Courtesy of Stewart Mandel
DALLAS -- College football's Game of the Year (so far) happens to take place in its most unique setting. I got here early enough Saturday to soak in a little of the atmosphere.
It's almost impossible to properly describe the Oklahoma-Texas game to those who've never attended one, but I'll try my best. It's not just that the game is played at a neutral site (the Cotton Bowl). It's played in the middle of the Texas State Fair. Not some vacant fairground, mind you -- the actual State Fair is taking place as we speak, drawing tens of thousands of patrons who would be here whether there was a football game or not.
Courtesy of Stewart Mandel
You can see some of the sights in the accompanying pictures, but my walk from the parking lot to the stadium took me by not only ferris wheels and other rides but booths selling every variety of carnival food imaginable -- 90 percent of it fried. The main attractions: Fried jelly beans, fried banana splits, crispy friend cantaloupe pie, roasted corn (only $9!), funnel cakes and, the trademark, corny dogs.
Inside the Cotton Bowl, the main point of interest is the newly constructed upper bowl that's added nearly 20,000 seats, giving the 76-year old stadium a capacity of 92,000-plus. Even with a 50-50 split of crimson and burnt orange, it's going to be loud. And the most fascinating aspect of the OU-Texas game is that there's only one tunnel onto the field. Therefore, two football teams, two full bands, two cheerleading squads, Bevo and the Boomer Schooner all traverse the same, narrow passageway.
You've gotta love it.
Courtesy of Stewart Mandel
As I write this, it's about an hour before kickoff and the stands are still mostly empty. There's just too much to do outside. If they're smart, they'll begin heading in sooner than later -- they're not going to want to miss a second of No. 1 vs. No. 5.
Janipher Choi
Tori Praver
Mavs Dancers
College Football, Top 25 Review
Comments (25) Add A Comment
Wow, Stewie, texas won. Genius.
elvis
Total Comments (83)
Does Texas get your first place vote now, or do you give it back to USC now?
elvis
Total Comments (83)
It doesn't matter what Texas is ranked this week, because they play Missouri next week. IF Texas wins that (and that's a big "if," though this win over OU could be a season-defining victory), then there's absolutely no reason they shouldn't be ranked #1.
But that's a week in the future.
Zooropa04
Austin , TX
Total Comments (66)
Mandel. Stay off the Texas Bandwagon. We don't have room for you. Go back to loving the ohio state wannabees. That is more your speed, and knowledge of football.
Astellas
Cedar Park , TX
Total Comments (2)
This Sooner picked OU all the way, but I'd been watching highlights of Colt over the past few weeks and saw a physically tough scrambler and seasoned field general and had some serious concerns. I thought Bradford would fry the UT secondary, UT would get rattled and it would be a 20 point Sooner victory. Colt and his team did not get rattled and he manhandled his offense down the field repeatedly against a faltering OU D. I'm proud of my Sooners, anytime my team spends part of the season ranked #1, it's a pretty darn good year, and they're still no slouch, but our D simply isn't what makes the best team in the nation.
toe slide 360
Total Comments (107)
What a performace by both teams. This shows the country why the Big XII is the best conference.
Chupacabra
Total Comments (16)
A tough blow for the Sooners' NC hopes. Now Texas must lose twice and OK must win out.
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (846)
What great defense they play in the big 12.
eddier9
Erie , PA
Total Comments (2)
I guarantee any of 5 Big 12 teams would put up 50 on Penn State
KellyAA
Mansfield , TX
Total Comments (2)
Listen Texas fans - we DON'T WANT the number one votes- LET Alabama have it for a couple few weeks- we want to sit here un-noticed like we have for the first six weeks of this season....leave the bullseye on someone else's back!!!
BoysFaninATL
Canton, GA
Total Comments (1)
eddier9 - with those offenses we saw today, there are no teams in other conferences that could stop OU or Texas. No way, their too good. That was a great game today.
Assuming your a Penn St. fan, I would LOVE a match up of Mizzou, OU or Texas' offense against your team!
The Duke of Soulard
Chesterfield , MO
Total Comments (17)
for the Duke - That's what everyone said about Fla vs OSU two years ago. No one will stop OSU. SEC defenses have a bad history of shutting down offenses (re: last two NC games)
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (846)
When will OU force Stoops to fire Brent Venables. The guy is a joke. Every single big game since Mike Stoops left Venable's defense gets shredded. Who cares about 10 win seasons. Win some big ones or get lost.
HighSchoolHeroes
West Hills, CA
Total Comments (10)
Hey AA what are you going to guarantee it with, a deep fried banana split.
eddier9
Erie , PA
Total Comments (2)
eddier9- don't knock it if you haven't tried it.
KellyAA
Mansfield , TX
Total Comments (2)
If the TexTech & Mizzou defenses are examples of the best of the Big 12 we have to hope these teams do not make the NC.
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (846)
yeah we should get some teams that lose games because they can't score and leave the high scoring ones at home!
get a life charmit, go hate someplace else. like all the teams in your state that blow
accountmenot
Total Comments (54)
for accountmenot - Let's face it. TexTech's success is based upon having played a powderpuff schedule. They should have easily handled Nebr at home. Even you will admit that, right?
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (846)
Looking at the teams TexTech has beaten only K St has a winning 4-2 record and their biggest victory is over Tex A&M. Of all the teams TexTech has beaten the biggest claim to fame of all of them is beating Tex A&M. If that is not a laugh when Tex Tech claims respect I don't know what is.
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (846)
Mizzou points to the victory over Illinois as a basis for its ranking. But Illinois is below average in the Big10.
CharMit
Las Vegas , NM
Total Comments (846)
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