Red River Rivalry: Where to watch in Dallas

The Red River Rivalry is one of the oldest and most storied traditions in college football, and this year it lands right in Dallas. The Texas Longhorns take on the Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday, October 10, with kickoff at 2:30 PM at the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Fair Park, 3750 The Midway. The game is sold out, so if you don't have a ticket, your best bet is to find a watch party and settle in for the afternoon. The game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN and ABC, so it's easy to catch wherever you end up.

For a full-day experience, Happiest Hour in the Harwood District is hard to beat: 40-plus screens, jumbo LEDs, a rooftop, and more than 30 draft beers, with doors opening at 9 AM and an after-party running until 10 PM. General admission is $25 and VIP is $50, and they're throwing a kickoff party with cold drinks and lawn games the night before. If you're after something free, Hero Victory Park at 3090 Nowitzki Way has brunch, a live DJ, face painting, six full-service bars, a 24-foot HD screen, arcade games, and a private upstairs lounge from 10 AM to 10 PM. Christie's in Lower Greenville runs from 10 AM to 2 AM with Texas/OU shots and game-day platters, though reservations are recommended. Lawnie's in Henderson opens at 11 AM with multiple TVs and DJ WUKI after the game, and The Rustic in Uptown hosts a big-screen party with drink specials starting at 2:30 PM.

If you're closer to the stadium, the Texas Size Tailgate at Gate 5 of the State Fair of Texas kicks off about two hours before kickoff, around 12:30 PM. Cash Cow Dallas at 402 N Good Latimer Expy opens at 1:00 PM with a full menu and a high-energy atmosphere. Over Under at The Village in Northeast Dallas runs from 2:30 to 6 PM with two screens, game-day food, drink specials, and a DJ during breaks, and you can RSVP for raffles. For those outside Dallas, Legacy Hall in Plano has a 24-foot LED in the Lexus Box Garden, a pre-party DJ, TX/OU cocktails, and an after-party with an Alex Lambert concert from 12:30 to 6 PM. The Revel Patio Grill in Frisco offers crawfish and drink specials, and Thirsty Lion in Euless hosts the Fort Worth Texas Exes watch party from 1:30 to 6 PM.

The festivities start early, too. The Dallas UT Alumni Chapter holds a pre-game pep rally at the AT&T Discovery District downtown on Friday from 7 to 10 PM with music, food, drink, a live DJ, and the Fight Song, general admission $25 and VIP $100. Round-Up Saloon in Oak Lawn hosts its 14th annual 'OUT in Dallas' event on Friday from 6 to 9 PM with free pizza, drag queens, and the Longhorn Band. And the Texas Exes hold their Bash Before the Clash at Klyde Warren Park on Friday from 6 to 10 PM, ending with a pep rally. On the field, Texas brings QB Arch Manning, RB Hollywood Smothers, and WR Ryan Wingo into a rivalry that's been played in Dallas since 1912, with the winner taking home the Golden Hat. Texas leads the series 65-51-5, and the Cotton Bowl has hosted 23 Heisman Trophy winners over the years.