A family of four could spend as much as $4,408 for admission tickets to Saturday’s Red River Rivalry between No. 5/6 Oklahoma and No. 11 Texas.

Last Sunday, Stubhub.com had tickets near the 50-yard line of the Cotton Bowl in Dallas for $1,102 each. Coffin corner seats were at least $275 ($1,100 for a family of four).

Those prices are a good barometer of the level of interest in this game. The teams square off at 11 a.m. on Fox.

Last season, the Longhorns won 48-44 in October but the Sooners got their revenge by beating Texas in the Big 12 Championship 39-27. This year, OU is undefeated with wins over Houston, South Dakota, UCLA, Texas Tech and Kansas. OU beat Kansas 45-20 Saturday in Lawrence, Kansas.

OU coach Lincoln Riley said his team took Kansas serious even though Texas was on the horizon.

“No I did not feel that with this team,” Riley said when asked about his team looking ahead to the Longhorns. “We had some points that we wanted to come in a work on. We have to do better. I don’t think that the Texas game had any factor in it.”

Texas is 4-1 with wins over Louisiana Tech, Rice, Oklahoma State and on Saturday, the Longhorns edged past West Virginia, 42-31. Texas’ only loss was 38-45 against No. 6 LSU.

OU, Texas and Baylor are the only Big 12 teams without a conference loss. Whoever wins the Red River game Saturday will be in the drivers’ seat to make it to the Big 12 Championship game in December. Texas coach Tom Herman, a Texas graduate, knows the magnitude of the Red River Showdown.

“It is one if not the greatest games in college football,” Herman said. “I’ve been a part of some pretty cool rivalries in my day – the Battle of the Piney Woods (Stephen F. Austin versus Sam Houston State) is a big one. They hate each other.”

Herman saw the Iowa-Iowa State game for three years and Michigan-Ohio State for three years.

“But this one takes the cake,” Herman said. “Because it being inter-state rivals. The two states in general don’t get along very well. And to have it at such an historic venue during the Texas State Fair – I think that it’s cool that it’s always on our soil. Everything that surrounds the game makes it one if not the best games in college football.”

Texas has faced two OU quarterbacks in the past two years who not only won the Heisman Trophy but were the No. 1 picks in the NFL Draft.

 “Jalen Hurts is a different animal back there in term of the style of their run game,” Herman said. “…I have a ton of respect for how adaptable that offense has kind of evolved over the years based on personnel.”

Herman didn’t say if playing Oklahoma twice last year would help Texas form a game plan.

“The new defensive staff, that certainly changes things,” Herman said. “And their offense does such a good job year to year and even throughout the year of adapting itself to its personnel’s strength. Quite a few new offensive linemen, a new quarterback with a different skill set – and they haven’t missed a beat.

“I think our defense can gleam a little bit from the last couple of meetings we’ve had with them just – who are these people philosophically. But in terms of the schemes and formations and people that they have doing them, they are quite a bit different this year.”

Hurts, who is a leading candidate for the Heisman Trophy this year, knows the intensity that is part of the Red River Rivalry.

“I grew up in Texas,” Hurts said. “I played in the Iron Bowl (between Alabama and Auburn). I played in big games before. I think I’ll be all right.”

OU’s defense has played better this year but had some lapses against the Jayhawks. That shouldn’t happen against the Longhorns – a major rival.

OU defensive coordinator Alex Grinch was disappointed in the results against Kansas and questioned OU’s preparation. Kansas took an early 7-0 lead after a 96-yard drive.

“You can’t let one drive dictate your day,” Grinch said. “If we played with poor effort, I would be demoralized. Good effort gives you a shot.”

A winning effort takes work from coaches and players.

“Are you coaching enough or are you over-coaching?” Grinch asked. “Maybe the truth lies somewhere in the middle. That’s something we have to analyze as a coaching staff because you are seeing a trend through five weeks. I have to look at it specifically with me. Are we telling them too much from the standpoint that execution? Are they looking for a play? What is it? What continues to be our issue? The phrase is selective execution.”

Grinch expects a war Saturday.

“I know it’s one of the greatest rivalries in sports,” Grinch said. “There’s not a college football fan that’s doesn’t know about that and have an understanding about the respect factor between both schools. It’s a war each year. You have to make sure that you respect it that way. It’s game six but it’s not just game six. It’s not just anything.”