Few coaches in college football can claim to have participated in multiple legendary rivalry games, but Steve Sarkisian is among that elite group.
Sarkisian has been involved in some of the sport’s most storied rivalries, including the Iron Bowl, the Red River Shootout, the Apple Cup, and the crosstown clash between USC and UCLA.
His experience spans both head coach and assistant roles in these prestigious matchups.
Addressing the media at SEC Media Days, Sarkisian emphasized the distinctiveness of the Red River Shootout as Texas transitions into the Southeastern Conference.
When asked about how this rivalry compares to other high-profile matchups, Sarkisian underscored its unique atmosphere.
“(The Red River Shootout) is the most unique game for sure that I’ve ever been a part of,” Sarkisian said.
“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.”
Sarkisian’s comments came in response to Texas Athletics Director Chris Del Conte’s recent statement that the Red River Shootout stands out even among other notable rivalries, such as the Iron Bowl.
Del Conte had noted that no other rivalry game could match the unique atmosphere of the state fair setting.
“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,” Sarkisian said.
“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.”
Sarkisian’s extensive experience includes coaching against Auburn in the Iron Bowl during his tenure as an assistant at Alabama, and even stepping in as head coach for the 2020 matchup when Nick Saban was sidelined due to Covid.
Additionally, his tenure as a head coach at Washington and USC provided him with firsthand experience of rivalries on the west coast.
All of this begs the question: which rivalry is bigger – the Iron Bowl or the Red River Shootout?
We know what Sark thinks … But is Texas-Oklahoma more heated and prestigious than Auburn-Alabama?
In the bigger picture, what do you think the top five rivalries are in all of college football???