(SEC Sports)
Q. Coach, you have the unique experience of having coached in the Iron Bowl and the Red River Rivalry. Last month in Destin your athletic director said the Texas-Oklahoma game was a bigger game, a bigger event than the Iron Bowl. What is it about that game that makes it a bigger event than the Iron Bowl or other SEC rivalry games?
STEVE SARKISIAN: Well, I think this, and I’ve been fortunate. Like I said, I’ve been part of the Iron Bowl. I’ve been part of the Apple Cup in Washington. I’ve been part of SC-UCLA. I’ve been part of some great games.
This is the most unique game for sure that I’ve ever been a part of. When you pull into the State Fair and you start smelling those corn dogs and turkey legs and there’s fans from both teams and then you get in those locker rooms and the locker rooms literally are 20 feet apart and you’re staring at each team, and one goes first, the next one goes next, and it can get a little contentious in there, but that’s okay.
As we come out, when we come out of that tunnel — and that’s OU’s tunnel — and we’re staring at a sea of burnt orange, you just want to get there. It’s a unique game because half of the game is a home game. The other half of the game is a road game. I had to learn that the hard way in year one. We got stuck in OU’s end, and we were false starting. We couldn’t do anything right. So you have to play to that style of game.
But it being split right down the 50, it’s the who’s who on the sidelines, and I’ll tell you this about both teams. Both teams play as hard as they possibly can play in that game, and again, that’s to take nothing away from any other great game that I’ve been part of, but this one is uniquely special.
I think Norman is about 2 1/2 hours from Dallas. We’re about 3 hours from Dallas. The fact that we kind of come upon the State Fair here in Dallas is really special. So it’s a game that I’m humbled and honored that I get to be part of. I’m getting to coach in my fourth one. Looking forward to the opportunity.
