It didn’t take long after Texas and Oklahoma joined the SEC to diminish existing rivalries in the conference in favor of the Red River Rivalry. On Thursday, ESPN’s Sam Acho wondered aloud during a break about the appeal of the Iron Bowl, contemplating the national appeal of Auburn playing Alabama.
And Alyssa Lang rightfully put the college football analyst’s feet to the fire.
Cole Cubelic had to take some deep breaths before delivering a retort.
“It starts with the football game that means more to the majority of people in one state than this country than anything else that takes place across the course of the entire year,” said the former Auburn Tigers center. “There are no professional sports. There are no Houston Texans. There are no Dallas Cowboys. There are no Houston Rockets. Those things don’t exist in Alabama. We have Alabama football and we have Auburn football. And they play each other in one Iron Bowl once a year.
“There are no Iron Bowls in other sports. It’s a football game that happens once per season. And it is pure, unadulterated hate. There’s people that skip school the day after their team loses. They skip work the two days after when their team loses. There are houses divided. There’s divorce that cannot be settled because one cheers for Auburn, and one cheers for Alabama.
“They’re crazy fans that go to another campus and poison their trees…because they can’t handle the fact that team was better for them in the previous decade(s). It is one thing that everyone looks forward to for the entire year. It is a competitive game that takes place on each other’s campus, which I want to see. I don’t want a rivalry split down the middle.
“I don’t want a rivalry fair. And if you need trinkets, and you need fairs, and you need rides and food to make your football game great, that is not a football game for me that I’m gonna place on an all-time rivalry list.”
Acho argued that the Texas-Oklahoma rivalry has more national appeal, but viewership numbers suggest otherwise. While the Red River showdown saw a 14-year ratings high this past season , attracting 7.87 million viewers, the Iron Bowl still reigns supreme with 9.09 million. Only a handful of other regular-season games surpassed the Iron Bowl’s viewership.
In 2022, the Iron Bowl garnered 6.27 million viewers, while the Red River Rivalry attracted 3.36 million.
The year prior, in 2021, viewership for the Iron Bowl surged to 10.37 million, compared to 5.94 million for the Red River Rivalry.
Not much of a competition, but, hey, let’s hear Acho out.
“The difference between the Texas-OU game…is that one is an intrastate rivalry — inside one state,” he explained. “The other one expands past one state. Netural-site games, I think, matter. A neutral site in Dallas, Texas. 197 miles from Austin, 190 miles from Norman — right down the middle. But, not only do both teams travel right down the middle, but the stadium is split right down the middle.
“I’ve played in that game four years; it’s literally at the 50-yard line. All you see is crimson and cream one way. And at the 50-yard line going the other way, it’s all burnt orange and white. And so, the stadium, it’s an interesting dichotomy of passion and fear, of anger and joy. And then all of a sudden, this game always means something.”
Two years ago, Texas beat Oklahoma 49-0, and both teams were unranked then.
“Look at last year, Texas went to the College Football Playoff. They actually lost to Oklahoma in the Red River Rivalry. Think about other games and other ‘rivalries’ where they’ve been very much one-sided. This game means something year in and year out. Go back a decade ago. And, yes, Auburn had a lot of success a decade ago, but even Texas-Oklahoma, who’s No. 1? Who’s No. 2?
“That game always means something. And so, for me, I think about that rivalry. Yes, it’s not like you need all the other trinkets, all that fried food, and the state fair, but that’s something that everyone in the state of Texas looks forward to. Think about it: all these guys are getting recruited by the same schools — ‘Either I’m gonna go to Texas or Oklahoma.'”
Acho concluded by proclaiming the Texas-Oklahoma rivalry as one of, if not the best, in college football. While his personal connection to the game as a former Texas player likely influences his perspective, the general consensus leans towards a different sentiment.
[ Awful Announcing ]
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