Red River Rivalry

The annual football game between the University of Oklahoma and the University of Texas is played at the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium in Dallas, Texas. The stadium is temporarily expanded every year to seat over 90,000 screaming fans evenly divided by the 50-yard line. The game is uniquely scheduled to coincide with the massive State Fair of Texas held right outside the gates.

The rivalry gets its name from the Red River, which forms the natural geographical border between the states of Oklahoma and Texas. The intense historical disputes over this border in the early 1800s naturally bled into their athletic competitions. The winner of the game is awarded the Golden Hat trophy.

The very first football meeting between the Sooners and the Longhorns took place in the year 1900. The game has been played annually in Dallas since 1929, with only a few brief interruptions. The Texas Longhorns actually won that inaugural matchup before Oklahoma joined the mix as a powerhouse.

The winners of the Red River Rivalry are awarded the Golden Hat trophy, which is officially known as the Red River Shootout Trophy. The gold trophy features a large, ten-gallon cowboy hat mounted on a wooden block. The winning team's mascot and players traditionally put the golden hat on their heads in the locker room during post-game celebrations.