Oklahoma State vs. Texas Kick Time, TV Channel Dependent on Red River Showdown

It looks as if the result of Red River Showdown will determine whether the Cowboys play in the morning or in prime time coming off their bye.

The Big 12 announced Monday the Oklahoma State and Texas game scheduled for Oct. 16 in Austin will kick off at 11 a.m. on FOX or at 6:30 p.m. on ABC.

Both timeslots are heralded, as even the morning kick would be FOX’s “Big Noon Kickoff,” coming right after network’s pregame show. And, obviously, playing on ABC in a prime time slot is always a big deal.

The Longhorns are 4-1 this season and 2-0 in Big 12 play. Texas plays Oklahoma this weekend in Dallas.

The Cowboys have kicked at 6 p.m. or later in four of their first five games in 2021. The Pokes are 4-0 in those games. OSU’s other game came at 11 a.m., another OSU win.

Either time slot will be the biggest network the Cowboys have played on this season. OSU has had a pair of games on ESPN+, two on FS1 and one on ESPN2.

The Cowboys last played in ABC’s prime time slot against OU last season, a 41-13 defeat. The next weekend, the Cowboys were FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff against Texas Tech, a 50-44 victory.

Elsewhere in the Big 12 that weekend, OU’s game against TCU shares the same flexed scheduling as the Cowboys’ game with the Longhorns. Future Big 12 squad BYU will play at Baylor at 2:30 p.m. on ESPN or ESPN2. Iowa State and Kansas State will kick at 6:30 p.m. on ESPN2, and Texas Tech and Kansas don’t yet have a kick time but will play on ESPN+.