Barry Switzer says he’s rooting for Texas in Week 1 vs. Ohio State
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If you drive through Norman, you’ll find the hat everywhere. It’s a crimson cap with a white oval on the front panel and the words “Beat Texas” emblazoned upon it. The hat is in shops. The hat is a staple on fraternity row. The hat is inside the Sooners’ football stadium even when Texas is nowhere to be found.
Barry Switzer made it famous. Switzer, one of the most iconic coaches in Oklahoma football history, hated Texas.
He’ll be rooting for Texas on Saturday.
On Thursday, Switzer shared a pair of text messages with Archie Manning. He told Manning he “never thought there would be a day coming that I would be pulling for the University of Texas.” In a response, Manning said former Texas A&M head coach R. C. Slocum told him the same thing.
When the top-ranked Longhorns face Ohio State in Columbus to open the 2025 season, an iconic Sooner and an equally beloved Aggie will be sporting some burnt orange.
Switzer spent 16 seasons at Oklahoma, from 1973-88. He won 157 games and 3 national championships. In Switzer’s first season in charge, Oklahoma blasted Texas, 52-13. He won 4 of his first 6 games against the Longhorns and left OU with a 9-5-2 record in the Red River Rivalry game.
Texas has controlled the series of late. The Longhorns beat the Sooners 49-0 in 2022, then handled the Sooners 34-3 last fall. And while Oklahoma has stumbled under Brent Venables, Texas has made consecutive trips to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
With Archie Manning’s grandson, Arch, taking over at quarterback for the Longhorns this season, some expect Texas to be even better.
Saturday’s matchup between No. 1 Texas and No. 3 Ohio State kicks off at noon ET on FOX.
Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
