out the door from Texas, and has something to prove playing for the arch-rival Sooners.
OU has the talent to compete with Texas. The defense is elite, the skill positions are strong, and if the offensive line continues to improve, this team can go toe-to-toe with the Longhorns.
When healthy, John Mateer has shown he's just as capable of playing at a high-level as Texas' golden boy Arch Manning.
With all that said, however, the Sooners STILL have to prove it on the field.
Colin Simmons is saying what a lot of Texas fans and players are thinking right now. That’s exactly why this game needs to be circled in red on the calendar.
Motivation comes in all forms, sometimes it’s disrespect from the other sideline.
The Red River Shootout isn’t dead. It’s just waiting for Oklahoma to show up and remind Texas why it’s always been one of the greatest rivalries in sports.
