Texas Football: 10 most hated Oklahoma Sooners by Longhorns fans

Texas football had all kinds of difficulties trying to control the Oklahoma ground game during the 1978 Red River Showdown. The former two-time Heisman Trophy finalist, and one-time winner, running back Billy Sims led Oklahoma to that 31-10 win over the Longhorns in the 1978 edition of Red River.

Possibly the worst part about Sims to Texas fans is the fact that he just idealizes Oklahoma football. Oklahoma didn’t have much to boast about in terms of Heisman winners before Sims arrived in Norman. He was the second Heisman Trophy winner in Oklahoma football history, after running back Steve Owens won it about 10 years before.

However, Sims gave the Longhorns all types of difficulties in trying to stop the Sooners rushing attack. For the better portion of two seasons, his final two in Norman, Sims put up a lot of his more than 3,000 rushing yards and 42 touchdowns combined against Texas.

What can add more fuel to the flame with Texas fans is the fact that Sims was the first overall pick in the 1980 NFL Draft, to the Detroit Lions. Sims didn’t do anything in particular that would make most Texas fans now think of him as a hated rival, but he was just very successful against this team in a time when it mattered under former Oklahoma head coach Barry Switzer.