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There is no other game like it. Once a year the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners meet at a neutral site in the middle of a state fair, and Cotton Bowl Stadium splits fifty-fifty at the 50-yard line — burnt orange on one side, crimson on the other. The 2026 Allstate Red River Rivalry is Saturday, October 10, with a 2:30 PM CT kickoff on ABC.
Cotton Bowl Stadium sits at 3750 The Midway inside Fair Park, roughly three miles east of downtown Dallas — and this is the part most first-timers underestimate: your game ticket is also your State Fair of Texas admission for the day, so the fairgrounds are the tailgate. That means Fair Park holds a football crowd and a fair crowd simultaneously, on one of the fair's busiest days of the year. Book your QTS gameday ride and let a chauffeur handle every part of that.
Red River Rivalry 2026 — Event Details
Texas and Oklahoma meet at Cotton Bowl Stadium in Fair Park. Here are the confirmed details for the 2026 edition.
October 10, 2026
Allstate Red River Rivalry| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Venue | Cotton Bowl Stadium, 3750 The Midway, Dallas, TX 75215 (Fair Park) |
| Gates | Not yet published for 2026 — confirm on your ticket |
| Kickoff | 2:30 PM CT |
| TV | ABC |
| Your ticket also covers | State Fair of Texas admission on game day |
| Matchup | Texas Longhorns vs Oklahoma Sooners SEC Rivalry |
Texas vs Oklahoma — What Makes This One Different
🏈 A Stadium Split in Half
Tickets are divided evenly between the two schools at the 50-yard line — burnt orange on one side, crimson on the other. No home crowd, no visiting section, just two halves of a stadium going at each other from the opening kickoff to the final whistle.
🎡 It Happens Inside a State Fair
Cotton Bowl Stadium is in the middle of Fair Park, and the 2026 State Fair of Texas runs September 25 – October 18. The game lands mid-fair, historically one of the fair's single busiest days.
🎟️ One Ticket, Two Gates
Your game ticket is your State Fair admission for the day. Groups arrive hours early on purpose — corny dogs, the Midway, and Big Tex are the tailgate.
What to Expect on Red River Saturday
🔊 A Full, Loud, Neutral House
A stadium with roughly 92,100 seats, split evenly between the two schools and equally invested. It is one of the loudest afternoons on the Dallas sports calendar.
🌤️ Open-Air October Football
Cotton Bowl Stadium has no roof. Early-October afternoons in Dallas can still run warm — plan for sun in the 2:30 window and check the clear-bag policy before you leave.
🚧 An All-Day Fair Park Crowd
The fair opens in the morning and does not stop for the game. Traffic around Fair Park builds substantially as the fair and football crowds arrive, and the postgame exit shares those same roads.
Know Before You Go
Your Ticket Is a Fair Ticket Too
The same ticket gets your group through the Fair Park gates and into Cotton Bowl Stadium on game day. Food and ride coupons are bought separately once you are inside — plan for the fair, not just the game.
Fair Park Parking Is Paid, Per Vehicle & In Demand
Fair Park lots are paid and sold per vehicle, and on Red River Saturday the fair crowd is competing for the same spaces from the morning on. Capacity has historically been tight on this date. If your group does drive, buying the correct pass for the correct lot in advance is the guest’s responsibility — and strongly recommended.
Arrive Late Morning, Not at Kickoff
Stadium gate times for 2026 had not been published when this guide was written — check your ticket. Your game ticket already covers the State Fair, so plan to be inside Fair Park late morning and enjoy the fair rather than timing your arrival to kickoff.
I-30, Fitzhugh & Haskell All Back Up
Fair Park is boxed in by I-30 and a grid of neighborhood streets that were never built for a stadium of roughly 92,100 seats plus a state fair. A chauffeur who runs Fair Park all season knows the approaches and where they pinch, and picks the one that suits your pickup city on the day.
