Everything You Need to Know About Red River Rivalry 2026
Everything You Need to Know About Red River Rivalry 2026
Oklahoma heads south to Dallas this weekend for one of college football's biggest rivalry games, with the Sooners facing No. 1 Texas on Saturday, October 10, at the Cotton Bowl. Kickoff is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CDT on ABC, with more than 100,000 fans expected to descend on Fair Park during the State Fair of Texas.
The Red River Rivalry 2026 brings together two teams entering rivalry week from dramatically different positions. Texas is 4-0 and ranked No. 1 in the country, while Oklahoma is 2-2 after losses at Michigan and Georgia. For the Sooners, the trip to Dallas represents an opportunity to reset their season against their biggest rival and the nation's top-ranked team.
Red River Rivalry 2026 Puts Oklahoma's Offensive Line to the Test
Oklahoma enters the rivalry following a difficult September that ended with a 41-13 loss at Georgia.
The Sooners have struggled to consistently protect quarterback John Mateer, allowing 44 pressures and nine sacks through their first four games.
That problem becomes particularly important Saturday against a Texas defensive front capable of disrupting an offense without relying heavily on additional blitzers.
Texas defensive end Colin Simmons presents one of the most difficult individual matchups for the Sooners. Simmons enters rivalry week after a dominant performance against Tennessee that included 5.5 sacks.
Oklahoma's offensive line will also be without starting left tackle Michael Fasusi, increasing the pressure on a group already dealing with protection issues.
Mateer remains central to Oklahoma's offensive plans. Through four games, the quarterback has thrown for 883 yards, while Lloyd Avant leads the Sooners with 164 rushing yards and Isaiah Sategna III has a team-high 267 receiving yards.
The official Oklahoma-Texas game center confirms the 2:30 p.m. kickoff and provides live statistics and game information for Saturday's matchup.
Texas enters the game with quarterback Arch Manning having thrown for 862 yards through four games. Hollywood Smothers leads the Longhorns with 198 rushing yards, while Ryan Wingo has a team-high 239 receiving yards.
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian has cautioned his team against overlooking an Oklahoma squad entering Dallas with its season under pressure.
The rivalry's recent history gives both teams reason for caution.
Texas has won the last two meetings, beating Oklahoma 23-6 in 2025 and 34-3 in 2024. Oklahoma won 34-30 in 2023, while Texas delivered a 49-0 victory in 2022.
Saturday's meeting continues a rivalry that began in 1900 and has been played annually at Fair Park since 1929.
Game Tickets Include Admission to the State Fair of Texas
For fans making the trip from Oklahoma, the football game is only part of Saturday's experience.
The Red River Rivalry is played inside Cotton Bowl Stadium at Fair Park during the State Fair of Texas, creating one of the most distinctive game-day environments in college football.
More than 100,000 people are expected at the fairgrounds for the rivalry, according to the State Fair.
Fans holding a ticket to the Oklahoma-Texas game do not need to purchase a separate State Fair admission ticket.
The State Fair of Texas confirms that a Red River Rivalry game ticket also serves as admission to the fair on game day. A State Fair admission ticket by itself, however, does not provide admission to the Cotton Bowl.
Fans should download mobile game tickets to their phone wallets before arriving at Fair Park. Cellular networks can become congested as tens of thousands of people enter the area.
The game is officially sold out through the universities, meaning fans still searching for seats will largely be dealing with the secondary ticket market. Resale prices can change rapidly as kickoff approaches, particularly for lower-level and midfield seats.
OU will have designated will-call locations around the Cotton Bowl for university-issued tickets.
Fans should also expect security screening before entering the stadium and should review current bag restrictions before leaving for Dallas.
Inside the fairgrounds, the traditional split between crimson and burnt orange extends well beyond the Cotton Bowl. Fair vendors traditionally offer Oklahoma- and Texas-themed foods and desserts during rivalry weekend, while the Midway and other State Fair attractions operate around the football crowd.
The rivalry's place at Fair Park is not going anywhere soon. The current agreement among Oklahoma, Texas, the City of Dallas and the State Fair keeps the game at the Cotton Bowl through 2036.
Sooners Fans Should Plan Ahead for Dallas Traffic and Parking
Oklahoma fans driving to Dallas should expect Saturday to be an all-day trip rather than a simple afternoon football game.
The most direct route from Oklahoma City follows Interstate 35 south through Ardmore and Gainesville before reaching the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Traffic can build significantly approaching Dallas, and game-day congestion around Fair Park becomes especially heavy as kickoff approaches.
Fans driving should allow additional time for construction, traffic delays and parking.
For many visitors, public transportation can eliminate the most difficult portion of the trip.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit, or DART, provides rail service directly to the State Fair. The Green Line serves Fair Park Station, located near the main entrance, as well as MLK Jr. Station, which serves another portion of the fairgrounds.
The State Fair's official Red River Rivalry information lists Saturday's kickoff at 2:30 p.m. at Cotton Bowl Stadium and provides additional planning information for fans attending the game.
Fans who drive directly to Fair Park should plan for cashless parking and heavy pedestrian traffic around stadium entrances.
Rideshare users should also verify designated pickup and drop-off areas before the game rather than expecting drivers to reach the Cotton Bowl gates during peak traffic.
Once inside Fair Park, fans should give themselves substantial time to reach the stadium. Security lines and the movement of more than 90,000 ticketed football fans through an already crowded State Fair can make a short walk take considerably longer than expected.
The Cotton Bowl itself remains one of the defining features of the rivalry. Oklahoma and Texas supporters traditionally split the stadium near midfield, creating the familiar half-crimson, half-burnt-orange backdrop surrounding the field.
For Oklahoma, however, Saturday is about considerably more than the spectacle.
A Sooners team sitting at 2-2 will enter the Cotton Bowl against an undefeated Texas team ranked No. 1 in the country, giving Brent Venables and his players an opportunity to dramatically change the direction of their season.
Red River Rivalry 2026 kicks off at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, October 10, at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, with the game televised nationally on ABC and a game ticket providing admission to the State Fair of Texas.
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