Just two months ago, the SEC released its 2027 softball schedules, and to the shock of many, the Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners were not slated to face each other in the regular season.
However, many (myself included) maintained hope that the two members of the Red River Rivalry could find a way to schedule a home-and-home series, or even just a one-off exhibition game at a unique venue like the Cotton Bowl.
Yet, when the Sooners announced that their regular-season schedule was full, there was no crossover for the burnt orange and white versus the crimson and cream.
Simply put, this is a massive miss not just by the SEC, but by both Texas and Oklahoma.
Not only are the Sooners and Longhorns two of the top teams in the conference, but they are two of the top teams in the entire country, claiming the last five straight National Championships, with Texas winning the two most recent titles.
For the SEC, not to mention the nation, to miss out on this rivalry for even a year is a mistake, and there is no logical reason for it to not take place.
SEC softball must lean into annual matchups like football does
There is a reason that the conference implemented annual opponents in football, and that is the revenue that games, like rivalry matchups, bring in.
For example, even if Texas A&M, Arkansas, or Oklahoma are absolutely deplorable, you are still going to tune in to see the Horns face them in the regular season; that is how rivalries work. The same applies to all sports.
Basketball, soccer, tennis, track, volleyball... and yes, softball. Much less when the two rivals are two of the biggest and best programs in the country.
The conference's softball schedule needs to start leaning into those rivalries to continue to build the sport's audience, one that is already massive for both the Horns and the Sooners.
Texas Longhorns' 2027 SEC softball schedule
- vs. Florida Gators, March 12-14
- at Tennessee Volunteers, March 19-21
- vs. Alabama Crimson Tide, March 26-28
- at Arkansas Razorbacks, April 2-4
- vs. Missouri Tigers, April 9-11
- at LSU Tigers, April 16-18
- vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs, April 30 & May 2
- at Auburn Tigers, May 6-8
Of course, beyond conference play, each team plays a big part in its own schedule, reaching agreements with other teams to place series and single games on its docket. So, seemingly, Texas and OU could have found somewhere to schedule at least one game between themselves.
For now, it seems to be a near guarantee that the college softball regular season will go without a Red River Rivalry.
However, with how good both these teams are, it should not come as a surprise if they meet in the SEC Tournament or the greatest show on turf: the Women's College World Series.
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