The Postgame Exit Is the Hard Part
An afternoon kickoff puts the exit into the fair's evening arrivals, and the published rideshare staging zone is one pinch point serving both crowds. Queues and surge pricing are a real risk at that hour. Everyone leaving Fair Park shares the same roads, QTS included — the difference is that your chauffeur is already assigned to your group and dispatch has agreed the meeting point with you, so you are not requesting a new ride into that crowd.
A Full Day at the Fair Changes the Ride Home
A morning at the fair followed by an afternoon rivalry game makes for a long day in the sun. One chauffeur covers the fair, the game and the ride back, so nobody in the group has to be the designated driver.
Why Book QTS for the Red River Rivalry
Cotton Bowl Stadium is only a few miles from downtown Dallas — getting near Fair Park is not the problem. The problem is everything that happens once you are there on the second Saturday in October: paid, per-vehicle lots whose capacity has historically been tight on this date, neighborhood streets that build substantially as the fair and football crowds arrive, a state fair in full swing, and then a stadium with roughly 92,100 seats emptying into the fair's evening arrivals. Add a long day in the sun and driving yourself stops being the easy option.
Book Your Red River Rivalry Ride
Tell us your pickup city, group size and how early you want to be inside the fair. We handle October 10 as one dedicated round trip — your chauffeur stays assigned to the group, and dispatch coordinates the postgame pickup with you.
Prefer to talk it through? Call (945) 212-1412 — dispatch is live 24/7.
Choose Your Ride — The QTS Fleet
Executive SUV
GMC Yukon XL or Cadillac Escalade — up to 6 passengers. The go-to for couples and small groups heading to Fair Park. Details →
Mercedes Sprinter
Executive-configured Sprinter — up to 14 passengers. Ideal for an alumni crew riding to the Cotton Bowl together. Details →
Stretch Limousine
Up to 8–10 passengers. A classic way to run Red River Saturday from the first corny dog to the final whistle. Details →
Party Bus
Up to 45 passengers — make the ride to Fair Park part of the day, there and back. Built for big rivalry groups. Details →
Executive Minibus
24–36 passengers in executive comfort. The right call for alumni chapters, corporate boxes, and family groups. Details →
56-Passenger Motorcoach
Full-size charter motorcoach for the largest groups — one vehicle, everyone arriving and leaving together. Details →
Pickup Times to Cotton Bowl Stadium from Across DFW
| City / Suburb | Distance | Normal Drive | Red River Saturday (Planning Est.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas (Downtown / Uptown) | ~3 miles | ~8 min | ~20–35 min |
| Highland Park / Preston Hollow | ~8 miles | ~15 min | ~25–45 min |
| Irving / Las Colinas | ~20 miles | ~25 min | ~40–55 min |
| Plano | ~22 miles | ~28 min | ~40 min–1 hr |
| Arlington | ~24 miles | ~30 min | ~45 min–1 hr 5 min |
| DFW Airport | ~24 miles | ~30 min | ~45 min–1 hr 10 min |
| Frisco | ~32 miles | ~38 min | ~55 min–1 hr 20 min |
| Fort Worth (Downtown) | ~35 miles | ~40 min | ~1 hr–1 hr 30 min |
| Denton | ~48 miles | ~55 min | ~1 hr 15 min–1 hr 45 min |
Distances, routes and normal drive times verified by QTS Dispatch. Cotton Bowl Stadium is at 3750 The Midway inside Fair Park, just east of downtown Dallas off I-30. The Red River Saturday column is a planning estimate based on typical event-day conditions with the State Fair running — not a prediction of October 10 traffic. Actual event-day travel varies, and the postgame exit adds significant time for self-drivers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the 2026 Red River Rivalry played?
The Allstate Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma is played at Cotton Bowl Stadium, 3750 The Midway, Dallas, TX 75215 — inside Fair Park, about three miles east of downtown Dallas. It is a neutral-site game, not a home game for either school, and it is not played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. QTS Black Car & Limo provides private chauffeur service to Fair Park from anywhere in DFW, with the drop-off and postgame meeting point confirmed by dispatch for your vehicle.
