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The original spygate and the most hateful year in the Oklahoma-Texas rivalry

Forty years ago to the week, the Red River Rivalry reached its acrimonious apex.

In the days leading up to the 1976 game, Darrell Royal, who had dropped five in a row to the Sooners, publicly accused Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer of spying on his practices. Royal was so mad, he challenged Switzer, assistant coach Larry Lacewell and the alleged spy, oilman Lonnie Williams, to take lie-detector tests to prove their innocence. If they passed, Royal offered to donate $10,000 each to the charity of their choice.

Switzer initially called the challenge "ridiculous." Then the day before the game, answered it was "worth more money to me to have [Royal] look for ghosts.