11-07-2025
Three Oklahoma rivalries among The Athletic's Top 25 all-time in college football
Before kickoff, college football rivalries bring families, friends and colleagues closer together. The outcome instantly divides those same which ones rise above the rest in the nation?
The Oklahoma Sooners have long been one of college football's premier programs. One of the hallmarks of college football has long been intense, iconic rivalries between teams and fanbases that can't stand each other. So, it makes sense that OU is a part of some of the best rivalries in college football history.
The Athletic's Scott Dochterman set out to rank the best rivalries in college football earlier this week. He placed three matchups involving OU within his top 25.
Of course, Oklahoma's biggest rival is the Texas Longhorns. Dochterman had The Red River Shootout at No. 3 on his list, behind only The Game between Michigan and Ohio State and The Iron Bowl between Alabama and Auburn.
OU-Texas absolutely has a strong case for No. 1, as Red River is one of the greatest spectacles in all of sports. The Longhorns lead the all-time series 64-51-5, but since 1999, it's Oklahoma who holds a 17-10 advantage, including a win in the 2018 Big 12 Championship Game in 2018.
Next up for the Sooners is their rivalry with the Nebraska Cornhuskers, which Dochterman ranked sixth. OU-Nebraska fell behind Army-Navy and Notre Dame-USC in the pecking order.
Unfortunately, due to conference realignment, OU-Nebraska hasn't been played regularly since the Cornhuskers moved to the Big Ten in 2011. It was once one of college football's most anticipated annual games, and the teams played a non-conference home-and-home series in 2021 and 2022, with the Sooners pulling off the sweep. Oklahoma leads the all-time series 47-38-3, with an 8-2 record against the Huskers since 1999.
Another great rivalry lost to conference realignment came in at No. 25 on Dochterman's list. The Bedlam game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State Cowboys has provided so many great memories over the years, but 2023 was the last scheduled playing of the in-state rivalry.
Bedlam had become a bigger game over the last two decades as the Cowboys rose to sustained national relevance under head coach Mike Gundy. However, the Sooners have traditionally gotten the better of their little brother to the north. OU's overall record against OSU sits at 91-20-7, with the mark since 1999 at 19-6, also in Oklahoma's favor.
One thing's for certain: you can't talk about great college football rivalries for long before the Oklahoma Sooners come up.
Contact/Follow us @SoonersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oklahoma news, notes, and opinions. You can also follow John on X @john9williams.
