Danny Stutsman on Texas rivalry: 'You go to bed thinking about how big of a deal it is'

The rivalry with Texas means serious business to Oklahoma linebacker Danny Stutsman. So much so that he got an upside down Longhorns logo tattooed on himself after the Sooners won 34-30 this past season.

Nicknamed the Red River Rivalry, the battle between OU and Texas is one of the most hyped games in college football year after year. Regardless of either team’s record, truly anything can happen in this contest between teams that seem to have real animosity toward each other.

“I have a Longhorn tattooed on my body,” Stutsman said at SEC Media Days. “Like it means that much to me. You go to bed thinking about how big of a deal it is. You look at every single person in the state of Oklahoma, every single person in the state of Texas, and you know how much it means to them.”

With the Sooners and Longhorns set to join the SEC this season, the Red River Rivalry will join other historic games in the conference such as the Iron Bowl (Auburn-Alabama) and the Florida-Georgia rivalry. That’s set to provide plenty of entertainment for fans of the league as the game could have a crucial impact on the standings.

Stutsman grew up in Florida but has since come to understand just how much the rivalry means to both Texas and Oklahoma. He played a key role in last year’s victory with a goal line stand to stop a Longhorns touchdown, finishing with nine total tackles.

Now the linebacker feels the same pride in playing the game that many others before him have.

“That’s one game in the season once a year that these two states can compete against each other in the biggest sport in the United States, and it’s going to go on,” he said. “It went on long before me. It’s going to go on long after me. I get a little piece of that shine to prove myself and to prove my state.”

Texas holds a 63-51-5 all-time advantage in the series, but Oklahoma has won five of the past six meetings. However, the Longhorns are coming off of an appearance in the College Football Playoff, so the tide could be about to shift soon.

Stutsman is a senior this season, so it will be his last opportunity to play in the Red River Rivalry. That being the case, he’ll look to make the most of it when the teams meet on Oct. 12.