Jake Roberts' childhood dream arrives with OU-Texas football game: 'It means everything'

NORMAN — OU tight end Jake Roberts stood above the south end zone of Owen Field, using one football stadium to transport his mind to another.

“OK, so if this was the Cotton Bowl …” Roberts said.

He paused, thinking for a beat.

“I know we were in that corner,” said Roberts, pointing behind him and to the right. “We were up in the top level.”

It was the one OU-Texas game Roberts went to as a fan. He’s almost sure it was 2010, a 28-20 Sooner win.

Fourteen years later, the Norman kid from Norman North High School will have a field-level view of the Red River Rivalry . After playing three seasons at North Texas and one at Baylor, Roberts transferred to his hometown school, and at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, he’ll run onto the Cotton Bowl grass as a Sooner.

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Roberts is trying to trick himself into thinking it’s just another game, but his family and friends are making that hard for him.

“You can tell how much this means to everyone,” Roberts said. “And I remember as a fan, it does. It means everything. All you want to do is beat Texas.”

Roberts tried to recall as much as he could from being in the stands in 2010. He remembered Landry Jones, DeMarco Murray and Quinton Carter all made big plays. He also remembered a key fumble, of which there were two. Jones had a late fumble that, luckily for the Sooners , rolled out of bounds. And Texas muffed a punt, recovered by OU, that stopped a potential Longhorns ’ game-tying drive before it got started.

“It was like the most electric thing ever,” Roberts said. “I just remember being so hyped up. After we secured the win and we were leaving, I remember being in the concourse and I was like, ‘You know what, screw it.’”

“BOOMER!” Roberts yelled.

“SOONER!” OU fans hollered back.

“I thought it was the coolest thing ever,” Roberts said.

More: OU vs Texas football: What you need to know about Sooners-Longhorns in Red River Rivalry

That Roberts is now playing in that same rivalry game is hard for even him to believe.

“People I went to high school with, they’re living through me almost,” Roberts said. They're so hyped up for me. I’m just really thankful.”

The 6-foot-4 and 253-pound fifth-year senior has played in all five of OU’s games , logging two starts. Roberts has six catches for 67 yards and a touchdown, which he scored against Houston. At OU, Roberts has reunited with offensive coordinator Seth Littrell, Roberts' former head coach at North Texas.

Roberts has been more valuable as a blocker than a pass catcher, but he could be a safety valve for true freshman quarterback Michael Hawkins Jr. on Saturday.

Roberts is experienced. He’s never been in OU-Texas, but he’s been to it.

Soon enough, Roberts can check both boxes.

“I’m out there playing for all those people that have helped me get to this point, to get to live out my dreams,” Roberts said. “Like, literally. I dreamed of playing in this game.”

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Joe Mussatto is a sports columnist for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Joe? Email him at jmussatto@oklahoman.com . Support Joe's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com .

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Jake Roberts' childhood dream arrives with OU-Texas football game: 'It means everything'