The SEC swung and missed, but Texas softball has a chance to make history because of it

The SEC boasts the two biggest powerhouses in the country in college softball: the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners.

I mean, over the last six years, it has only been the Horns or the Sooners bringing home the National Championship trophy when all was said and done.

Yet, when the conference released the conference schedules ahead of the 2027 season, the Sooners were nowhere to be found on the Horns' lineup, and, in turn, Texas was missing from Oklahoma's slate.

What an absolute whiff by the SEC.

Not only are Texas and OU two of the premier softball programs in the nation, but they also boast one of the most heated rivalries in all of sports. Quite simply, how could you not have them play each other in the regular season?

However, could this lapse in judgement by the confernce open up the possibility of the Longhorns and Sooners making history?

Red River Rivalry should take softball to the big stage, the Cotton Bowl

While we may not see a regular-season series between Texas and Oklahoma during SEC play, the two rivals could lean into the thing they can both agree on: the fact that they're rivals.

Across the board, we have seen women's college sports break records over the last few years. Between teams like the Iowa Hawkeyes breaking attendance records by playing an exhibition game at their football stadium and Nebraska volleyball starting its season at the Dallas Cowboys' stadium, there has been an unbelievable influx of interest.

Texas and Oklahoma have a very clear opportunity to follow suit, continuing to expand the draw that college softball already has in the two Red River states.

Just like the Longhorns and the Sooners' football teams, the softball teams could play their game in the Cotton Bowl, conveniently located in Dallas, TX, directly between their homes in Austin and Norman.

Texas head coach Mike White and Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso have a clear opportunity staring them down.

Of course, this game or series wouldn't count toward either team's actual conference record, even though they are both in the SEC. However, it could undoubtedly draw dozens of thousands of fans, and very likely break the college softball attendance record, even as an exhibition game.

2027 Texas softball SEC schedule

In yet another miss by the SEC, the Horns also won't play their in-state rivals, the Texas A&M Aggies, but will face the Arkansas Razorbacks in a nod to an old SWC rivalry.

• 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 - April 30-May 2
• at Auburn Tigers - May 6-8
• SEC Softball Tournament - May 11-15

Yes, the Horns have quite a few powerhouse teams on their schedule (Florida, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Alabama most notably), but missing out on a Red River Rivalry in the SEC regular season is a huge miss... unless they make history because of it.

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