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Date
NORMAN, Okla. – Thousands of Oklahomans will make the annual trek to the Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas this weekend for the 2025 Red River Rivalry between the Oklahoma Sooners and Texas Longhorns. Here’s what you need to know before making the trip.
Pep Rally
Fans can kick off the weekend of celebrations at OU’s pep rally on Friday, Oct. 10 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on the Pegasus Lawn of the Omni Hotel (555 S. Lamar St., Dallas, Texas 75202). The pep rally is free and open to the public. It will include hot dogs, refreshments, yard games and appearances by OU President Joseph Harroz Jr., the Pride of Oklahoma and OU Spirit Squads.
Game Day Logistics
On game day, fans can expect heavy traffic and limited parking locations near the State Fair of Texas. Cotton Bowl Stadium is located at 3750 The Midway, Dallas, Texas 75215. Travelers are encouraged to enter the fairgrounds at Gate 2, located at 925 S. Haskell, Dallas, Texas 75223. Fans who prefer to avoid driving to the fairgrounds can use rideshare services and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit. Ride sharing and taxi services are staged near 4206 Gurley Ave. Dallas, Texas 75223. For information on where to park and how to get to the fairgrounds, visit the State Fair of Texas website.
The State Fair of Texas
The State Fair of Texas runs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 19 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. General admission entry ranges from $7 to $29, depending on discounts available and the day of the week. Children two and younger are free. Once inside the fairgrounds, visitors must buy coupons to make purchases at the fair. Coupons cost $1 each and can be purchased at booths inside the fair or online prior to arrival. Prohibited items at the fair include all bags, backpacks and soft-sided coolers larger than 9 inches x 10 inches x 12 inches, non-clear bags larger than 4.5 inches x 6.5 inches unless they contain medically necessary items, alcoholic beverages, firearms and pets. For a more detailed list, visit the State Fair of Texas' frequently asked questions page at bigtex.com/about-us/faq/.
More information about the State Fair of Texas can be found at bigtex.com.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
Three University of Oklahoma graduate students have been named winners of the 2025 Three Minute Thesis competition, which challenges participants to explain their research in three minutes to a non-specialist audience.
Sarah Sharif, a researcher with the University of Oklahoma, has been awarded funding from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) to create innovative light detectors that pick up mid-wave and long-wave infrared signals at higher temperatures than previously considered achievable.
A team from OU and WVU recently earned a five-year, $3.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study how concept cigarillos influence the potential for addiction. The results will be used to inform the FDA’s impending flavor ban on cigar products and could have wider-reaching implications for other tobacco products that come in flavors, such as e-cigarettes and tobacco-free nicotine pouches.
