DALLAS, Texas — The stage is set for one of the biggest rivalries in college football, and fans across the country now have the official details for the 2026 Red River Rivalry.
The Texas Longhorns and Oklahoma Sooners will meet on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at 2:30 p.m.
CT at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.
The game will be televised nationally on ABC, giving college football fans another opportunity to watch one of the sport’s most recognizable rivalry games.
Despite early speculation surrounding a possible prime-time move, the official schedule has the rivalry locked into an afternoon national television window.
The matchup is still expected to command enormous attention, however, because of the programs involved, the history between them and the contrasting directions both teams are entering this year’s showdown.
THE LONGHORNS ENTER AS THE NATION’S NO. 1 TEAM
Texas comes into the Red River Rivalry with a perfect 3-0 record and the No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press and Coaches polls listed on the Longhorns’ official schedule.
The Longhorns have already navigated a challenging opening stretch.
Texas opened the season with a dominant 59-7 victory over Texas State, followed by a dramatic 24-23 victory over then-No. 1 Ohio State on September 12.
The Longhorns then closed nonconference play with a 30-6 victory over UTSA on September 19.
That start has placed Texas firmly under the national microscope.
Head coach Steve Sarkisian has built a program expected to compete at the highest level, and the Longhorns’ early-season results have only intensified expectations entering the rivalry matchup.
But the Red River Rivalry has a way of ignoring preseason expectations and national rankings.
Once Texas and Oklahoma meet at the Cotton Bowl, everything changes.
OKLAHOMA FACES A MAJOR RESPONSE OPPORTUNITY
The Sooners enter Dallas with a 2-2 record after a difficult SEC road trip to Athens.
Oklahoma opened the year with a 51-0 victory over UTEP, then suffered a 17-10 loss at Michigan before bouncing back with a 14-6 victory over New Mexico.
The Sooners’ most recent game ended in a 41-13 loss at No. 2 Georgia on September 26.
The Georgia game exposed some costly mistakes for Oklahoma.
The Sooners committed four turnovers, and Georgia converted those miscues into 17 points.
Quarterback John Mateer finished with 231 passing yards and two touchdown passes, but Oklahoma struggled to generate enough offense to keep pace with the Bulldogs.
Now the Sooners have an immediate opportunity to respond.
And there may be no more meaningful place to do it than against Texas.
THE JOHN MATEER STORYLINE
Mateer remains one of the central figures in Oklahoma’s offense.
The redshirt senior quarterback was identified by Oklahoma as one of the program’s representatives at SEC Media Days alongside head coach Brent Venables.
Against Georgia, Mateer completed 25 passes for 231 yards and threw two touchdown passes.
He also had to operate against a Georgia defense that consistently created difficult situations for Oklahoma’s offense.
The Texas game presents an entirely different challenge.
The Longhorns will arrive with confidence, a perfect record and the nation’s No. 1 ranking.
Oklahoma will need to limit mistakes, sustain drives and find ways to keep the game competitive throughout four quarters.
That makes Mateer’s performance one of the most important storylines to watch.
RED RIVER HISTORY RETURNS TO DALLAS
Few rivalries in college football have the atmosphere of Texas-Oklahoma.
The annual meeting is played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, creating a unique neutral-site environment in which fans from both schools fill the stadium and the State Fair of Texas surrounds the event.
The all-time series currently stands at 37 Oklahoma wins, 32 Texas wins and three ties, according to Oklahoma’s official game center.
Recent history has been particularly competitive.
Oklahoma won the 2024 meeting 34-30, while Texas responded with a 34-3 victory in 2025, according to the Sooners’ official series history.
Now the rivalry returns with another completely different set of circumstances.
Texas enters as the nation’s No. 1 team.
Oklahoma enters looking to respond after a difficult loss at Georgia.
That contrast creates a fascinating backdrop for the 2026 edition.
THE COTTON BOWL WILL BE THE CENTER OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL
The decision to keep the game in the afternoon does not diminish the national importance of the matchup.
Texas and Oklahoma remain two of the most recognizable programs in the sport, and the Red River Rivalry routinely generates national attention regardless of kickoff time.
The official schedule lists the game for 2:30 p.m. CT, with ABC carrying the broadcast.
Oklahoma’s official announcement also confirmed the same kickoff time and national television designation.
For fans, that means the preparation can officially begin.
The Cotton Bowl.
The State Fair.
The Golden Hat.
Texas versus Oklahoma.
Everything that makes this rivalry special will be back in Dallas.
WHAT FANS NEED TO KNOW
Matchup: Texas Longhorns vs. Oklahoma Sooners
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2026
Kickoff: 2:30 p.m. CT
Location: Cotton Bowl, Dallas, Texas
Television: ABC
Texas: 3-0, No. 1
Oklahoma: 2-2
Texas will attempt to protect its unbeaten record and continue its run at the top of the national rankings.
Oklahoma will enter with a different objective: erase the disappointment of the Georgia loss and make the rivalry game a defining moment in its season.
The Longhorns have momentum.
The Sooners have history.
And neither side needs additional motivation when the Golden Hat is waiting on the other side.
THE STAGE IS SET
There will be no need to wait until Saturday night for the rivalry to take over college football.
At 2:30 p.m. CT on October 10, the Cotton Bowl becomes the center of the college football universe.
Texas arrives unbeaten and ranked No. 1.
Oklahoma arrives searching for a response.
The national television audience will be watching on ABC.
And when the Longhorns and Sooners meet at the Cotton Bowl, the rankings, records and predictions will matter far less than what happens between the lines.
Texas. Oklahoma. Dallas. The Red River Rivalry is officially set.
