Former Texas WR Jordan Shipley Previews the 2026 Red River Rivalry

I remember, you know, after that week thinking like, all right, you know, I, I got to, I got to kind of have a small piece in this rivalry and, and, um, you know, it was just one of the most fun experiences of my life for sure.

Tim Caperso from Sports Illustrated.

We've reached the month of October.

We're into week 6 of the college football season.

And that means one of the great rivalries of the sport is going to take center stage once again, the Red River rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma.

And here today I'm joined by one of the greatest Texas football wide receivers in program history, Jordan Shipley.

Jordan, thank you so much for taking the time to be here with us today.

Yeah, thanks for having me, guys.

Jordan, what do you think of when you hear the words Red River rivalry?

What makes this rivalry so special?

I think it's a lot of things.

When I think about it, I, I, it just makes me feel like electricity basically is the best way to describe it, probably.

And it's a combination of love of football, love of college football rivalries, some hatred, probably, the fact that the field is just, you know, you're right on top of the, the, the, the stands are right on top of the field, so there's hardly any room on the sidelines.

You've got it split right down the middle, crimson on one side, burnt orange on the other side.

So I would say it's just electric is the best way to describe it.

You played in one of the greatest games in the history of this rivalry back in 2008, a 45 to 35 track meet.

What do you remember most about that game?

I think the biggest thing going in, obviously when you're when you're the underdog , you know, you feel like you've got a chip on your shoulder, and I just remember them coming out early, and I think they went up 14 to 3 and just feeling like, man, we've we've, we've got to make something happen here, and Just, you know, it just felt like a slugfest, you know, it's back and forth and back and forth and back and forth, but it was definitely going to come down to, you know, explosive plays and turnovers just like they all do, all the big games, and um.

You know, we were able to make enough plays to come out on top that day.

You had a 96 yard kickoff return in that game.

You guys were down 14 to 3.

That gave you guys a jolt.

How did that feel, making a play like that in such a big game?

Yeah, I just, I remember going out on the field and just, you know, this didn't really happen to me often, but I remember walking out on the field and just feeling like something big is about to happen, you know.

And sure enough, the guys did a great job and the, you know, the blocks were there and, you know, it just kind of opened up and Hit the seam as fast as I could hit it and , um, you know, that was just a huge moment for, for obviously our team and our season and, and uh for me individually.

I remember, you know, after that week thinking like, all right, you know, I, I got to, I got to kind of have a small piece in this rivalry and, and, um, you know, it was just one of the most fun experiences of my life for sure.

Being on the same roster as Vince Young, then you got the chance to catch passes from your close friend, Colt McCoy.

What would you say are some of the similarities between Vince and Colt and Arch Manning?

Oh man, those guys are all, you know, they're all playmakers, but they're all different, and, you know, there are some similarities, I think, you know, from what I've seen, just that leadership component.

The thing about Vince is he had a way of keeping everybody loose and also, you know, you know it's serious, you know it's a big game, but, but I think in those games, honestly, honestly, sometimes the team that can go out there.

And play the most free and have the most fun likely is going to do the best because, you know, the tendency in a big game like this is to, you know, to feel all that pressure and all that weight and to kind of tighten up a little bit.

So, um, Vince led that way.

Colt had a little bit different style of leadership, and you just knew he was going to be completely prepared and come out on the field and just, you know, be a surgeon and, and Um, super tactical, and I think Arch kind of has some of both of that, you know.

I think he can, he can do, he seems like a fun guy.

He seems like a great leader, and he obviously can spin the ball and does great things, has great tools around him, great guys around him, and so, yeah, I think he's got a little bit of, you know, some of both of their skill sets.

There's the Governor's Cup exchange.

There's the Golden Hat Trophy.

There's a lot of traditions with this rivalry.

What would you say is your favorite tradition in particular?

Just taking that hat at the end of the game, um, then passing that out is just, um, you know, and just the fact that they played at the Cotton Bowl.

