Super Bowl LX Game Day: Stevenson and Murphy Ready for Kickoff
It is Super Bowl Sunday. The pageantry is over, the media days are done, and the active rosters are set.
For the Red River Rivalry, Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara is more than just a championship game—it is a proxy war played out by two of the programs’ best ambassadors.
The Status: Green Light
As confirmed by this morning’s final inactive reports, both Rhamondre Stevenson (Patriots) and Byron Murphy II (Seahawks) are ACTIVE and expected to start.
- Stevenson: Despite a toe injury that lingered earlier in the playoffs, the “Iron Sooner” has been cleared for a full workload. He enters the game fresh off a contract extension secured in 2024 (4 years, $36M), validating his status as a franchise cornerstone.
- Murphy: The Texas defensive tackle has posted career highs in 2025 (7.0 sacks, 50 pressures) and will anchor the interior of the Seahawks’ defense.
The Matchup: Unstoppable Force vs. Immovable Object
This isn’t just “two alumni playing.” It is a direct tactical collision.
Stevenson’s game is built on contact balance and punishing defenders in the fourth quarter—a hallmark of the Oklahoma “Soul” that Brent Venables preaches.
Murphy’s game is built on explosive disruption and penetrating the backfield—a hallmark of the “All Gas, No Brakes” mantra Steve Sarkisian instilled in Austin.
When New England runs the ball today, they will run directly into the heart of the Texas-Oklahoma border war. Stevenson running at Murphy is the matchup to watch.
Why It Matters
In recruiting, this game is gold. Both programs can point to the screen tonight and say: “We develop Super Bowl starters.”
But for today, the question is simpler: Which shade of Red River DNA reigns supreme? The Sooner toughness or the Longhorn explosion?
Kickoff is hours away.