What time is kickoff for Texas vs Oklahoma on October 10, 2026?
Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, October 10, 2026, on ABC — the same afternoon window the game has held since Texas and Oklahoma joined the SEC. Stadium gate times for 2026 had not been published when this guide was written, so confirm the gate time and the final kickoff time on your ticket and at texaslonghorns.com or soonersports.com before you lock in your pickup.
Does a Red River Rivalry ticket include State Fair of Texas admission?
Yes. Your game ticket is also your admission to the State Fair of Texas on game day — the same ticket gets you through the Fair Park gates and into Cotton Bowl Stadium. That is why most groups arrive hours early: the fair is the tailgate. Food and ride coupons are bought separately once you are inside.
Is the State Fair of Texas going on during the game?
Yes. The 2026 State Fair of Texas runs September 25 through October 18, so the October 10 Red River Rivalry lands squarely in the middle of it — historically one of the busiest days of the entire fair. Expect Fair Park to hold a football crowd and a full fair crowd at the same time, which is exactly what makes driving and parking yourself so painful.
How much is parking at Cotton Bowl Stadium for the Red River Rivalry?
Fair Park parking is paid and sold per vehicle, and capacity has historically been tight on this date because the fair crowd is competing for the same lots. Guests who choose to drive are responsible for buying the correct pass for their vehicle and lot in advance. With QTS you skip the pass entirely. Executive SUVs and most Sprinters can use Fair Park gate access; stretch limousines and party buses meet the group at an appropriate nearby legal pick-up point instead, coordinated by dispatch when you book.
How do I get to the Red River Rivalry without parking at Fair Park?
Book QTS Black Car & Limo for dedicated round-trip, hourly-as-directed service from anywhere in DFW. Your chauffeur collects your group at home, stays assigned to you through the fair and the game, and drives you home afterward. Executive SUVs and most Sprinters can drop at a Fair Park gate; stretch limousines and party buses have no designated staging area there, so those groups meet their chauffeur at a nearby legal pick-up point, confirmed by dispatch at booking. No parking hunt, no rideshare queue, and a rate locked when you book. Call (945) 212-1412 or book at dfwblackcarlimo.com.
Can a limo, Sprinter, or party bus drop off at Fair Park?
Yes. Executive SUVs and most Sprinters can drop right at a Fair Park gate. Stretch limousines and party buses have no designated staging area at Fair Park, so those groups meet their chauffeur at a nearby legal pick-up point rather than at the gate itself. Your QTS dispatcher confirms the exact drop-off and meet spot when you book.
What time should my group arrive on Red River Saturday?
For a 2:30 p.m. kickoff, most groups want to be inside Fair Park by late morning — your game ticket already covers the State Fair, so the morning is part of the day. Traffic into Fair Park builds substantially as the fair and football crowds arrive. QTS times your pickup backward from the window you want to be inside rather than from the kickoff.
Why is rideshare so bad after the Red River Rivalry?
An afternoon kickoff puts the stadium exit into the State Fair's evening arrivals, with a football crowd and a fair crowd sharing the same park and the same published rideshare staging zone. Queues and surge pricing are a real risk at that hour. Your QTS chauffeur stays assigned to your group for the day, and dispatch coordinates the postgame pickup and confirms the meeting point with you.
More Fair Park & DFW Ride Guides
Headed to the State Fair on another day, or to another event on the DFW calendar? QTS runs it all season — here is where to go next:
Don't Spend Red River Saturday Looking for a Parking Spot
"Texas–OU at the Cotton Bowl is the best day on the Dallas calendar, and it should be about the fair and the game — not a paid lot you circled for forty minutes. That is why we run this one as a dedicated round trip: the chauffeur who collects your group stays assigned to you for the day rather than moving on to another job, and my dispatch team coordinates the postgame meeting point with you directly. You are not opening an app when the stadium empties."
— Michael Varrone, Owner