Baker Mayfield Responds to Texas Players Planting Flag

Baker Mayfield didn't hold back after Texas Longhorns' players celebrated their 34-3 victory against the Oklahoma Sooners in the recent Red River Rivalry, which marked the first meeting between the two schools as rivals in the SEC. In a controversial act, linebacker Anthony Hill and defensive end Barryn Sorrell were seen planting a Longhorns flag through Mayfield’s Oklahoma jersey at the Cotton Bowl’s iconic midfield logo.

Images of the incident quickly circulated on social media after the game. The act was perceived as a taunt to Mayfield, who was a standout quarterback for the Sooners, leading them to a remarkable college career from 2015 to 2017, with a record of 2-1 in games against Texas. "It’s just a kid from Austin, Texas, that went to Oklahoma and won his last two Red River games and has been rent-free in their heads for almost a decade now," Mayfield shot back during a post-game interview after his NFL team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, secured a 51-27 win against the New Orleans Saints.

The former Heisman Trophy winner dominated during his time at Oklahoma, winning three Big 12 championships and finishing his collegiate career with 4,627 passing yards and 43 touchdowns in his senior season alone. Yet, as Oklahoma transitions into the SEC, their rivalry dynamics with Texas appear to be shifting. Once dominant with a 6-1 record against the Longhorns from 2016 to 2021, the Sooners now find themselves on the losing end in two out of the last three face-offs.

The recent show of bravado from Hill and Sorrell at the Cotton Bowl, where they set the jersey on the ground and thrust a Texas flag through it, was intended as a bold proclamation that Texas "fears nobody." But Mayfield's response serves as a reminder that the competitive spirit and history of this rivalry still loom large.

As both teams adjust to their new competitive environment, one thing is clear: the Red River Rivalry is far from over, and the tension is only growing, setting up for future clashes that promise to be just as heated. Will Mayfield’s legacy continue to haunt Texas, or have the tides turned in favor of the Longhorns? Only time will tell.