Saturday is the 122nd edition of the Red River Rivalry: The University of Texas (4-0, 1-0 SEC) vs. the University of Oklahoma (2-2, 0-1) at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Fair Park. The game kicks off at 2:30 p.m., but the State Fair will open early, at 7 a.m. The gates to the Cotton Bowl will open a t 11:30 a.m. More than 100,000 people are expected to visit the State Fair for the iconic staple of college football. There’s information about parking, the fair’s clear bag policy, and stadium rules online. Bags are subject to search upon entry. Oklahoma has struggled to start the season, losing to Michigan and Georgia. Texas is the number 1 team in the country after defeating Ohio State and Tennessee. The game features a lot of North Texas high school football stars, like John Mateer (Little Elm) and Colin Simmons (Duncanville). Simmons is expected to be one of the top prospects at next spring’s NFL Draft. Mateer entered the season with high expectations after a strong start to last season sputtered due to injuries. This year, he’s already turned the ball over six times, and there are growing questions about his long-term viability as the starting quarterback. Oklahoma freshman Bowe Bentley, who is from Celina, is one of the backups vying for Mateer’s job. Texas has won three of the past four matchups after OU won four straight from 2018 to 2021. Oklahoma has not scored a touchdown against Texas since its 34-30 win in 2023. Behind the scenes, crews are preparing the field, which mostly hosts professional women’s soccer and high school football games. The end zones are painted for each team: one crimson; one burnt orange. The Southeastern Conference (SEC) logo is also added to the field. Both teams have been better on defense than offense this season. The Sooners rode their defense to the College Football Playoff last season, and they’ll likely need to do so again if they have any hope of returning. Texas hasn’t reached the playoff since 2024. Oklahoma started this season No. 10 but is now unranked. It has seven wins over a No. 1 opponent in program history, but none came when the Sooners were unranked. For DART schedules, visit their game day website. They recommend using the GoPass app and using the Green or Orange Lines. After the game, catchDallas’ DJ Sober on the Bud Light Stage in front of Cotton Bowl Stadium at 7:30 p.m. All game tickets include admission to the fair. ...read more read less