For the second straight year, Texas football celebrated with its fans after the game on the burnt orange side of the Cotton Bowl, while the crimson red side (or in this case, grey) of the stadium was completely empty.

It didn't used to be this way. In fact, you don't have to look back far to remember when the Sooners dominated this rivalry. From 2016-21, Oklahoma won six out of its seven contests against the Longhorns. 

It was a game Texas fans looked forward to, but dreaded at the very same time. That's not the case anymore. Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian lost his first Red River Rivalry in 2021. Since then, he's 3-1 against the Sooners.

Under Sarkisian, the famous rivalry matchup has become a game that Longhorn fans can feel not only confident heading into, but also cocky. Yes, the ultimate goal for Texas is to win national championships, but it's been a while since it's held bragging rights like this over its rivals. It shows that the culture has changed drastically.

Saturday's 23-6 win was perhaps the most telling Red River Rivalry result of Sarkisian's coaching tenure in Austin. His previous two wins against Oklahoma were layups. The Longhorns possessed far more talent than the Sooners in 2022 and 2024, and it showed on the field as they routed their rivals 49-0 and 34-3 those seasons.

But this game was different.

Texas entered this matchup with a roster searching for its identity. After its loss to Florida last week, all signs were pointing to this week being the knockout punch in the Longhorns' season. Instead, it was a game that showed the heart and soul of this team.

With all the momentum going against them, Sarkisian and his squad walked into the State Fair of Texas with the swagger of a team that knows they're better than their opponent. That's culture, and it's rubbing off on the entire Texas community.

No matter if their unranked or a multi-loss team, Longhorn Nation can chant "Texas fight!" or "OU sucks!" with enthusiasm, because they know their team is going to fight on the field twice as hard as they used to.

That was showcased on Saturday at the fairgrounds, as Texas fans were loud before and after alcohol consumption(and the win, of course)

You can question Sarkisian's coaching decisions or his play-calling, but one thing you cannot question is his ability to bring a squad together. One that never gives up or stops fighting under any circumstances.

And that's more valuable than any scheme he can draw up.