The sports news media highlights the portal moves when a standout player leaves for better shores. But college football players also sought the portal when their own program had cast you out. In the quest of protecting Arch Manning and giving him the best weapons, Longhorns HC Steve Sarkisian ended up creating a grudge in a former player.

Given the high-stakes nature of the rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma, we don’t see players switch from the Longhorns to the Sooners. But Texas wide receiver Parker Livingstone did that in the portal, surprising even his teammates, including QB Arch Manning. However, for Steve Sarkisian, the wide receiver’s exit was merely a ‘cap space’ call. Just days after he made that comment, Livingstone sent an indirect response to his former head coach.

The former Texas wide receiver took to X on July 24 and posted a photo of himself in an Oklahoma jersey. Donning the No. 3 jersey of the Sooners, Livingstone captioned his post with three simple words: ‘Doubt me now.’ Oklahoma fans filled the comments on the X post with support for their new wide receiver. At the same time, Texas fans are also chiming in, reminding Livingstone that he had 15 drops last season.

The post comes days after Sarkisian told ESPN’s Paul Finebaum that he had to let go of some good players to create “cap space” for portal additions. And while that comment could be about LB Elijah Barner, WR DeAndre Moore, and RB Quintrevion Wisner, it’s Livingstone who has chosen to respond.

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“To make the moves we make, to bring in a Cam Coleman… we had to let Parker Livingstone go… We had to let some pretty good players leave to create the cap space to bring those guys in. I think we all can agree that we’re probably better around Arch [Manning] today than we were a year ago,” Sarkisian said.

As with any other player, being publicly labeled a “salary cap cut” did not sit well with Livingstone. He transferred across the Red River Rivalry lines to the Oklahoma Sooners and had to fire back. Livingstone entered the portal in January, and he dreaded being there. For him, Texas was meant to be his permanent home.

“Never in a million years did I think I would be going into the portal looking for a new home,” Livingstone explicitly said when he entered the portal. He added, “Some things are out of my control.” This was a clear indication that the staff had made this decision for him. Livingstone cemented efficient numbers on the board during the two seasons he played with the Longhorns.

He has now channeled his frustration into competitive anger. It did not take him long before signing with his former team’s arch-rivals. The WR did not shy away from his feelings and bluntly stated, “I want to beat the cr-p out of Texas” in March.

Directly transferring from the Texas Longhorns to the Oklahoma Sooners (or vice versa) remains extremely rare due to the intense hatred embedded within the Red River Rivalry. Historically, almost no prominent players have crossed enemy lines to play for both teams. What adds insult to injury is how the Sooners use the Texas ecosystem to field their next roster.

Recruiting heavily from Texas high schools is a long-standing tradition and ongoing trend for the Oklahoma Sooners. The Lone Star State serves as one of OU’s primary and most vital pipelines. A prime example is Michael Fasusi. this highly-touted five-star offensive tackle from Lewisville, Texas, served as a foundational cornerstone for Oklahoma’s 2025 Recruiting Class.

So there is bad blood. Even Sarkisian did not hold back, adding to the ongoing feud with a touch of rivalry.

“At the end of the day, it’s competition,” Sarkisian said during the SEC Media Days. “After the game, I’m sure I’ll give (Livingstone) a big hug. But before that, I hope we kick his a**. It’s the Red River Rivalry. He chose to go there.”

The former student and teacher will be head-to-head when Texas and Oklahoma meet in Dallas this October.

The brand new roster Steve Sarkisian has created for the season

There’s no question that Sarkisian is working tirelessly to win the national championship this year. The program welcomed 22 new transfers from the portal. One of their biggest portal wins has been getting Cam Coleman from Auburn.

Recruiters ranked him the No. 1 wide receiver in the transfer portal. He racked up over 1,300 yards and 6 touchdowns across two seasons at Auburn. His addition has helped their star, Arch Manning, ease some of the pressure.

Replacing the outgoing production of running backs Tre Wisner and CJ Baxter, Hollywood Smothers also entered the roster. He was one of the most coveted RBs in the portal. Texas successfully flipped Smothers’ commitment from Alabama.