Texas native Baker Mayfield leads Oklahoma into the Red River Rivalry

As if Texas fans weren't already having a tough year, the season may get even more sour Saturday at the Cotton Bowl.

Not only are the Longhorns in danger of falling to 1-5, but they're set to take on Oklahoma, a storied rival, led by quarterback Baker Mayfield, an Austin, Texas native.

As USA TODAY chronicles, Mayfield once had dreams of hookin' em, but was shooed away by the Longhorns in high school when he tried to organize a tryout with the team.

"They told us he had five scholarship quarterbacks, so there wasn't any need of 'Bake' coming out there," said James Mayfield, Baker's father.

The quarterback eventually walked on at Texas Tech after passing up a scholarship at Florida Atlantic. He captured the Big 12’s offensive freshman of the year award in 2013 and then transferred to OU.

"It's just something I had to deal with," said Mayfield. "Recruiting nowadays happens earlier and earlier (in a player's high-school career). Quarterbacks at a young age get offers. I didn't really get to my full potential until late in my junior year, when the biggest part of recruitment is past. Timing-wise, it didn't work out."

For Oklahoma, though, the timing couldn't have been better. As a college junior, Mayfield has passed for 1,382 yards in four games with 13 touchdowns and three interceptions. He ranks fifth in the country in passing efficiency.

Now Mayfield is leading the No. 10 Sooners into battle against Texas, the team that rejected him that is in the midst of a humiliating 1-4 start to the 2015 season.