DALLAS — Any player from the Texas Longhorns or Oklahoma Sooners who draws an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty during Saturday’s game will be automatically ejected.
Big 12 referee Mike Defee made the announcement after the teams had to be separated at midfield following warm-ups at the Cotton Bowl. Defee assessed unsportsmanlike conduct penalties to every player on both teams, even though several weren’t involved in the incident.
NCAA rules state two unsportsmanlike conduct fouls in the same game result in an ejection.
Defee re-issued the warning to the captains during the coin flip: “We’re going to play this game with sportsmanship. Are we clear?”
The teams ran to the same tunnel together after the flag was thrown, but there weren’t any noticeable scuffles as OU players bunched up while the Longhorns went single file up the ramp.
Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley said this week that his players would not be displaying the “Horns Down” signal during the Texas game.
It’s the 115th meeting between the longtime rivals, and the 92nd at Cotton Bowl Stadium in the middle of the Texas State Fair.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.