Chris Del Conte: Texas/Oklahoma to remain at Cotton Bowl, looking to move kickoff time

Since 1932, Texas and Oklahoma have played at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The winner heads back up/down I-35 with the Golden Hat and bragging rights for the next 364 days. A longstanding tradition surviving multiple eras of college football, there is nothing to be worried about from the 2024 season on.

No Red River Showdown traditions will be changing with the SEC move according to Chris Del Conte. Specifically, with the venue. While the contract with the Cotton Bowl is expiring in a few years, the Texas athletic director is adamant the venue is here to stay for the rivalry game.

“The contract runs for the next three years and we’ll be in the process of renewing that contract,” Del Conte said during Monday’s Virtual Town Hall Meeting. “I’d like to stay employed with you all for as long as possible. So if I change that, I would be unemployed. I love the State Fair. I love the whole game… I have no plans at all of moving the game.”

If there is one thing Del Conte is looking to switch up, it’s the kickoff time in early October. They have varied throughout the years but recently, networks have opted for 11 a.m. With the SEC move, a permanent switch to the afternoon is desired.

“One of the things I did talk about the Southeastern Conference about is I would love to move that game to 2:30,” Del Conte said. “ABC, 2:30. God, wouldn’t that be awesome?”

Keeping Texas-Oklahoma in Dallas ‘important’ to Del Conte

Some intriguing options exist if the two programs looked to move away from Dallas. Moving to Austin and Norman would add an extra home game to the schedule and likely add more revenue on an annual basis. AT&T Stadium is not too far away either, still providing a neutral site at a bigger capacity.

Del Conte did not specifically mention either option but does not seem interested. He said playing Texas-Oklahoma at the Cotton Bowl “is important” to the Longhorns. Even if he wants to move off the 11 a.m. kickoff.

“We’re going to keep the game at the Cotton Bowl,” Del Conte said. “It’s important to us. I love that environment but if we can get that game to 2:30, it would be really nice.”

Del Conte did note the city of Dallas will be dishing out some cash to improve the Cotton Bowl. An old stadium that definitely has some flaws, nobody on the Texas or Oklahoma side will be disappointed about some upgrades.