77 years of TX-OU

Nothing can stop Longhorns fan Gardner Parker (pictured with wife Mia) from attending the Red River Rivalry. This year marks the 77th consecutive TX-OU matchup he has attended, and it was a great day for Texas fans. Gardner and Mia made the annual trek to Dallas to watch the Longhorns take on the Sooners at the Cotton Bowl, and Gardner’s beloved Longhorns won 34-3. Back in 1947, five-year-old Gardner attended his first TX-OU game with his father, and from that day on, he has never missed the annual tradition. During the 1960s while Gardner was enlisted with the Marines, he used his leave to attend and keep his consecutive-game streak alive. This year, he planned his treatment at MD Anderson accordingly so he could cheer on the Longhorns in person. CBS News interviewed Gardner before the big game and he shared that “it’s just something special…when the teams come out, it just does something to me. No other game does that,” he said. Hook ’em!

Editor's note: Despite growing up in Bryan-College Station, Gardner bleeds burnt orange. Still, he is close friends with legendary A&M coach Jackie Sherrill, who founded the historic 12th Man Kickoff Team. Read more about it here. 

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