The Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma is one of the best rivalries in college football, with an argument for being the greatest in the sport.

Of course, the tradition of the game being played in the Cotton Bowl in Dallas plays a role in the allure of the matchup between the Longhorns and Sooners, along with the long-standing success of both blue-blood programs. No other game takes place surrounded by the Texas State Fair, the most visited state fair in the United States.

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There is one major difference in this year’s game, however, as both teams are now members of the SEC. The conference change also contributes to a change in the matchup’s historic kickoff time.

The Red River Rivalry, which typically starts at 11 a.m. CT each year, is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. this season. The last time the game was played at 2:30 PM was in 2017. Only two of the previous 16 matchups have been played in the afternoon.

The 11am kick-off is a recent occurrence, as the rivalry has only been played before noon six times between 1950 and 2007. Here’s why the 2024 Red River Rivalry will be played at 2:30 p.m.:

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Why is Texas-Oklahoma being played at 2:30 p.m.?

The 2024 Red River Rivalry to be played at 2:30 p.m. is a direct result of both teams now being members of the SEC, as the game will be broadcast on “SEC on ABC”, the conference’s first year with an exclusive TV deal. with ESPN.

Before the SEC’s new deal with ESPN, ABC’s only national viewing window was at 11 a.m. CT, which almost always went to the Red River Rivalry. However, with the new SEC-ESPN broadcast rights, ESPN often uses 2:30 as its primetime window.

ESPN sends its top team to Dallas for Saturday’s game, with Chris Fowler handling play-by-play duties, along with Kirk Herbstreit as color analyst and Holly Rowe as sideline reporter.

The Red River Rivalry has not been played at night since 1950, likely for safety reasons as the Cotton Bowl is located in the middle of the Texas State Fair. The fair closes every year on Saturday evening at 10pm, which would probably be too early after a night game.

Start time Texas-Oklahoma

The Red River Rivalry kicks off on Saturday, October 12 at 2:30 PM at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

What channel is Texas vs Oklahoma on today?

Texas-Oklahoma will be broadcast live on ABC, with streaming options available on the ESPN app or Fubo, which offers a free trial to potential subscribers.

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This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Why is Texas-Oklahoma at 2:30 p.m.? Explanation of the kick-off of Red River Rivalry