DALLAS — SEC commissioner Greg Sankey has finally made the trip for OU football and Texas' Red River Rivalry.

Prior to the game, the commissioner of the Sooners and Longhorns' 2024 conference explained the feeling of being at the Cotton Bowl for the first time.

"I lived in actually Allen for 11 years (with) my work in the Southland Conference," Sankey told reporters before the game Saturday. "I heard a lot of people saying, 'hey, I got tickets for you. it's kind of a high-demand ticket.' And when I became commissioner of that league, I was busy with my own work on Saturdays. I would drive by with great admiration wondering what's going on in there. So, it's a fun chance to see it today."

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Sankey is on site for one of the more memorable showdowns of recent years, with No. 4 Texas (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) and No. 12 Oklahoma (5-0, 2-0) facing off with undefeated records for the first time since 2011.

He added the atmosphere feels similar to that of SEC games he has been accustomed to since becoming the commissioner in 2015.

"I think it's consistent with what we experience on a weekly basis (in the SEC)," Sankey said. "... The intensity, walking in hearing the fans actually being friendly toward each other but clearly rivals is something familiar. I'm really excited because there's this almost seamless integration that's nearly upon us with moving 14 to moving to 16 (teams)."

OU and Texas will play again next year at the Cotton Bowl, but as members of the SEC. Sankey is getting a head start on seeing the conference's future members in 2023, while Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark will not be in attendance.

"I'm a fan of college football," Sankey said. "So, I've wanted to be here after the announcement in (2021). I remember that last year at this time, we were still making preparations for a 2025 season entry. That changed, so this is the last opportunity for this to not be an (SEC) conference game."

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What did SEC, Greg Sankey learn with Texas A&M, Missouri move from Big 12 to SEC?

Sankey, who joined the SEC's administration in 2002, said the conference having experience with Texas A&M and Missouri moving from the Big 12 to the SEC for the 2012 season has paid dividends with Oklahoma and Texas' move for 2024.

"Remember with (Texas) A&M and Missouri, we made the announcement in September (2011) and Missouri in November (2011), and they played with us in the 2012 season," Sankey said. "So, we learned a lot from that experience, kept all our notes. The comradery, the athletics directors meeting, it's natural. The discussion of issues is consistent.

"Some adjustments around how our policies and ticket allocations. I was in Tuscaloosa and the band was located in a different position than we're used to for conference games. I know the Big 12 has had different policies. So, I think yeah that integration's been really healthy."

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This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey makes trip to OU-Texas