Everyone loves a rivalry and everyone loves Baker Mayfield (well, I guess that part's debatable). But if you were watching this year's edition of the Red River Rivalry you would've noticed something aimed at directly the current Tampa Bay Buccaneers passer.
After No. 1 Texas stampeded over No. 18 Oklahoma 34-3 on Saturday, Longhorns players took their flag and planted it at midfield as has become customary for victors to do on rival soil.
However, this time it was different. It wasn't just a dig at the Sooners fans but at a particular Oklahoma alum that seemed to have Texas' number when he played against them.
The Texas players planted their flag on top of a Baker Mayfield Oklahoma jersey at midfield, something that immediately went viral online post-game.
Texas plants Longhorns flag through an Oklahoma Baker Mayfield jersey π³
β Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 13, 2024
No love lost in the Red River rivalry π
(via @CJVogel_OTF)
pic.twitter.com/EjipSwh1zU
Texas players plant flag through Baker Mayfield jersey π pic.twitter.com/4qiHntwIf1
β Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) October 13, 2024
Mayfield had a great response to Texas players planting their flag through his jersey
In his post-game news conference following Tampa Bay's 51-27 pillaging of rival New Orleans, Mayfield was asked by reporters about his thoughts on the viral moment. His answer couldn't have been a better own of the Texas program.
I asked Baker Mayfield about Anthony Hill Jr. and Barryn Sorrell planting a Texas flag on his jersey midfield against OU yesterday. βJust a kid from Austin, Texas that went to Oklahoma, won his last two Red River games and being rent free in their heads for almost a decade.β pic.twitter.com/elJUeOJGtx
β JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) October 13, 2024
"[I'm] just a kid from Austin, Texas that went to Oklahoma, won his last two Red River games and being rent free in their heads for almost a decade," Mayfield quipped. "So, yeah, it's a good feeling."
Mayfield had a 2-1 record against Texas when he was under center at Oklahoma from 2014-17. His Sooners squads outscored the Longhorns 91-88 in those three games.
On this day in 2016 Baker Mayfield lead Oklahoma past Texas in a classic Red River Rivalry shootout 45-40. Will the Sooners beat Texas again this season? pic.twitter.com/Y9eRggWsEw
β College Football Live (@CollegeFBonX) October 8, 2024
Before Texas fans start throwing around their program's success stats in recent years, Mayfield still has the edge. He appeared in two College Football Playoffs compared to Texas' one and Oklahoma has been to nine consecutive bowl games since Mayfield first started in Norman.
I get it, the rivalry will never be satisfied but the pettiness is what we live for and the Texas-Baker back-and-forth has added a juicy new chapter to the saga.