I think that's my favorite part of it is just, you know, it's, and I know there's been talk at times of, you know, doing away with that and going to either a different neutral site, um, but just something about that stadium, it's kind of an old Old timey stadium that everybody just packs in there and you've got the state fair going on.

I would say that's the other thing, the, the, the Cotton Bowl, just that atmosphere and that place and the fact that it's kind of a smaller venue where everybody's on top of each other, and then the added fact that you can, you know, go out afterwards and get a funnel cake is pretty cool.

So I think both of those things are my favorites.

Have you ever put on the Golden Hat Trophy yourself?

I don't think I ever ended up with it, man.

I, you know, I saw it.

I think Colt got it, that 2008.

Y and ran around with it and then, uh, you know, I probably grabbed it.

I don't think I ever actually put it on my head, you know, I just let somebody else kind of do that.

But just knowing that we took it home 3 times out of 4, that was the most important thing to me.

One thing I'm curious about, you played for one of the greatest coaches in Texas history in Mack Brown.

What do you think are, from, from your standpoint, are some of the similarities maybe between Mack and Steve Sarkisian?

Um, I think they both have an understanding of What the University of Texas is.

And I think that job in particular is just, it's a different animal.

So, um, and, and I think probably Coach Sark, I'm sure he's talked to Coach Brown quite a bit.

Usually, you know, Coach Brown is the first call, you know, if some, if a coach is coming in there, they want to know from him, how do you, how do you do?

Texas at a high level, you know, and he, um, I think he just understands like, it's, it's everything.

It's the, it's the players, it's the recruiting, it's the, you know, you've got to have the, the booster side of it and just knowing how to, um, manage all those things.

It's a lot more than just X's and O's on the field.

It's getting great staff around you, great coordinators, letting them kind of do their thing and at the same time, being able to oversee it all, you know, from a high level, and if you need to make changes, make changes.

Um, so that, that's one, that's one job where you earn your money in this sport, and Coach Brown was a master at it, probably the best that, that's ever been here.

Obviously, he'd probably say Coach Royal, you know, before him, but, um, and I think Coach Sark has come in and just and done excellent things, and he's, he's understood what it takes to be, you know, the head guy at that program.

Taking a sort of big picture look at this rivalry.

What would you say like if you had to paint the scene of like game day, how, how would you do that, man, game day, you know, the one great thing about that game, at least, you know, historically, is it's kind of been an early game, so you wake up and it's like, all right, let's, let's get it, you know, and go get that pregame meal 4 hours before the game starts, and then you get to the, the stadium and, and it's just, you, you get all the like the smells of the state fair and so it's just a different, you know, it's like.

All the best memories you have as a kid kind of rolled up into one.

You've got, you know, the state fair , you've got football, you've got Texas versus OU.

You're coming out the same tunnel, you know, they're popping off all those little rocket things and just, you know, it's, you're trying not to get in fistfights on the field before the game because the emotions are so high.

And, um, it's just a, it's a setting unlike any other in college football that I've ever seen.

I'll leave you with a big picture look at Saturday's game.

What would you say are the keys to victory for Texas and Oklahoma?

Some of the key things are the same as every big game.

Obviously explosive plays and turnovers are the two big things, penalties.

You cannot beat yourself.

I think that's the number one thing.

You go in there and you play loose and you have fun.

If I'm Coach Sark, that's what I'm telling the guys.

Look, you know, this is, this is Texas OU.

This is everything that you, you know, have been waiting on, and The more fun you have, the more loose you play, and the more you enjoy it, the better you'll play.

And I think when you get into a big rivalry game, sometimes the, the, the tendency is to be uptight, and that's not what you want to do in this game.

You want to go out there and just have a blast.

I think this game's gonna be an absolute blast to watch.

We're looking forward to it.

Jordan, thanks so much for taking the time to do this with us.

Absolutely, thanks for having me, guys.