DALLAS (KDAF) — The Allstate Red River Rivalry, a storied football game between the University of Texas Longhorns and the University of Oklahoma Sooners, will continue its tradition at the State Fair of Texas in 2025.
The game is set to kick off at 2:30 p.m. Central Time. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to navigate security checks and enjoy the fair. The State Fair of Texas has implemented a new clear bag policy to enhance safety at the event.
The Cotton Bowl Stadium is undergoing a $140 million renovation, the largest investment in its history. The first phase of renovations is complete, featuring widened concourses, new escalators, and improved concessions and restrooms.
A new tradition, the Red River Rivalry Flag, returns for its second year. The flag display on the State Fair Midway celebrates the competition between the Longhorns and the Sooners. The flag of the winning team will be raised at 6:30 p.m. following the game.
The University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma have extended their contract with the City of Dallas and the State Fair of Texas to keep the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl through 2036.
Know Before You Go
Below are a few reminders for those attending the game at the State Fair of Texas on Saturday, October 11, 2025. All times are Central Time.
- Due to a 2:30 p.m. local kick-off, larger crowds may already be out enjoying the Fair, so plan your travel to the fairgrounds accordingly.
- The State Fair of Texas will open early at 7:00 a.m. – to allow fans to arrive and enjoy the Fair before game time, so plan your travel to the fairgrounds accordingly.
- All game tickets include admission to the State Fair of Texas.
- As a reminder, your game ticket will be your ticket to enter the State Fair and Cotton Bowl Stadium. Be sure to download your game tickets and save them to your phone before arriving at the fairgrounds in case of any connectivity issues due to the large crowds.
- Opening at 7:00 a.m.:
- State Fair Will Call opens at 7:00 a.m. The Will Call booth is located just outside of the fairgrounds at 816 S. Second Ave., across from the Music Hall at Fair Park.
- Official State Fair parking lots are located at Gates 2, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, and 15. All gates will open at 7:00 a.m.
- The Fair encourages fans to take exit 48A towards Haskell Avenue off I-30 for quicker parking lot access.
- Rideshare (taxi, Uber, Lyft, Alto, etc.) drop-off and pick-up will be located at Gate 1, which is located at Gurley Ave & S. Haskell Ave. (4200 block of Gurley Avenue).
- Admission Gates will open at 7:00 a.m.
- Coupon Booths and Online Coupon Pick-up Centers will open at 7:00 a.m.
- Hospitality Centers and Information Booths will open at 7:00 a.m.
- Opening at 8:00 a.m.:
- Outdoor concessions, in addition to concessions inside the Tower Building Food Court, will open at 8:00 a.m.
- The State Fair of Texas Midway will open at 8:00 a.m.
- Opening at 9:00 a.m.:
- All exhibit buildings, outdoor exhibits, and indoor concessions (except the Tower Building, which opens earlier) will open at 9:00 a.m.
- Opening at 11:30 a.m.
- Gates to the Cotton Bowl will open at 11:30 a.m. Concession stands inside the stadium will be open.
- Cotton Bowl Stadium has completed phase one of renovations. Please pay close attention to directional, section, and seat signage to help you quickly find your way to your seats.
- Please note that all tickets are accepted at any gate, so you may enter through whichever gate is most convenient.
- If your seats are in the newly renovated west tower (formerly press box), you should go to the elevators on the sides of Gate A to have your tickets scanned and enter.
- For the safety of all game attendees, a clear bag policy is in effect for all events at Cotton Bowl Stadium within Fair Park. Visit BigTex.com/Sports for more details.
- DART trains and buses will become more crowded as game-time approaches and at locations closer to Fair Park. For DART schedules, visit DART.org/StateFair.
- All guests will be screened for weapons as they enter the State Fair. Bags, purses, coolers, and similar containers are screened as well and subject to search. Please read any signage and listen to gate attendants for directions upon entry. There is a NEW Clear Bag Policy for the State Fair of Texas that requires clear bags upon entry to the event. Exceptions to this policy will be made for medical bags, parenting bags, and soft-shell coolers after proper inspection. Please visit BigTex.com/FAQ for the full policy.
- For a list of items allowed and not allowed at the Fair, visit BigTex.com/FAQ.
- For a list of prohibited items inside the Cotton Bowl, visit BigTex.com/Sports.
- The State Fair Midway is open on Saturday until 11:00 p.m. Note: Buildings close at 9:00 p.m., except the Tower Building, which closes at 10:00 p.m.
- For safety reasons, due to the anticipated large crowd, the nightly Drive Like a Texan Starlight Parade will not occur on Saturday, October 11.
- For a map of the fairgrounds, visit BigTex.com/Map.
- For a full schedule of events, visit BigTex.com/Schedule.
- For a list of locations on the fairgrounds to watch the game, visit BigTex.com/WatchParty.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by CW33. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by CW33 staff before being published.